In today’s age, it seems that people are divided over everything. You are categorized as either for something or against, there is no in between. In the world of American politics, it constantly seems that you only have two options for your beliefs, you can be conservative and support President Trump, or liberal and oppose him.

Enter the Lincoln Project, an idea and organization that attempts to shatter the status quo of American politics. It was created by Republicans and for Republicans who are, in every shape and form, conservatives at heart. Being a conservative is supposed to mean you are against large, unnecessary government, generally in favor of less taxes and most importantly, keeping the government out of the public’s personal affairs. The key difference that sets these conservatives apart from the rest is simple; they wholeheartedly oppose Trump and everything he stands for.

This group of conservatives, who have been nicknamed ‘Never Trumpers’, have fascinated me since I discovered them. As a moderate, conservative leaning liberal myself, I find many of my ideas lining up with the core values of the Republican Party, yet I never have nor ever could support Trump. It has always amazed me that the party of less intrusive government and more personal freedom would ever nominate and support someone such as Trump, who goes against everything the party stands for.

Trump has repeatedly attacked our constitution and shown no regard for our nation’s laws, military, or allies. He has staffed key positions in the government with people that further his political aspirations, such as Postmaster General Louis Devoy (who is actively suppressing Americans ability to vote by mail). He has made horrid comments aimed at veterans such as John McCain, and made our allies in NATO question our dedication. In short, he is a whirlwind of bad news for our country, and seeing the republican party fall in line behind him is disgusting.

This is where the Lincoln project is so crucial, they are what I believe to be the only true conservatives of the Republican Party who understand that another four years of Donald Trump would be detrimental for our republic. The fact that well known conservatives who are involved in the project are voting for Joe Biden, the democratic nominee, over their own party’s choice shows just how desperate many Americans are to regain our democracy.

While I have always been a registered democrat, I have flirted with the idea of voting republican on several occasions, as I firmly believe that just because you are a member of a political party does not mean you always have to vote along party lines. While I have supported Biden from the beginning of his campaign, I believe that people with similar beliefs to my own would find this organization extremely interesting, and perhaps even change their opinion if they do in fact support Trump.

The motto of the Lincoln project is summed up concisely on their homepage, stating that their mission is to “Hold accountable those who would violate their oaths to the constitution and would put others before Americans”. Some of the project’s more notable members include Jennifer Horn, who served as the Chairman of the Republican party from 2013 to 2017, as well as John Weaver, a political strategist who served under the George H.W. Bush administration, among many other prominent party members.

While the Lincoln Project is a minority group of the Republican Party, I encourage anyone of any political identity to check them out and see what they are about, as it could change your mind just days before the election. You can check them out at https://lincolnproject.us/ .

Jack Lewis can be reached by email at [email protected] or on Twitter @JackAttack722