For years he was John McCain’s closest friend, speechwriter, campaign strategist, Senate chief of staff, biographer and co-author of his books.
One could argue there would have never been a Senator John McCain, much less a 2008 Republican presidential nominee, without Mark Salter.
So it’s pretty big news when Salter announced today that if the Republican Party nominates Donald Trump, he’ll vote for Hillary Clinton this November.
“Basically, I think she’s the more conservative choice and the least reckless one,” said Salter in an email to MSNBC. “Trump’s policy views are like some drunk’s rant. If he tried to do anything like he says he will, we’d have no allies, a lot more enemies, and more of them with nukes. Finally, he’s unfit for the office, too, temperamentally and morally, a narcissistic bigot.”
Salter, who is advising McCain’s reelection campaign, also tweeted today:
the GOP is going to nominate for President a guy who reads the National Enquirer and thinks it’s on the level. I’m with her.
— Mark Salter (@MarkSalter55) May 3, 2016
Salter joins 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney in refusing to back Trump. A growing list of conservatives, including George Will and Bill Kristol, say Clinton would be better for the country than a Trump presidency.
McCain has not said whether he’ll back Trump, but he has announced that, like Romney, he will skip the GOP convention in Cleveland.