#NeverHillary

First (and always), it was #NeverHillary. That was the only certainty for me in the 2016 Presidential election.

Beyond being the first female Presidential nominee, Hillary brought nothing new to the table. Another family political dynasty. Another old guard “it’s my turn” candidate in the vein of Bob Dole and John McCain. Four more years of a Democratic party that had taken a hard left, the center no longer even visible in the rear view mirror. And more of that elitist liberal smugness that tells us not why they’re right and we’re wrong politically, but why they’re good and we’re bad, generally.

#NeverTrump

Then, in the primary, it was also #NeverTrump. Because it seemed like a joke. Because he was a representative of a family business dynasty who decided it was his turn to play Presidential candidate. Because his nomination would bring even more years of a Republican party that had chosen “moderate” candidates instead of being true to their center-right, Reagan conservative base. And that Trump smugness, those nicknames for his opponents that told us not why he was right, but why they were bad.

But there was no conflict with my two #Never choices. #NeverTrump was easy because he’d never make it. Clearly, he’d self-destruct well before the Republican primary was over.

And so I tried to find my candidate in a cast of characters with no clear lead. There was a strange appeal for me of another Bush v. Clinton. Rubio seemed like an up and comer. There were a few more #Nevers in the field as well (looking at you, Christie). Ultimately, I felt like Ted Cruz was the most genuine conservative, despite his sometimes nerdish awkwardness.

#IChoseTed

And so I voted for Cruz in my state’s primary. It was the most comfortable choice for my principles. And then, like probably happened in your state’s primary, Trump won. He never self-destructed. He said and did all the things that should have ended him, that would have ended any other candidate. But he never stopped winning.

And then it was Republican nominee Trump. It was all over for the primaries, except the shouting continued. Pro-Trump forces continued to childishly attack their former opponents and vice versa. It again seemed as though Trump could only self-destruct as he refused to give up the battle against his own side instead of focusing on the war for the general election.

#YouCan’tAlwaysGetWhatYouWant

Meanwhile, I had to figure out what I was going to do on election day. I was still #NeverHillary, for all the reasons above and many more. That part was easy.

But neither of these candidates reflected what I wanted in a President.

I’d never thought or prayed about an election as much as in 2016.

Gradually, I saw the bigger picture. This election wasn’t about how the candidates had lived their lives, or how many stupid things they’ve said. It was about how they’ll govern. It was about the America they’ll leave us in 2020 or 2024. It wasn’t about how low anyone had slumped in the past, but about who will rise to the challenge for the future.

And so, for better or worse, I voted for Trump. Not voting was the only other choice I could make.

#ButIfYouTrySometimesYouMightJustFind

On election night I was anxious. Both fearful and certain that Clinton would win. The polls showed it. The conventional wisdom believed it.

The TV folks seemed even more certain than I was, talking about the somber mood in the Trump camp and the energy at Clinton HQ. They talked about turnout and exit polls and the limited paths to 270 for Trump.

What a journey that night was, watching the results roll in. With every Trump win they talked about how it’s not a surprise, not unexpected, but he still had to “break the blue wall.” Hour after hour, he was still the underdog.

It was when FoxNews called Wisconsin for Trump that I knew that another President Clinton was not inevitable. And I found myself genuinely relieved. I continued watching as they talked about the somber mood in the Clinton camp and the energy at Trump HQ. As they began to talk about how the polls were wrong and the paths to 270 were limited for Clinton.

I watched it on through Trump’s victory speech, going to bed at 3 a.m. on a work night.

#YouGetWhatYouNeed

And now? I’m cautiously optimistic. Far more optimistic than I would have been with a President-Elect Hillary to write about.

I know that’s not the proper thing to say right now. I know social media tells me I’m supposed to be in mourning, grieving the terrible choice that we’ve made.

But of the choices we had I think we did the best that we could, especially in an election where all our paradigms were wrong.

Because this election wasn’t about right vs. left, conservative vs. liberal or Republican vs. Democrat. It wasn’t about race, or sex, and it wasn’t decided by racists or sexists. It wasn’t about political correctness or the social issue du jour.

This election was decided by folks who aren’t driven by ideology. People who just want to live their lives and maybe vote for somebody who will listen to them, give them some straight talk, and be their advocate.

And that’s why Trump won. It seems to me that he convinced the blue-collar folks, purportedly the modern democratic base, that he was their guy. That both parties had forgotten them, but he hadn’t. That he cared about their jobs, and that he would try to help. And I don’t think they cared about all the rest of it.

Regardless, one thing was clear. People were demanding change. Voters were going to break through the establishment of both parties, of the very system, to bring that change. Both parties have a lot to learn from what just happened if either of them are going to be successful in the future.

But that’s a discussion for another day.

Our job in the meantime is simple. Pray for our President-Elect, our Congress and for our country as we wait to see what this new day will bring.

– revised October 2026