Bolling: What’s It Mean to Be a RINO

By Bill Bolling

Those who know me know that I have never been a big fan of Donald Trump. While I’ve agreed with many of his policies (but not all), and I reluctantly voted for him in 2020, I’ve strongly disagreed with his demeanor, which I have found to be anything but productive, constructive, or presidential.

Every time I express anything but total support for President Trump, I am viciously attacked by his supporters, and generally accused of being a RINO – “Republican In Name Only.”

I’ve come to expect that reaction from those who can offer nothing positive. Their only reaction to anyone who disagrees with them is to attack and call names. I have grown very tired of their tactics and immaturity, and no longer respond to their rants. I just delete their comments, ban them from my social media pages, and move on.

I served in public office as a Republican for 22 years. I was widely regarded as a very conservative Republican, but someone who could work with people on both sides of the political aisle to get things done. I understand that politics has to be about more than breaking the dishes.

Democracy doesn’t work without mutual respect and a willingness to forge compromise in public policy. It’s the way our Founding Fathers designed our system of government.

Now I am regarded as a RINO by people who don’t even know what it means to be a Republican. Why? Because I refuse to embrace their far right-wing, rigid, “my way or the highway” approach to politics and policy.

Because I refuse to vilify those who may disagree with me from time to time, which is their right.

Because I refuse to pay unquestioning allegiance to Donald Trump, who is not and never has been a real Republican.

I am a “Reagan Republican” and proud of it.

I am conservative, but I am not negative.

I am conservative, but I am not mean spirited.

I am committed to solving problems and getting things done. I understand that politics has to be about addition and multiplication, not division and subtraction. I know that we must bring people together behind our ideals, not drive them apart.

If RINO is the label one gets for being a more traditional, yet conservative, “Reagan Republican,” I’ll wear it as a badge of honor.

Bill Bolling served as the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia from 2006 – 2014 and was a member of the Virginia Senate representing the 4th District from 1996 – 2005. He and his wife Jean Ann live in the Richmond area.

(Left to right): Ed Gillespie, Bill Bolling, Mitt Romney
Photo by Lynn R. Mitchell

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