Very good point, it dovetails into mine nicely: those currently in office [generally] do not have good character.
Precisely so. If one is not willing to hold out for statesmen, one will be left with mere politicians. Politics is governed by dirt. Statesmanship is not.
Hence, your argument against voting 'R' merely for the brand is ultimately and necessarily true. Who you vote *for* really matters more than anything.