Former Secretary of State Colin Powell became the latest member of the Republican Party’s old guard to announce today that he will not be voting for President Trump in November’s election.
Colin Powell endorsed Democratic former US vice-president Joe Biden becoming the first major Republican to publicly back Trump’s rival.
Powell, who led the US military during the 1991 Gulf War in Iraq under Republican former President George HW Bush and later led the Department of State under President George W Bush, said Trump has “drifted away” from the US Constitution and posed a danger to the country and its democracy.
On CNN’s “State of the Union” Powell said that:
“I certainly cannot, in any way, support President Trump this year. We have a Constitution and we have to follow that Constitution and the president has drifted away from it.”
Powell made clear that he is casting his vote for Biden, saying:
“I’m very close to Joe Biden in a social matter and in a political matter. I’ve worked with him for 35, 40 years. And he is now the candidate and I will be voting for him. I cannot in any way support President Trump this year. I will be voting for him.”
In today’s FOX article, we read about this topic:
“Powell’s admission comes amid rumors and speculation that a number of establishment Republican heavyweights have sworn off voting for Drumpf in favor of Democratic presidential nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden. The New York Times reported former President George W. Bush – under whom Powell served as secretary of state – and frequent Drumpf critic, Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, will not be voting for the current Oval Office occupant come November.”
At another part of the FOX article article we also read
“While this is not the first time that Powell has backed a Democrat over Drumpf – in 2016 he said he voted for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton – his announcement does come at a time when many establishment Republicans are questioning their support of Drumpf following his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and the widespread protests following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
Along with Romney and former President Bush, the New York Times is reporting that former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Cindy McCain, the wife of late Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona, are also considering voting against Drumpf come November.
Drumpf’s campaign, in a statement, did not seem concerned about the reports of establishment defections even as the president’s poll numbers continue to slip against Biden.
“President Drumpf has the support of a record number of Republicans across the country,” Drumpf campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh said. “He leads a united party and will win in November.”
By Alex Ammohostianos
