Tucker Carlson sees a reason to quit. I see a reason to stay. | Opinion

At long last, I have one thing in common with conservative commentator Tucker Carlson: I, too, am unhappy with the state of the Republican Party. That's where the similarities end.

On a June 18 episode of the podcast "Can't Be Censored," Carlson announced that when it comes to the November midterms, "I would not support the Republican Party. There's no chance I would support the Republican Party."

The former Fox News host added that he wasn't going to support the Democratic Party, either: "I don't know what I'm gonna do. But at this point, how could I or any American voter support a political party that's not loyal to the United States?" He was referring to Trump's Iran war, which he's also called "immoral" and "treasonous."

Carlson's departure from today's GOP has been a long time coming, but it's not so much that he's leaving the Republican Party as that the party has already left him.

Carlson's declaration that he won't support the GOP in the November midterm elections isn't brave or noble. It's a product of short-term thinking about conservatism and the future of America.

As a Republican, I understand the disappointment over the Iran war. But conservatism isn't defined by one man, and it's clear which party can still push America in the right direction.

I, too, am disappointed in the Republican Party

Trump's second year of his second presidential term has been radically different from his first, when he passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which lowered taxes and secured the border. The common denominator was clear: Trump's administration stayed laser-focused on the issues Americans care about most.

Now Trump ‒ and the Republican Party at large ‒ seem unfocused and unmoored, playing whack-a-mole with whatever crisis pops up, making some of their ow, and abandoning that same focus on Americans' concerns.

Trump's Iran war and its pending, shaky resolution ‒ the memorandum of understanding, or MOU ‒ is a prime example. It's yet another 60-day ceasefire agreement with a 14-point peace plan, heralded as a win by White House officials. But destroying Iran's infrastructure and then offering to rebuild it for $300 billion looks less like a win and more like a step backward.

Despite a Republican majority, Congress can't muster the grit to pass the SAVE Act or repeal the Affordable Care Act. Both failures are appalling, and Americans will be living with the consequences for years.

But even that isn't enough to make me vote Democrat, a party that aligns increasingly with socialism. And it's definitely not enough to make me sit out politics entirely, like some libertarians who proudly declare "voting is overrated" during a presidential election cycle.

A patriotism gap, not a policy gap

America's division along party lines isn't just about politics anymore. It's a loss of the shared principles both parties used to believe in: respect for the law, love of country, and an embrace of values like faith, family and hard work.

CNN analyst Harry Enten captured this divide in patriotism. In 2001, 85% of Democrats said they were proud to be American. By 2026, that number had sunk to 29%. Republicans, meanwhile, have held steady at 90% very or extremely proud to be American, then and now.

Patriotism shouldn't be conditional or ideological. For Democrats, it's both, and it shows up in nearly every policy they push.

Despite its flaws, the Republican Party is still the only one supporting America unconditionally and reflecting its core principles. That was obvious during Trump's first year. I voted for Trump in 2024 for two reasons: He was the better option over Vice President Kamala Harris, and it wasn't close. And I believe conservative principles and policies are more effective for governance. Both of those things are still true in 2026, Iran war debacle notwithstanding.

This is why Carlson's declaration that he can't support the GOP because of Trump is nonsensical, even irrelevant. Trump is not the Republican Party, and he won't be president forever.

Meanwhile, liberals are embracing ideas and policies that will hurt America. The only option for conservatives like me is to express disappointment when we disagree, stand firm in our values, and keep demanding that elected conservatives reflect our core principles.

So while Tucker Carlson and I may share frustration with today's GOP, that's where the similarity ends. He sees a reason to leave. I see a reason to fight for the party to do better.

Nicole Russell is an opinion columnist with USA TODAY. She lives in Texas with her four kids. Sign up for her newsletter, The Right Track, and get it delivered to your inbox.