Las Vegas Sun

March 18, 2024

EDITORIAL:

Why principled conservatives should embrace the RINO label

Last week, Missouri Republican Eric Greitens, a candidate for U.S. Senate, released a campaign video in which he cocked a rifle and called for a RINO hunt. No, that’s not a typo, the acronym RINO, which stands for Republicans in name only, are the latest target of extremists within the GOP trying to out-MAGA each other and earn the support of violent right-wing nationalists.

While the term RINO has been used for decades as an attack against Republicans who support tax increases, gun control or abortion rights, today the term is reserved almost exclusively for those who fail to demonstrate their loyalty to former President Donald Trump.

Today, according to Trump and his supporters, the list of RINOs is long and includes everyone from dead war heroes such as Colin Powell and John McCain to former Republican banner-carriers like former GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney and the entire Bush family.

As the list of those people identified by Trump and his supporters as RINOs continues to grow, we believe that principled Republicans should take advantage of the opportunity to stand apart from their anti-democratic MAGA brethren and embrace the RINO slur as a proud identity.

In the wild, rhinoceroses are an ancient species with thick protective skin and are among the last remaining megafauna (animals weighing one ton or more) that has survived the spread of humans into previously uninhabited regions of the world.

In popular culture, film and television shows as wide ranging as “Doctor Who,” “Sing,” “Kung Fu Panda” and even “Transformers” portray rhino-like characters as strong, noble and principled enforcers of law and order.

Even when portrayed as villainous, such as in the Marvel Comic Book Universe or “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” they are rarely malicious, and generally seek to leave their life of crime and villainy behind. In other words, even when they make a mistake, they seek to fix it, learn from it and make themselves better as a result.

These are attributes that could be applied to many of the Republicans accused of being RINOs today.

Republican governors and secretaries of state in Nevada, Arizona and Georgia have, despite immense pressure from Trump and his henchmen, taken a principled stand and refused to back down against claims of election fraud. In so doing, they have sacrificed personal gains and defied both the far right wing of their voter base and the leaders of their party in order to fulfill the will of voters by certifying Joe Biden as rightful president of the United States.

“Loser Liz Cheney,” as described by Trump, a lifelong conservative and daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, has gambled her career and her family’s legacy to remain true to her belief in democracy, the rule of law and the U.S. Constitution.

And if he decides to run, six-term Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger could prove a formidable challenger to Trump in 2024, especially if the field becomes crowded with other MAGA hopefuls such as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Beyond the individuals and their accomplishments, embracing the label of RINO has an important symbolic significance. No matter what their personal politics or policy proposals, to be labeled a RINO by Trump requires taking a stand as a Republican against fascism and authoritarianism. It requires taking a stand against violent nationalism and rule by fear rather than the rule of law.Today’s RINOs are Republicans who haven’t gone completely insane or surrendered to violence or ignorance.

In the same way that violent hate groups came together online to organize their support for Trump in 2016, by wearing the label of RINO proudly, sensible Republicans today can find each other and organize around a shared identity and purpose — saving the Republican Party from itself.

If there are proud RINOs out there who would like to issue such a call to action and unity of purpose, the Editorial Board would like to hear from you. We are still in search of GOP candidates willing to stand up for democracy. We still want to share your perspective with our readers and let them know that Republican candidates for office exist who believe in the Constitution, who believe in democracy, and who believe that the peaceful transition of power is a hallmark of what can help America continue to be a great country moving forward.

Whether we like it or not, a war is raging for control of the Republican Party. MAGA vs. the RINOs. Violent fascism vs. peaceful democracy. Its time for Republicans to choose a side.