WASHINGTON – Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign launched the “Republicans for Harris” initiative over the weekend to court moderate GOP voters and other voters who do not support former President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign for the White House.
The Harris team said it will be a “campaign within a campaign” in which prominent Republicans will try to appeal to moderates, independents and Republicans who voted for former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley when she challenged Trump for the nomination. Although Haley once said she would never vote for Trump, she has since said she would.
The Republican push will begin on Monday with events in swing states such as Arizona, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.
Austin Weatherford, national director of Republican outreach, said in a statement that Trump’s support of the far-right Project 2025 “is toxic to the millions of Republicans who no longer believe that Donald Trump’s party represents their values.”
Weatherford, a former chief of staff to former Republican U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois who was a vocal critic of Trump, said the Harris campaign would seek the support of “Republicans who care about defending democracy and restoring decency – all of those values that would be destroyed in a second Trump presidency.”
Coalitions, Support
After President Joe Biden suspended his campaign at the end of July, Harris is now surprisingly launching her sprint into the November election as the likely Democratic presidential nominee. Coalitions quickly formed within her campaign team, ranging from “White Dudes for Harris” to “Young Republicans for Harris,” led by Reed Howard.
In addition, it quickly gained support from unions such as the hotel workers’ union UNITE HERE and the National Association of Social Workers.
The “Republicans for Harris” program will feature a digital campaign featuring testimonials from Republicans who support Harris and make the case to Republicans why they should vote for her.
“I have been a proud Republican, but Donald Trump is not fit to lead our nation,” said former Republican New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman in a statement. “‘Republicans for Harris’ will be an important way for us to get that message across to the voters who will decide this election.”
In North Carolina, former state Supreme Court Justice Bob Orr will lead the organizational efforts the “Republican for Harris” in the state.
“As we approach the final days of this election, it has never been more important for Republicans, former Republicans and Republican-leaning unaffiliated voters to come together and put country above party by working to elect Kamala Harris and stop Donald Trump,” Orr said in a statement.
Former Members of Congress
These GOP supporters include former members of Congress such as Kinzinger, Rod Chandler of Washington, Tom Coleman of Missouri, Dave Emery of Maine, Wayne Gilchrest (GOP member until 2009) of Maryland, 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 includes former Trump staffers, including former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham and Olivia Troye, a 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 freedom, 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 in office to raise their voices and stand with Kamala Harris this November to uphold the integrity of the White House and secure democracy in our country,” she continued.
The coalition also includes several former governors, including Jim Edgar of Illinois, Bill Weld of Massachusetts and former Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan of Georgia.
During a campaign rally at the weekend Trump attacked popular Republicans in Georgia such as Governor Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. Both men are Republicans who resisted Trump’s pressure campaign to overturn the 2020 election results but have not pledged their support to Harris.
