Do these Republican voters accept election result?

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By Sam Cabral
BBC News, Washington

Over 72 million Americans voted in favour of a second term for President Donald Trump. But despite falling short of victory, many of his supporters say they are not ready to move on.

Although allegations of widespread electoral fraud are unsubstantiated, about 70% of Republican voters do not believe Democrat Joe Biden won a "free and fair" election, according to a Politico/ Morning Consult poll.

The Trump campaign has requested recounts, filed lawsuits and amplified the suspicions of upset supporters.

President-elect Biden's victory will not be solidified until the electoral college meets in mid-December, and many Republicans expect the result to be overturned.

We asked Trump voters what they make of the election result. Here's what they said:

Rom Solene is a Marine Corps veteran and history buff who voted for Donald Trump in 2020 much more enthusiastically than he did in 2016. He is disappointed that Trump lost, but says Trump gave a lot of voters "reason to believe in the Republican party again" and neither the Republican party nor Joe Biden can afford to dismiss people like himself.

Do you accept the result?

Of course I accept the result! To do otherwise would be to not accept the ideals the United States was founded upon.

Describe your feelings about this loss.

I'm disappointed. However, I take solace in knowing that many votes that were cast for Mr Biden were actually votes that were cast against Mr Trump. Which is to say a lot of people did not vote for Mr Biden; rather, they voted against Mr Trump. I personally know a lot of people who believe in Mr Trump's policies but they disdained his personality or style. I think Mr Biden sees that as well, which is why he's been quick to state that he will govern on behalf of those who didn't vote for him as much as those who did. Mr Biden will never make a decision as President without carefully considering how his decision will impact that large voting bloc that supported Mr Trump.

Will you stick with the Republican party?

I will only stick with the Republican party of the last four years. That is the Republican party that epitomises my beliefs. The Republican party of the last 30 years was Republican In Name Only (Rinos).

Cat Lewis is a Christian writer who avidly supports Donald Trump and attended his 2017 inauguration with her whole family. She says that, unlike other politicians, Trump was "in it for what he can give" not what he can get. She has several concerns about the integrity of the election and is not yet prepared to concede that Joe Biden has won.

Do you accept the result?

I'm suspicious of the result. ALL the states with questionable mail-in ballots are Democratic-controlled swing states. It amazes me how many ballot count overseers were not able to see the counting, in my opinion. If everything is on the up and up, why are Republican overseers not given full access inside counting rooms? Something is fishy. I'm eager to see how the recounts will go.

Describe your feelings about this loss.

I'm sad for our country if Biden has actually won because Trump is the one. He's the man. He stands up for the little people. He doesn't take China's money or collude with other nations against the US. He's the one keeping us safe and making life better for everyone. If we only read his accomplishments and didn't know who enacted them, as Americans, we must say with honesty that his achievements have been blessings to this country. He's done amazing work IF YOU ONLY LOOK AT HIS ACTIONS. But, you have to ignore the media and liberals who want us to hate "the bad orange man."

Will you stick with the Republican Party?

Doubtful. They have not supported Trump, and for that, I am changing my voter registration to Independent. If Trump is not re-elected, I'm eager to see what he will do. I'm sure he's not done just because he's not the president.

Jim Sullivan is a property manager who voted for Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020 because he supports the core ideology and policies of the Republican Party. Over the past few years, he has worked to help the party at the state and local level, an activity he is keen to return to now that the election is over.

Do you accept the result?

Yes... barring any serious evidence to the contrary. I accept the certified results of the election and the media-projected winners.

Describe your feelings about this loss.

My feelings have ranged from sadness to relief to acceptance. I have a new sense of purpose. I am ready for change.

Will you stick with the Republican party?

Yes absolutely! I will definitely stick with the Republican party. Now, is the perfect time to re-group, re-build, re-focus ourselves and return to our roots! My support was never tied to a person. It is tied to an ideology - the Republican way of life. Sure, I supported Trump as the head of our party and also as the head of our country, but in my mind there is a hierarchy of loyalty. Above Trump is our party and beyond that is our nation and the Constitution of the USA.

Mike Harlow is an outspoken gay YouTuber who did not vote for Donald Trump in 2016, but says Trump earned his vote with his policies over the past four years. He called Mr Trump "the most misunderstood president in modern history." The election is not over yet, says Mike, but - win or lose - the Trump coalition will not allow his agenda to fall by the wayside.

Do you accept the result?

I will 100% accept the results after there are full recounts and investigations of the unprecedented irregularities that have taken place. There are many whistleblowers coming forward and "glitches" being reported. We need transparency. Biden supporters deserve that as well. If after all investigations and recounts are completed, there is no reason to believe that there was any widespread fraud, I will wish my new president well and show him the respect that Democrats never showed their president for the last 4 years.

Describe your feelings about this loss.

I am truly devastated by this election. Maybe it was naive, but I trusted the electoral process. That is no longer the case. There are too many suspicious things taking place. However, this is not a loss. Not one single state has yet certified Joe Biden as the winner. We do not have an official result yet. More importantly, there is much cause for celebration here. President Trump received the highest non-white vote of any Republican in 60 years. Never again will Democrats and the left be allowed to act like they own and control all minorities in America.

Will you stick with the Republican party?

Absolutely. I have a love-hate relationship with my party. If this were the same Republican party of 10 to 20 years ago, I would never be a Republican. My goal is to help change the Republican party from within. I will do everything humanly possible to ensure that the old Republican party doesn't come back from the grave. We will not go back to the Republican party acting as a country club for a handful of elites. This was always about taking on the Republican establishment just as much as the left.

Scott Nolan is a criminal defence attorney and Navy veteran who voted for Donald Trump again because he was impressed with several of his policy moves over the past four years. He could not stand Hillary Clinton and, although he had no such objection to Joe Biden, he fears that Biden "is not strong in character". Nolan says he will move on when the final result is certified.

Do you accept the result?

I'll accept the result when made official, yes. AND I'll wish the President well. It doesn't matter that I didn't vote for him. I always wish the President of the United States well and pray that I was wrong about him.

Describe your feelings about this loss.

The United States has now entered its most dangerous period in more than a century and a half. We have begun to curtail the rights of free citizens under the guise of granting entitlements to others. The sheer nastiness with which the left treated the president and us, his supporters, has curtailed the very hope of unity the President-Elect tried to call for. If there is a road back to unity, I confess I do not see it. We have reached a point from which there is no turning back.

Will you stick with the Republican party?

Yes, I will stick with the Republican party so long as they stick to their support of the constitution, limited government and a strong military.

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