I would have preferred Haley because she doesn't have anywhere near the baggage that Trump has and is more conservative on some issues. However, this is almost surely BS. I'm not saying you're lying. I'm saying you might be misreading your friends. Here's why.
If you've known these people since the '70s, then they aren't young. They were voting in the '90s. I'll bet they were fine voting for Bill Clinton, who had notoriously bad character. Remember "it's the economy, stupid." That was the comeback when people pointed out what a slimy human being Clinton was. Nobody denied it. They argued that it didn't matter. George Bush and Bob friggin' Dole, who had his body almost competely destroyed for his country, weren't good enough for them, but slimy, perjuring, womanizing Bill Clinton was.
The point is that character isn't their real concern. It's simply the defensible reason they can come up with not to vote Republican. In 4 years when the nominee is Ron Desantis or someone who actually does have good character, it'll be something else.
