WASHINGTON — Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign over the weekend launched a “Republicans for Harris” initiative, aiming to appeal to moderate GOP voters and people who don’t support former President Donald Trump’s re-election bid for the White House.
Harris’ team said the effort would be a “campaign within a campaign,” with prominent Republicans trying to appeal to moderates, independents and Republicans who voted for former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley when she challenged Trump for the nomination. While Haley once said she would never vote for Trump, she has since said she would.
The Republican Party campaign will kick off Monday with events in key battleground states such as Arizona, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.
National Republican outreach director Austin Weatherford said in a statement that Trump’s support for the far-right playbook Project 2025 is “toxic to millions of Republicans who no longer believe that the party of Donald Trump represents their values.”
Weatherford, a former chief of staff for former Republican congressman Adam Kinzinger of Illinois who has been a vocal critic of Trump, said Harris’ campaign will work to win the support of “Republicans who care about defending democracy and restoring decency — all of which would be taken away in a second Trump presidency.”
Coalitions, support
As Harris begins her unexpected sprint to the November election as the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee after President Joe Biden suspended his campaign in delayed July, her campaign has quickly built coalitions ranging from “White Guys for Harris” to “Young Republicans for Harris,” led by Reed Howard.
It also quickly gained the support of unions such as the hospitality union UNITE HERE and the National Association of Social Workers.
“Republicans for Harris” will have a digital campaign featuring statements from Republicans supporting Harris that will urge Republicans to vote for her.
“I have been a proud Republican, but Donald Trump is not fit to lead our nation,” former Republican New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman said in a statement. “’Republicans for Harris’ will be an important way for us to get that message out to the voters who will decide this election.”
In North Carolina, former state Supreme Court Justice Bob Orr will lead the organizational activities “Republicans for Harris” in this state.
“As we approach the final days of this election, there has never been a more important time for Republicans, former Republicans, and independent voters who lean Republican to come together and put country before party by working to elect Kamala Harris and stop Donald Trump,” Orr said in a statement.
Former members of Congress
Some of these Republican Party members were endorsed by former members of Congress, such as Kinzinger; Rod Chandler of Washington; Tom Coleman of Missouri; Dave Emery of Maine; Wayne Gilchrest of Maryland, who was a member of the Republican Party until 2009; Jim Greenwood of Pennsylvania; John LeBoutillier of New York; Susan Molinari of New York; Jack Quinn of New York; Denver Riggleman of Virginia; Claudine Schneider of Rhode Island; Christopher Shays of Connecticut; Peter Smith of Vermont; Alan Steelman of Texas; David Trott of Michigan; and Joe Walsh of Illinois.
The program also features former Trump officials, such as former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham and Olivia Troye, former national security adviser to then-Vice President Mike Pence.
“I may not agree with Vice President Kamala Harris on everything, but I know she will fight for our freedoms, protect our democracy, and represent America with honor and dignity on the world stage,” Grisham said in a statement.
“I encourage other Trump administration officials who have seen the tyrant we worked for during his term to speak up and stand with Kamala Harris in November to keep the White House honest and democracy alive in our country,” she continued.
The coalition also includes several former governors, including Jim Edgar of Illinois, Bill Weld of Massachusetts and former Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan of Georgia.
During an election rally over the weekend, Trump Attacks Popular Republicans in Georgia such as Gov. Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. Both men are Republicans who opposed Trump’s pressure campaign to overturn the 2020 election results but did not endorse Harris.
