OPEN LETTER TO FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP,

President Trump, thank you for being the guy that finally fought back for many of us that have rarely felt fully represented in American politics. At times it has been painful to watch our elected representatives back down at the first sign of resistance from the Left... literally, almost every sign of their perpetual resistance. Republicans have grown far too comfortable with being kicked in the mouth at every turn, only to then be accused of getting a Dem’s boots bloody. You, Mr. President, started swinging back for us. It has been fun to watch, but now it is time to switch gears. Do we want and need a fighter? You better believe it! Are the rallies fun? Yes! We attended one, and the spirit of the people there, along with the power of your heart and words, were awe- inspiring. Are the one- liner attacks and nicknames funny? Of course! But that train has left the station, and now many desire and deserve to be r e p r e s e n t e d w i t h kindness and a drive for some form of unity. Yes, there is a thirty to forty percent block of voters that will never support you or anyone else with anything but a “ D” by their name. The low- information voter will almost never fully understand the issues, but will always vote predictably... on both sides. These people will vote straight ticket all day long, having based their votes on nothing more than a selected sound bite, a comment from a friend, or maybe an opinion picked up in the lunch room at work. It is on this frontier that you, and your supporters, are getting wiped out. The vast and frankly staggering successes you have had, in the face of monumental adversity, is nothing short of miraculous. You have gotten things done that we were told for decades were close to impossible. Your perspective along with the business acumen you were gifted and have honed are great blessings the entire world has benefited from, and can again. Just look what has happened to this country and the world without you there to finish what you started. It is obvious there are many who would love for you to begin each day with a smorgasbord of insults and name calling, but those people are already locked in. You may be making this group happy, yet alienating other factions of voters that are still trying to decide what to do. Most do not listen to an entire speech, and it is time you stopped short- circuiting your own positive statements with the name calling and attack sound bites the media selects to use... indeed, over use to inflict harm. Mr. President, please, for all of us, find higher ground to lead from. Other Republican leaders, such as Ron DeSantis and Rand Paul, are people you will need, along with the many voters that support them. You have the ability to communicate your thoughts and goals in a way that builds up and bonds without putting up barriers between you and those voters we all need supporting you. Not to equate you with Jesus, but He is our example. Did he become righteously indignant in the temple and begin to turn over tables? Sure He did, and with good reason. Then, in the very next passage, He began healing people. There certainly have been times to fight, and that time may never completely pass. But, this can be a time to bring healing, build up key relationships, and lay the foundation for others coming after you. If you do not find a gracious way to do this, I fear you will allow yourself, and your supporters, to be thought irrelevant and dismiss- able. You have done well in the trenches, and we thank you for your courage. Those that attack you consistently will never stop, and you know that. But this country needs desperately to see what true unity looks and sounds like. You can’t keep playing their game and expect to win over hearts, minds, and votes. Now, prayerfully, humbly, and graciously let God guide you to rise to a higher place of leadership. God has gifted and placed you, and now it is time to seek His heart and let Him show you how to capture a God- powered togetherness that your opponents will never long for, much less find.

— Russ Hortman