A Texas Republican elector is resigning over the election of Donald Trump, saying he cannot "in good conscience" vote for the incoming president.
The elector, Art Sisneros of Dayton, detailed his decision in a blog post Saturday that said he believed voting for Trump "would bring dishonor to God." On Dec. 19, when the remaining 537 members of the Electoral College are scheduled to meet in state capitols across the country, the Texas delegation will choose Sisneros' replacement in Austin.
"I do not see how Donald Trump is biblically qualified to serve in the office of the presidency," wrote Sisneros, who represents Texas' 36th congressional district. "Since I can’t in good conscience vote for Donald Trump, and yet have sinfully made a pledge that I would, the best option I see at this time is to resign my position as an elector." On Nov. 8, Trump beat Democratic rival Hillary Clinton by 9 percentage points in solidly red Texas, capturing its 38 electoral votes.
Sisneros has previously been critical of Trump, raising the prospect that he could turn into a "faithless elector" — one who votes against the winner of the popular vote in his or her state. He ruled out that option in his blog post, writing that it "would be difficult to justify how being faithless could be a righteous act."
More attention than usual is being paid to the Electoral College following Trump's stunning upset over Clinton. Democrats across the country are pressing GOP electors to change their votes in a last-ditch effort to put Clinton in the White House. Sisneros' decision, however, appears to be more driven by his religion than a desire to change the outcome.
"The reality is Trump will be our president," Sisneros said, "no matter what my decision is."
This article originally appearedin The Texas Tribune. The Texas Tribune is a nonpartisan, nonprofit media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them – about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.