As the likelihood of the impeachment of Donald Trump increases daily, the question arises whether any of the 53 Republican Senators would actually vote for his conviction and removal from the Presidency.
It has been reported that privately up to 30 Republican Senators would wish to do so, but are unwilling to risk their Senate seats to vote in public, where they need to be listed as to their vote on the matter.
Looking at the list of Republicans, it seems to this author and blogger that the following 23 might decide to convict Trump:
Richard Shelby of Alabama
Lisa Murkowski of Alaska
Marco Rubio of Florida
Johnny Isakson of Georgia
Chuck Grassley of Iowa
Joni Ernst of Iowa
Pat Roberts of Kansas
Rand Paul of Kentucky
John Kennedy of Louisiana
Susan Collins of Maine
Ben Sasse of Nebraska
Deb Fischer of Nebraska
Richard Burr of North Carolina
Rob Portman of Ohio
James Lankford of Oklahoma
Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania
Tim Scott of South Carolina
John Thune of South Dakota
Lamar Alexander of Tennessee
Mike Lee of Utah
Mitt Romney of Utah
Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia
Mike Enzi of Wyoming
All of these Senators, except four, do not face election until 2022, or 2024 in the case of Fischer and Romney, while Roberts, Enzi and Alexander are retiring in 2020, and Isakson is retiring early at the end of 2019 due to poor health . Only Collins, Ernst, Sasse and Capito face election in 2020, but possibly could be considered “yes” votes for conviction.
If all of these 23 GOP Senators voted to convict, added to 47 Democrats and Independents, it would mean the vote to convict would be 70-30, enough by three, allowing, in theory, three of the Senators facing election in 2020 to decide NOT to remove Trump.