Bill Weld: An Unexpected Challenge

William Weld has no shortage of experience in public office. Under the Reagan administration, Weld led two different offices of the Justice Department and became known for his prosecution of finance and narcotic crimes. Weld also served two consecutive terms from 1991 to 1997 as governor of Massachusetts, during which he enacted comprehensive education reform and signed an executive order that permitted same-sex marriage in the state. His achievements in the social sphere of politics are highly notable, especially when taking into account his position as a Republican governor of a historically liberal state.

Weld has a moderate set of political views that earns him an important (and as yet unfilled) middle ground in the Republican party. Weld supports the legalization of marijuana, publicly expresses pro-choice views, and advocates for more gun legislation. He believes that climate change is a pressing issue and wants the U.S. to remain a member of the Paris Climate Agreement, a direct rebuttal to President Trump’s withdrawal from the treaty. As for immigration—another hot-button issue for the current president—Weld pushes for a guest worker program and longer working visas. Weld is also a strong advocate for cutting federal spending and lowering taxes nationwide, a pro-business stance which could endear him to the economic conservatives of the Republican party. Perhaps Weld’s most intriguing position is his plan to get rid of the Department of Education in favor of granting more responsibility to parents and teachers.

Weld holds strong positions against incumbent President Trump, and some interpret his campaign primarily as an effort to derail Trump’s run for re-election. He said that “Our president is simply too unstable to carry out the duties of the highest executive office—which include the specific duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed—in a competent and professional matter.” Weld even went as far as to say that pro-Trump Republicans exhibited symptoms of Stockholm Syndrome, as he believed that they sympathized with their supposed captor. His strong opposition to Trump’s campaign will at least make the president’s path to victory more difficult, making the Republican primary more than simply a straight shot for Donald Trump.