Why Hollywood Republicans Are Still Flirting With Wide GOP Field

As GOP presidential candidates take the stage for the third Republican debate in Boulder (CO) on Oct 28, Hollywood conservatives say they’ll be glued to their TV sets in the hope of getting one step closer to picking their candidate for the 2016 presidential race. While most are leaning toward a specific presidential hopeful, many say they haven’t made up their mind yet, insisting it’s still anyone’s game. “I’m supporting Ted Cruz,” said Lionel Chetwynd, an Academy-Award nominee and member of leading conservative Hollywood group Friends of Abe.

Founded by actor Gary Sinise in 2004, Friends of Abe is the leading conservative Hollywood group with a reported 2,200 members. But FOA has kept a deliberately low profile over the years for fear that members might be blacklisted in an overwhelmingly liberal industry. Even so, some big Hollywood names, like Jon Voight, Pat Boone and Kelsey Grammer have stated publicly that they are members. The group has already met with several 2016 GOP hopefuls including Carly Fiorina, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, Carson, Sen Rand Paul (R-KY) and Donald Trump. If there is any consensus among Hollywood Republicans, it’s that Donald Trump will likely not win the nomination when it’s all said and done. But if he does, they will rally around him.