Vice President Harris’ campaign launched “Republicans for Harris” with more than 25 GOP endorsements, including former secretaries Chuck Hagel and Ray LaHood, as well as former GOP governors and lawmakers.
The campaign announced Sunday that Trump-era White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham and Olivia Troye, former national security adviser to former Vice President Mike Pence, also endorsed Harris.
Hagel, a Republican senator from Nebraska and secretary of Defense, and LaHood, a Republican congressman from Illinois and secretary of Transportation, served in former President Obama’s administration.
Additionally, former Reps. Christopher Shays (R-Conn.), Joe Wash (R-Ill.), and Susan Molinari (RN.Y.), endorsed Harris in November, as did former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R- Ill.) -Ill.), who supported President Biden when he was the lead on the ticket. The vice president replaced Biden after the incumbent stepped aside last month following a disastrous debate performance and multiple calls from Democrats to drop out of the race.
“I encourage other Trump administration officials who saw the tyrant we worked for in office to speak out and support Kamala Harris this November to maintain integrity in the White House and ensure democracy for our country,” Grisham said in a statement.
Troye added: “The stakes are too high to allow partisanship to compromise our freedoms and the Constitution.”
Republicans for Harris will focus on activating GOP voices “to talk to their friends and family about the importance of voting for the vice president,” according to the campaign, which described the group as a “campaign within a campaign ”. The group will kick off events on Monday in the swing states of Arizona, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.
Other endorsements came from former GOP governors. Bill Weld (Mass.), Christine Todd Whitman (NJ) and Jim Edgar (Ill.) announced the campaign on Sunday. He also highlighted that former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan (R) endorsed Harris after supporting Biden.
“Donald Trump’s MAGA extremism is toxic to the millions of Republicans who no longer believe that Donald Trump’s party represents their values and will vote against him again in November,” said Austin Weatherford, Harris’ national Republican outreach director, in a communicated.
He added: “Donald Trump has said he doesn’t want these voters, but Vice President Harris and our campaign are working tirelessly to win the support of my Republican colleagues who care about defending democracy and restoring decency – all of which would be destroyed in a second Trump presidency.”
Others who have supported Harris include former GOP representatives Alan Steelman (Texas), Claudine Schneider (R.I.), Dave Emery (Maine), David Trott (Mich.), Jack Quinn (N.Y.), Jim Greenwood (Pa.), John LeBoutillier (NY), Tom Coleman (Miss.), Rod Chandler (Wash.), Peter Smith (Vt.) and Wayne Gilchrest (Md.).
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
