One could say that the political arena’s allegiances are a kaleidoscope, constantly shifting. Such was the case recently when a group of Republicans, individuals who had previously served under the likes of President George W. Bush, Senator John McCain, and Senator Mitt Romney, surprisingly gave their endorsement to Vice President Kamala Harris. Needless to say, the strength of this gesture speaks volumes about the current political environment.
It’s intriguing to note that this display of bipartisan support for Vice President Harris comes shortly after a Democratic National Convention held in the ‘Windy City’ of Chicago. The Convention highlighted not just the strength of the Democratic party, but also illuminated a peculiar trend – an emergence of Republicans, critical about their party’s nominee.
Moreover, five former aides to the illustrious President George H.W. Bush, commonly revered for his unifying qualities, joined the endorsee list. This leads to a total of 238 individuals, a noteworthy group, declaring their support for the Vice President.
This is not the first time that Harris has garnered such conservative support. A group roughly 150 strong, comprised of former staffers connected to Bush, McCain, and Romney, also allotted their support to President Joe Biden during the integral 2020 election. Such acts undoubtedly reveal a fascinating wrinkle in American politics.
The endorsing group’s statement was forthright. It read ‘We reunite today, joined for the first time by new George H.W. Bush alumni, to reinforce our 2020 statements. We also now collectively declare that we’re casting our votes for Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz in the upcoming November election.’
Although these individuals have articulated support for Harris and Walz, it doesn’t imply an absence of disagreements. Dissimilar ideological perspectives are a part of the political game. Nevertheless, for them, the alternative does not appear feasible – demonstrating the gravity they associate with these current times.
This distinct group, rallying behind Harris, includes prominent figures like Mark Salter and Chris Koch, who were McCain’s chiefs of staff; Joe Donoghue, McCain’s former legislative director; Jennifer Lux, a press secretary from McCain’s 2008 campaign; and Jean Becker, who served as George H.W. Bush’s chief of staff for many years.
Support for Harris doesn’t end there. David Nierenberg, who held the campaign finance chair during Romney’s 2012 run; David Garman, while serving under George W. Bush as the undersecretary of Energy; and Olivia Troye, an advisor to both George W. Bush and Vice President Mike Pence, have also extended their support.
Seeing Olivia Troye speaking from the stage at the DNC convention last week wasn’t an ordinary sight. Her bipartisan transition, stepping away from her roots, is a daring move, invigorating the political scene.
It should be noted that this stronghold of high-profile Republicans is not without its internal disagreements. Senator Romney, known to hold independent views, has expressed his unwillingness to back Trump in the 2024 election, though he hasn’t publically endorsed Harris either.
Interestingly, George Bush, a president renowned for his conservative approach, refrained from attending the most recent Republican National Convention in Milwaukee and has remained tight-lipped in his public commentary on Trump.
Among the other influential figures who connected their signatures to the endorsing letter are names like Reed Galen, who liaised as McCain’s deputy campaign manager, as well as co-founder of The Lincoln Project, and Jim Swift, a former Republican operative, now serving as senior editor for The Bulwark, an opinion-focused website.
The endorsing group asserts, based on an analysis of past 2020 exit polls and other data, that it was largely ‘moderate Republicans and conservative independents in key swing states’ that ended up being crucial for Biden’s victory that gave him the presidency. They believe these voters prioritized country over party, a testament to their political understanding.
Their requirement? More moderate Republicans and independent voters to muster their courage, converge, and support Harris over Trump in the upcoming test in the autumn. Such a call amplifies the magnitude of the forthcoming challenge.
To underscore the traction that Harris has been building within conservative circles, the campaign has also launched a ‘Republicans for Harris’ initiative, focused on gaining support from those on the opposite side of the aisle. The convention even saw speeches from several of notable Republican figures.
In a particularly intriguing twist, just recently, a group of prominent Republican attorneys — who served under the administrations of President Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush — announced their own endorsement for Vice President Kamala Harris, adding further weight to the balance. This group even included a well-respected conservative, the former federal appellate Judge Michael Luttig, who is going against his brand for the first time to cast his vote for a Democratic president.
Major Victory: Republicans Rally Behind Kamala Harris in Rare Display appeared first on Real News Now.
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