Staind’s Aaron Lewis Backs Donald Trump + Ted Cruz, ‘Would Certainly’ Cast Vote for Trump
With another presidential election looming in the Fall, the race has only been intensifying in recent weeks as each party battles it out to determine who their candidate will be. As the debates rage on, rock and metal musicians have not been shy about expressing their thoughts on both sides of the political coin. Staind's Aaron Lewis has been the latest to weigh in, expressing his undying support of the Republican party and more specifically, Donald Trump.
"Listen, I like the fact Donald Trump has come in and shaken things up and said a whole lot of things the establishment doesn't want to hear him say and the people did want to hear him say," Lewis told Billboard. Speaking about how candidates typically have a molded image, he noted the real estate mogul doesn't fit into these pre-conceived notions, adding, "But at the same time, there's an expectation for somebody being presidential in nature, and he disappoints me with the bickering and the name-calling. It's just not very presidential behavior. But I would certainly vote for him if he becomes the candidate." Meanwhile, he also gave another Republican hopeful a thumbs up, saying Ted Cruz is "the most constitutionally driven candidate on the docket."
Other musicians that have come out in support of Trump include Ted Nugent, Kid Rock and Five Finger Death Punch's Zoltan Bathory. A wealth of metal and rock artists have expressed the opposite, condemning the Republican hopeful. Earlier this week, Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante was so dismayed over the race that he suggested the possibility that Trump is sabotaging the Republican party. His bandmate Scott Ian took a different stance altogether, expressing "I don’t have a candidate. I don’t subscribe to any political party. I think they’re all full of crap. I think all politics is bulls–t. I don’t subscribe to any of it. As a complete outsider, this is the worst, craziest circus I’ve ever seen in my life, and I thought it was bad last time."
Staind entered a hiatus in 2012 and have only reactivated the group for one tour in 2014 before going dormant once again while Lewis continues work on his solo career as a country artist. The frontman has been in the studio working on his second solo record, expected to be out some time this year.
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