Before you go, Senator ...

Dear Senator Gardner,

Imagine if John Kasich or another moderate Republican had been the party’s nominee in 2016, and won. The Republican Party would not have been hijacked by Donald Trump, and you might have won a second term.

Clearly, the American people have only rejected Trump, not Republicanism. We Democrats got ahead of ourselves, as one reelected Republican put it, with talk of plans that were too ambitious in the estimation of many voters.

In all likelihood, the Senate will remain in Republican control, and we will have to try to make divided government work. That will be a steep climb.

I do not envy you and your colleagues whom President Trump held in line by sheer intimidation. With one notable exception— your opposition to separating families at our southern border— you supported Trump in his most egregious actions, including his attempt to leverage military aid to an ally for personal gain.

You have an opportunity in your remaining weeks as our senator to speak truth to Donald Trump. You can insist that he put the public health first and follow the advice of the medical experts with regard to the pandemic, and you can demand that he put our democracy first and accept the outcome of this election with no further gimmicks.

There is little doubt how history will remember President Trump. How will history remember you?

Todd Buchanan, Eldora