What would it mean for the republican party to “lose” the evangelical Christian vote? Evangelicals may have the chance to demonstrate that their vote must be earned, not just assumed, by the GOP — or any party for that matter. A vote for a third party candidate is thus meaningful as a vote of protest to the current platform of the Republican Party. Countless Christians are caught between two bad options, but if they vote for Trump they are essentially saying “I agree” with the direction of the GOP. (I’m not sure a vote for HRC conveys the same level of endorsement, because the Democratic party is not [d]evolving like the GOP is.) A vote for a third party candidate may actually be the best thing long term. It’s even possible that the democratic party would open its ears to certain evangelical concerns once they see that evangelicals are discontented. Votes seem to “matter” as an identification of a certain demographic with a particular party platform.

So could a vote convey protest?