Myron Gookin was appointed as an Iowa District Court judge by Governor Terry Branstad in August 2011. He served as Chief Judge of the Eighth Judicial District, covering fourteen counties in southeast Iowa, from January 2022 until his retirement, effective July 2025. He posted the thoughts enclosed below on Facebook on August 9. Facebook users had shared the post more than 8,000 times as of August 15.

Thank you for taking a few moments to read this. I’ve hesitated to post this. I don’t intend to offend anyone, but understand I may. I will not respond to comments but I believe in free speech and will not deny anyone the right to respond. It’s hard to believe we’ve reached this point. It saddens me. Yet, I believe there is hope.

I grew up an Iowa Republican. I worked to get Republicans elected. I hosted fundraisers in our home for Republican candidates. I gave money to Republican candidates. I voted for Republicans. I was appointed an Honorary Colonel in the Iowa Militia by a Republican Governor for my service to the State of Iowa, largely due to my Republican efforts. I considered running for public office someday as a Republican. I was part of the Republican team.

Then, things started to change. The party moved farther and farther right. It became radicalized by people who had lost sight of truth, justice, equality and (ironically) doing what is “right”. It lost sight of our country’s history and the necessary, continuing struggle to “form a more perfect union”. Most important to me, it lost sight of the essence of Christianity—it more and more loudly claimed to be Christian, yet more and more ignored Christ’s core teachings and example of pulling together for good and loving our neighbors as ourselves.

Still, I hung on for several years believing the Republican Party at least stood for fiscal conservatism. Eventually, I concluded that “trickle down” economics was a sham and the Republican Party was mostly, if not wholly, the cause of our ballooning national debt. So, many years ago I quietly left the Republican Party and became an Independent.

I am no longer willing to be quiet. Now, we have Trump 2. Our democracy is crumbling before our eyes, led by Republican egomaniacs who are drunk on money and power; who vomit on the rule of law; who choke on equality before the law; who belch blatant daily lies to mislead the people they are sworn to represent and serve; who spit on the legacy of our forefathers; who rage against the rights of the downtrodden, including the foreigner legitimately seeking asylum and/or an opportunity to realize the cherished American Dream. Trump is a criminal, a liar, and a draft-dodger, among many other traits unsuitable for the leader of the free world. I am ashamed he is our President. He leads the charge and the MAGA’s of the Republican Party blindly follow. GOP no longer stands for “Grand Old Party”, it stands for Gutted, Obsolete and Pathetic.

Yet, are there good and thoughtful Republicans who have worked hard for their wealth and believe in the American Dream of democracy, freedom, fairness and equality under the rule of law? Of course. Are there good and thoughtful Republicans who reject the MAGA zealots? Yes. But, apparently, few Republicans (The Lincoln Project excepted) are willing to stand up and openly oppose Trump and the MAGA element.

Please understand if you are one of those quiet Republicans who privately rejects Trump and MAGA extremism, but continues to vote Republican just because you’ve always been a Republican, you will destroy this country for you, your children and your children’s children. This is not your parents’ Republican Party. This is not Iowa Governor Bob Ray’s Republican Party. This is not Iowa U.S. Congressman Jim Leach’s Republican party. This is not President Ronald Reagan’s Republican Party. This is a Republican Party of the self-absorbed rich—insatiably addicted to power and money. This is a Republican Party of the few, who are hell-bent on gutting democracy and the rule of law to enrich themselves. This is not the party of Lincoln, the party who pulled together to end the human scourge of slavery and sacrificed their lives to preserve our union, our Constitution, and our principles of democracy.

After being an attorney in a private law practice in my home town for 28 years, I was honored to serve as an Iowa District Court Judge for nearly 14 years, appointed by a Republican governor, sworn to everyday uphold the Constitutions of the United States and the State of Iowa and to equally uphold the rights of the rich and the poor. My experience in the law allows me to understand the precious and fragile nature of our rights under the law. My interest in history allows me to understand how treacherous, power-hungry people can destroy those rights. I will no longer quietly tolerate the treachery of this present version of the Republican Party as it tramples on our rights and dismantles our democracy. Neither should you.

As bleak as things seem, there is hope. 2026 is just around the corner. Vote in the upcoming 2026 mid-term election and encourage others to vote. Most importantly, in the sanctity and privacy of the voting booth, join me for the first time in my life in voting a Democrat Blue straight-ticket ballot to show Trump, his MAGA sycophants and the Republican Party that “We the People” are still in charge and that we want balanced, intelligent, thoughtful, fair, mature and expletive-free politics. Show them by your vote that we will not allow them to ruin, ransack and trample upon our lives, our rights, our faith, and our nation—a nation bought by the blood and sacrifice of those willing to give their lives for the high ideals that the current Republican Party now clearly rejects.

Be brave. Be strong. Resist. Persist. Save our country in ‘26.