* intents and purposes

If he was older I'd say he was trying to save the republican party from trump. I remember their disgust with him before he started winning, and even after by a few who have brand points in respectability.

I guess the sarcasm was not obvious.

I was mocking what will presumably be a Republican talking point as a 15 dollar donation is immensely inconsequential.

I agree with you that party registration is basically meaningless for a 20 year old who seems to have not even ever voted, nor has any as of yet evidenced strong political beliefs voiced privately or publicly.

As of right now, the shooter does not seem to have been very politically involved either way and is being portrayed as basically socially awkward and picked on in high school.

If the person had a long history of political involvement either way or had published a manifesto or something like that, that may be worth discussing, but so far there is nothing to indicate any kind of strong ideological motive, more along the lines of 'troubled young adult has nothing to live for, decides to try and become famous and/or die trying.'

I've commented about this elsewhere, but the experiences, beliefs and opinions that radicalize ad hoc shooters typically are very removed from their choice of target. Though, heck, he might have written or recorded a manifesto somewhere. Otherwise he was sick and tired of living a life that sucks and just wanted to express pure rage.

Political operatives look for guys like this to turn into assassins and terrorists. Militant groups of the transnational white power movement looke for guys like this at earlier stages for recruits for counterprotests, harassing marginalized groups and liberal voters and other violence to serve their cause.