Texas Republican Elector Says He Won’t Vote For Trump

More than a week after Art Sisneros of Dayton resigned as a Republican elector rather than support Donald Trump, Christopher Suprun of Dallas said he plans to remain an elector but support another Republican.
by Patrick Svitek

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.

This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune.