'Prepare for a bumpy ride': Lifelong Republican regrets his vote for Trump

U.S. President Donald Trump gestures during the White House Faith Office Luncheon at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 14, 2025. REUTERS Nathan Howard

A growing number of voters who once backed President Donald Trump now say they regret their support, citing economic pressures and unmet expectations.

The LA Times highlighted the story of one such voter in a report published Sunday. Aaron Mahan, a lifelong Republican from Las Vegas, says he voted for Trump twice. He decision was primarily made out of party loyalty, though he described the president’s ego as burdensome.

By 2024, he said, he “just saw more of the bad qualities, more of the ego—and I felt like he was at least partially running to stay out of jail.”

The report noted that Mahan’s grievances are rooted in real‑world consequences.

Working in the hospitality sector near the Las Vegas Strip, he reports a sharp drop in tips and income, estimating his monthly pay has fallen by about $2,000 since the hotel where he works scaled back services. He now finds himself cutting purchases, commenting: “Now … you have to look at prices, because everything is more expensive.”

He attributed the local downturn partly to Trump’s economic, tariff and immigration policies, which he says have deterred key visitor groups.

“His general attitude is, ‘I’m going to do what I’m going to do, and you’re going to like it or leave it. And they’re leaving it,’” Mahan said of Trump. "Prepare for a bumpy ride," he added.

Still a Republican who says he is not a “Trump hater,” Mahan labels himself a “Trump realist.” He acknowledges some policies he supports, like tougher immigration enforcement and the border, while expressing anxiety about what he sees as threats to organized‑labor protections that he believes helped him move into the middle class.

According to a Marquette Law School poll conducted Sept. 15‑24, Republican approval of Trump stood at 81 percent approve / 19 percent disapprove, down from January when it was 89 percent approve / 11 percent disapprove.

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