I’ve been a registered Republican since 1989.
I found the Republican candidates in 2004,2008,& 2012 completely unacceptable. So I voted for the Libertarian candidates instead of Bush, McCain, and Romney. Many people found Kerry and Obama so toxic, that voting the alternative was a “no-brainer.” I chose to “cut bait” but I don’t have anything bad to say about people who didn’t.
If Trump stays in the Republican Party, then I’m staying too. The time to be a crybaby and start a 3rd Party, was in the 2004-2016 time period. Not after Trump got cheated in 2020.
The American establishment would just move their people into any viable 3rd party anyway. The 3rd party would become the 2nd party.
The establishment doesn’t care if you’re a Federalist, Democrat, Republican, Whig, Know Nothing, Greenback, Populist, Socialist, Communist, Abolitionist, Anti-Masonic, Libertarian, Green, Constitution or Patriot Party. They only care about “what price you can be bought.”
Trump can say he is a Republican all he wants. The Republican Party said, no you’re not and threw his ass out of DC. For the last five years he has had zero power or sway within the national GOP. You expect that to change now? The only influence he will have in the Uniparty (R) will come from Trump leveraging a third party. If Trump continues to be played by the Uniparty (R) he is not the answer. Trump blew it by trusting GOP advice and getting screwed EVERY TIME he did. He had the opportunity to change Washington but deferred to the same DS hacks he’s talking to now.