Donald Trump has turned a corner, rebooting a campaign that had struggled for weeks, and is evolving into a more polished and promising Republican Nominee. I am seeing people who were once hardened against Trump, soften and even allow themselves moments of enthusiastic optimism regarding a Trump Presidency.
That said, for Trump to win, we are going to need 95% of Republicans behind him. To achieve this, overzealous Trump Supporters on Social Media will have to cease and desist their rowdy behavior directed toward the Republican Party, toward supporters of other Republican candidates, and toward anyone they believe is somehow fundamentally less “American” than themselves.
Despite the polls, Donald Trump could win this election. His greatest obstacle is no longer his own bombast and pomp, but rather the bombast and pomposity of his die hard and enthusiastic supporters, especially on Twitter and Facebook. Despite appearances, Donald Trump won the Republican Nomination and is now competing with Democrat Nominee, Secretary Hillary Clinton, not Ted Cruz, or Glenn Beck, or Bill Kristol. Behavior on Twitter and Facebook may seem trivial, but a respectable number of Americans are engaging in social media and are affected by what they see there.
These incessant attacks against Trump’s detractors in the Republican Party is simply an ineffective strategy.
Millions of Republicans, such as myself, who did not support Donald Trump in the primary, but who will vote for Donald Trump in November are constantly placed in the position of being mercilessly attacked by Trump Supporters for not being enthusiastic enough. These attacks threaten to make enemies out of friends, which is not only unnecessary, but utterly detrimental to Trump’s candidacy.
While there is nothing an ardent Trump supporter can say to me, regardless of its’ level of cruelty, to get me to support anyone other than the Republican Nominee, there are millions of Americans looking for reasons to vote for Donald Trump while Trump’s supporters continue giving them reasons not to.
Trump’s newly evolved campaign is the stuff of victory. Every Trump supporter should be focused on strategic means of ensuring his election. There are dozens of opportunities across Virginia to volunteer and network on behalf of Trump. This means, strategically, that Trump Supporters should be trying to get people to like their candidate and their candidates supporters.
I know that the Never Trump crowd has made many a Trump Supporter grouchy, but when your candidate wins the nomination of his or her’s political party, these kinds of sensitivities simply are not helpful. Trump supporters should stay focused on the positive and focus on beating Hillary Clinton. No one ever changed their mind because they were ruthlessly berated on Facebook or Twitter.
Mark Lloyd and Trumps’ Virginia leadership team have been quite clear and very wise on this matter; and yet, many of Donald’s supporters refuse to heed the advice of their leaders. I am not writing this to be critical of Trump’s supporters. I am simply explaining that Trump’s supporters are behaving in ways detrimental to the success of their candidate. Ardent Trump supporters should be looking for ways to set an example of graciousness and enthusiasm. Graciousness and enthusiasm are catching.
If we are to win in November, we must win together. There are so many positive things people can do as an ardent Trump Supporter. Volunteering for events, door knocking, organizing car pools for the elderly on election day are but a few examples.
This is especially true in Virginia, where Donald Trump has a lot of ground to recapture. Donald Trump hasn’t given up on the commonwealth. We’ve seen in the 1st District that everyone has set the primary aside and moved on to the general election. However, as we gaze across social media, Trump’s supporters have been recklessly and needlessly burning bridges. At the rallies we see so many positive people, so many great attitudes, great smiles, and optimistic hope for the future. Why should Social Media be a sewer of viciousness?
Do you want to get Donald Trump more votes? Then you need to think strategically. Trump Supporters need to be as positive and inclusive as possible. Trump supporters need to be building bridges for Trumps’ detractors to cross over. I have absolutely no doubt that Donald Trump can win in Virginia if we set aside the past and focus on the future.
