Lifelong Republican explains why she's done with the GOP

Despite Oklahoma being among the reddest of red states in federal elections, one lifelong Republican has had it with the GOP.

All 99 counties in the state voted for Donald Trump for the past two elections and for Republican candidates in the eight years prior to that. Lisa Lawrence, a retired teacher from Tulsa, wrote in The Oklahoman newspaper that she won't be a Republican any longer.

She explained that she hasn't voted for a Republican for president for a while, but remained in the GOP because she wanted to continue to have a voice in her party on the primaries.

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"With the current state of Oklahoma politics, primaries are essentially the only way to have a voice in our elections," Lawrence wrote. "I gave that up today and registered as an Independent because I can no longer in good conscience have an R next to my name."

She believes Donald Trump is bringing "out the very worst in us" by "emboldening people based on who they hate and what they fear."

"Trump followers don’t deny that he spoke of grabbing women by their genitals. They excuse it," Lawrence lamented.

"Trump followers don’t condemn him for inciting racists and telling the Proud Boys to 'stand back and stand by.' They endorse it with their silence and their votes," she wrote.

She complained that Trump supporters want to enshrine Christianity into politics, but they refused to hold their own presidential candidate to following the 10 Commandments.

She mentioned Republicans who were willing to speak out in the early days of Trumpism, such as Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Marco Rubio (R-FL.). Today, those lawmakers have been "bullied into submission, won over by a lust for power, or suffering Stockholm syndrome."

She cited some of the quotes from the senators, as well as several other lawmakers, remarking that they flood cable news with "outright hypocrisy."

"It’s easy, and it is necessary for those of us who truly understand what Trump represents," Lawrence closed.

Read the full column here.