Texas Republican elector announces he won't vote for Trump
Editor's note: This story has been updated.
Another Texas Republican elector is objecting to Donald Trump, saying he will not vote for the president-elect.
In a New York Times op-ed published Monday, Christopher Suprun of Dallas said he cannot bring himself to support Trump when the Electoral College meets Dec. 19, calling the president-elect "someone who shows daily he is not qualified for the office."
Texas does not require electors to vote in accordance with the statewide popular vote, like many other states do. In the Nov. 8 election, Trump easily defeated Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in Texas, capturing the state's 38 electoral votes.
"I believe electors should unify behind a Republican alternative, an honorable and qualified man or woman such as Gov. John Kasich of Ohio," wrote Suprun, a paramedic. "I pray my fellow electors will do their job and join with me in discovering who that person should be."
Suprun's decision was not entirely a surprise. He had threatened to not vote for Trump earlier this year, telling Politico his party's presidential nominee was "saying things that in an otherwise typical election year would have you disqualified."
Suprun's defection comes nine days after Art Sisneros of Dayton announced he was stepping down as an elector rather than vote for Trump. Unlike Suprun, however, Sisneros said he viewed Trump's election as a done deal.
The Texas Republican Party, which had said it appreciated Sisneros' decision to step aside, declined to comment on Suprun's announcement.
Read more about Trump and Texas:
- Throughout his campaign, Donald Trump cultivated a number of loyal allies in Texas, making for no shortage of options as his transition team looks to staff the incoming administration.
- U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz promised Sunday morning to work hand-in-hand with President-elect Donald Trump to move a conservative agenda.
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