>>Maybe there are a lot of voters like me out there: if they polled me, I would say I have a negative view of Trump. However, I will vote for him if he’s the Republican nominee, out of hatred for Hillary.<<
When you vote for someone to be President of the U.S., you’re explicitly stating that you want that person to be your leader. There is no way in hell I would express that wish, whether my choice be Hillary, Trump, or for that matter, Bernie.
If a third party option doesn’t present itself, I’ll vote down ballot and leave the top line blank. I will not put myself in the position of having to admit to my children and grandchildren that I once seriously considered Donald Trump as a potential leader of the free world.
Now, Rush Limbaugh has more or less stated that such a position disqualifies those of us who think as I do from commenting on the race. Nonsense. Just because he and millions of Trump followers, and Coulter as well, have decided they can stomach an oaf like Trump as their leader is no reason for the rest of us to bow to their wishes.
What Trump’s followers need to realize is that for most of them (outside the FR world anyway) Cruz is an acceptable alternative whereas for most non-Trump voters, Trump is not an acceptable alternative. Common sense would then dictate that Cruz is the more electable candidate, and I’ll leave it at that, except for saying that Cruz was hardly my first choice, but I’m willing to accept him as President. As for Trump; no.
No, I'm explicitly stating that I prefer X as executive (not "leader") to the available alternatives.
You get to vote as your conscience guides you, and so do I and everyone else.