Don Peay: Those who did not back Trump should ‘ask for forgiveness’
Don Peay looks at a comical slide in his presentation as the audience laughs during a meeting of the Utah County Republican Women on Monday, March 13, 2017 at the Provo City Library. ISAAC HALE, Daily Herald
Joyce Nixon, Director of Humanitarian Projects with UCRW, listens to Don Peay speak during a meeting of the Utah County Republican Women on Monday, March 13, 2017 at the Provo City Library. ISAAC HALE, Daily Herald
Kraig Thorne, Senior Vice Commander at VFW Post 4918, adjusts his hat before posting the colors during a meeting of the Utah County Republican Women on Monday, March 13, 2017 at the Provo City Library. ISAAC HALE, Daily Herald
Carolyn Wright stands for the National Anthem with other attendees during a meeting of the Utah County Republican Women on Monday, March 13, 2017 at the Provo City Library. ISAAC HALE, Daily Herald
Suzanne Merrill, left, a past president of UCRW, laughs along with Shauna Ogden, current president, as Don Peay speaks during a meeting of the Utah County Republican Women on Monday, March 13, 2017 at the Provo City Library. ISAAC HALE, Daily Herald
Don Peay speaks during a meeting of the Utah County Republican Women on Monday, March 13, 2017 at the Provo City Library. ISAAC HALE, Daily Herald
Attendees listen as Don Peay speaks during a meeting of the Utah County Republican Women on Monday, March 13, 2017 at the Provo City Library. ISAAC HALE, Daily Herald
Republicans who did not support President Donald Trump during his campaign should be sorry.
That’s according to Don Peay, the founder of Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife who campaigned to get Trump elected.
A Provo native and Mormon, Peay on Monday told the Utah County Republican Women that he thinks Mormons totally missed the boat on Trump during the 2016 presidential election.
Utah, though it eventually gave its electoral votes to Trump, flirted first with independent candidate Evan McMullin, who ended up taking more than 20 percent of the state’s vote.
Peay compared those who voted for McMullin to someone who made a bet on a football team who hadn’t made it to the Super Bowl.
“The people who did not get behind Trump probably need to look at themselves in the mirror and say, ‘Maybe I need to show a little bit of humility and ask for forgiveness, because I was wrong,'” Peay said.
He attributed the lack of support for Trump in Utah to a disconnect in culture. Trump spoke the way construction workers would, Peay said, which was how he won over that vote.
“I think it was just the culture of Trump’s language and colorful past,” Peay told the crowd. “Sometimes, (Mormons) forget about repentance and forgiveness.”
Peay spoke at length about his personal experiences with the Trump family, including experiences with them while campaigning, and how it was proved to him that a Trump administration would align with LDS values.
“Statistically, if you come from wealth and privilege, you have about an 85 percent chance of being a train wreck,” Peay said. “Drugs, alcohol, no work ethic … so the fact that Trump has five kids and they’re all exceptional ought to tell you something about their dad.”
“At some point, we need to wrap our brains around this as Utahns and as Mormons,” Peay said. “How did we miss probably the most important election in our lifetime over religious liberty and freedom?”
Peay specifically cited Trump’s pro-life stance on abortion and Supreme Court picks as areas many overlooked when forming opinions about Trump.
Peay, who has hunted with Trump’s sons, campaigned specifically to get the sportsman’s vote, which he said was key in several states going for Trump.
A month and a half into the Trump administration, the controversial president is still facing criticism from both Democrats and Republicans as Republicans attempt to undo much of what the Obama administration put in place, including overhauling the Affordable Care Act.
When a crowd member asked Peay how to get Republicans to band together now that a president has been selected, he said he’s considering doing more similar talks around the state.
“The majority have to shut up the minority,” Peay said.
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