More than 200 members of past Republican administrations have endorsed Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris over party nominee Donald Trump, USA Today reported
In an open letter dated Aug. 26., past employees of former President George W. Bush, the late Sen. John McCain, and Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) signed over support for their opposing party’s candidate just days after the Democratic National Convention (DNC) hosted a number of GOP supporters.
Close to five other former President George H.W. Bush employees also signed the letter, resulting in 238 signatures overall. “We reunite today, joined by new George H.W. Bush alumni, to reinforce our 2020 statements and, for the first time, jointly declare that we’re voting for Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz this November,” the letter reads.
“Of course, we have plenty of honest, ideological disagreements with Vice President Harris and Gov. Walz. That’s to be expected. The alternative, however, is simply untenable.”
Other signers of the Harris-Walz letter include former McCain chiefs of staff Mark Salter and Chris Koch, McCain’s former legislative director and 2008 campaign press secretary, Joe Donoghue and Jennifer Lux, and George H.W. Bush’s longtime chief of staff, Jean Becker.
There has been an influx of Republicans who endorsed the Democratic ticket in recent years. Another group of anti-Trump supporters — composed of 150 former Bush, McCain, and Romney staffers — once pledged support for President Joe Biden during the 2020 election.
According to CBS News, the group put pressure against moderate Republicans and independents in battleground states who supported Biden “to take a brave stand once more.”
During the DNC in Chicago, former Trump allies like past press secretary and top aide to Melania Trump, Stephanie Grisham, candidly spoke out against her former boss, saying the indicted businessman has ”no empathy, no morals and no fidelity to the truth.” She also let Trump supporters know what he really thinks of them behind closed doors, allegedly describing them as “basement dwellers.”
An adviser to former Vice President Mike Pence, Olivia Troye, said the 45th president wants to push division “because it’s the only way he wins.” “You’re not voting for a Democrat. You’re voting for democracy,” Troye said. “You’re not betraying our party. You’re standing up for our country.”
Pence has openly admitted that he will not be supporting Trump in November 2024.
The letter also highlighted the damage Project 2025, a policy blueprint from the Heritage Foundation, would cause under another Trump reign. “At home, another four years of Donald Trump’s chaotic leadership, this time focused on advancing the dangerous goals of Project 2025, will hurt real, everyday people and weaken our sacred institutions,” the letter continued.
“Abroad, democratic movements will be irreparably jeopardized as Trump and his acolyte JD Vance kowtow to dictators like Vladimir Putin while turning their backs on our allies. We can’t let that happen.”
Since Harris launched her presidential campaign, her team has worked diligently with GOP opposers, forming “Republicans for Harris.” Members of that group include former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan and Mesa, Arizona Mayor John Gile all spoke under blue lights during the convention and endorsed Harris.
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