on what defines a "Catholic"...Bishop McElroy is recognized by Pope Francis as the prelate for San Diego...not sure what you're getting at with your opening remarks...not sure I want to go there...
But to your second point...it seems like you're really not familiar with his recent writings, so I'm appending a paper that I'd like you to read and then get back to me/us on whether or not you agree with his guidance to Catholics when it comes to selecting a candidate to vote for.
It's my observation that this dialogue is heading away from the original thread posting, so feel free to start a new one...I'm sure you'll agree that it's not trivial at all, and well worth a good long run...or more than one.
Find a nice wine...sit back and take some notes as you digest the paper at your leisure...
Link: https://www.ncronline.org/news/opinion/bishop-mcelroy-voting-faith-and-conscience