Not voting for a Republican, any Republican, is a vote for a Democrat. The left sincerely wants Republican voters to stay at home. They will be smug and will be legislated out of existence.
This very statement is the reason the nation is in the state it's in. A non vote for one party is not a vote for the other. It is a realization that neither party happens to represent an individual's views. The Framers intended for us to vote who we felt would represent our individual views within government. They did not intend for us to vote for one candidate simply because we 'hated' the views of the other. That's a juvenile and ridiculous view of republican government. Do I want a poke in the eye or a broken arm? I choose neither. I still vote by action, either through not voting or by writing a candidate in (both recognition that in good conscience there is no candidate that represents my views).
The partisan hacks of both parties discount this view as a vote for the 'other' guy. But if I believe in my heart that government has certain specific roles, that my representative should voice those views, how can I vote for a candidate that has stated he does not? I must either choose someone else to vote for or abstain. This was the intent and the responsibility when we are given the privilege to cast a vote for representation. To deny this or to discount this is a slap in the face of the men who fought and died to create these United States.
Of course I believe the Framers understood this, no I know it by the way they established government under the Constitution. We were not intended to vote directly for the highest positions of power (and even with the Electoral College that is indeed what we do). The Electoral College was not completely affected by popular until the late 19th century (not all states Electoral votes were determined by popular vote until then). The reason is that now the most important decisions our nation deals with (budget, general size, public programs, etc) is affected by men who know to be re-elected they have to offer 'carrots' to garner votes. So instead of doing what they were intended to do, they spend time chasing after television cameras and passing legislation that promises the most for the 'folks at home'. The system of electing public officials at the national level has become a farce.
And unfortunately the only politician currently running for office that understands this is held in disdain because of his correct views on foreign policy as intended by the Framers