The 2016 election saw the ending of some friendships, family gatherings growing tenser, and now marriages are on the chopping block. No, seriously—some people are calling it quits because their spouse voted for President Donald Trump, like this retired California prison guard who decided to end her 22-year marriage because her husband, a conservative Republican, voted for Trump (via Reuters):
For Gayle McCormick, it is particularly wrenching: she has separated from her husband of 22 years.The retired California prison guard, a self-described "Democrat leaning toward socialist," was stunned when her husband casually mentioned during a lunch with friends last year that he planned to vote for Trump – a revelation she described as a "deal breaker."
"It totally undid me that he could vote for Trump," said McCormick, 73, who had not thought of leaving the conservative Republican before but felt "betrayed" by his support for Trump.
"I felt like I had been fooling myself," she said. "It opened up areas between us I had not faced before. I realized how far I had gone in my life to accept things I would have never accepted when I was younger."
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The Reuters/Ipsos poll of 6,426 people, taken from Dec. 27 to Jan. 18, shows the number of respondents who argued with family and friends over politics jumped 6 percentage points from a pre-election poll at the height of the campaign in October, up to 39 percent from 33 percent.
Oh, get a grip, lady. My parents have been voting differently for decades (Ma is a Democrat, Dad is a Republican) and they haven’t flocked to the lawyers. It’s an election for God’s sake. It’s not like he was caught with cocaine and hookers. Then, I could see you facing those uncharted areas mentioned before, but whatever—do what you want. Last Thanksgiving, The New York Times reported how families were canceling dinner plans over the election, with some planning special events, like weddings, in ways where their Trump-supporting relatives wouldn’t be able to attend. It’s ridiculous. And congressional Democrats are exhibiting this tantrum as well, delaying cabinet nominees votes that they think are the spawns of Satan.
Luckily, Reuters added that a healthy portion of friendships hasn’t been impacted by this election:
At the same time, many people reported their relationships have not suffered because of the election. The poll found about 40 percent had not argued with a family member or friend over the race.The election also enabled a significant number to forge new bonds - 21 percent said they became friends with someone they did not know because of the election, though the poll question did not ask respondents to specify if the friendship was with someone from a different party.
Sandi Corbin, a retiree in East Galesburg, Illinois, said she has visited some of the new friends she made because of their shared support for Clinton. "We talk all the time now," she said. "I would say that's a plus from the election."