BUCKHANNON — A controversial interview has surfaced from 2016, where Mayor David McCauley told The Washington Post he is only registered as a Republican to make Buckhannon residents think that he shares their ideological values. In the article, McCauley told the newspaper that he voted for Hillary Clinton, supports abortion, same-sex marriage, and LGBT causes.
The Washington Post reported:
McCauley, 58, is a Republican but not a Trumpian. He was a Jeb Bush delegate and ended up voting for Clinton.
[McCauley expressed that he voted for Clinton] “because the last thing we need is two or three more Antonin Scalias” on the Supreme Court.“
Like many here, he doesn’t fit neatly into Clinton’s “basket of deplorables.” He’s pro-abortion rights, pro-gay marriage, he said, “a fervent separation-of-church-and-state guy, a social progressive.”
Then, McCauley expressed that he is registered as a Republican, primarily because Buckhannon has a massive republican electorate.
“You could not move to Buckhannon and settle into a public position without being a Republican. I can do my job better when people say, ‘He’s one of us.’ ”
This remark has led many Republican voters in the community to question the motive behind McCauley’s political registration, interpreting this remark as bragging about deceiving voters.
Historically, Upshur County has voted Republican since the civil war. Buckhannon’s Republican electorate comprises the largest political party in the community. Therefore, McCauley acknowledges this fact and then strongly implies he is registered as a republican solely for that purpose.
Then, he continues and solidifies this implication by citing the perception of Republican voters toward his registration. He expresses, “I can do my job better when people say, ‘He’s one of us.’” The reversal of this remark would be that if he were registered as a Democrat, he would be more ineffective at his job as he would receive greater pushback from the large republican electorate.
Mayor McCauley appeared to gloat about his ability to convince Republican voters that “He’s one of us,” while holding liberal views that are more in alignment with the Democratic Party. Oddly enough, most politicians that use this strategy do not usually express their deceptive tactics publicly.
Though it is unethical, this is a common practice. It is so common, that a word was created by members of the Republican Party to refer to such politicians: RINO. RINO stands for a “Republican In Name Only,” and is a term used to refer to officeholders that are registered as members of the Republican Party, but hold views to the political left.