‘Republicans for Harris’ brings together members of the Republican Party to campaign for the Democratic nomination

WASHINGTON — Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign launched an initiative called “Republicans for Harris” over the weekend as her campaign seeks to court moderate GOP voters and others who oppose former President Donald Trump’s reelection bid.

Harris’ team said the effort will be a “campaign within a campaign,” with prominent Republicans attempting 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’s campaign began on Monday with events in battleground states such as Arizona, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.

Republican national outreach director Austin Weatherford said in a statement that Trump’s endorsement of the far-right Project 2025 is “toxic to the millions of Republicans who no longer believe Donald Trump’s party represents their values.”

Weatherford served as chief of staff to former Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, who was an outspoken critic of Trump while in Congress. Weatherford said Harris’ campaign will work to win over “Republicans who care about defending democracy and restoring decency, all of which would be destroyed in a second Trump presidency.”

Coalitions, endorsements

As Harris begins her surprise run toward the November election as the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee after President Joe Biden suspended his campaign in late July, her campaign has quickly built coalitions ranging from “White Dudes for Harris” to “Young Republicans for Harris,” which is being led by Reed Howard.

It has also quickly gained support from unions such as the hospitality union UNITE HERE and the National Association of Social Workers.

The “Republicans for Harris” program will have a digital campaign that will feature testimonials from Republicans who support Harris and who will present their arguments to Republicans about voting for her.

“I was a proud Republican, but Donald Trump is unfit to lead our nation,” former New Jersey Republican Gov. Christine Todd Whitman said in a statement. “’Republicans for Harris’ will be an important way for us to get that message to the voters who will decide this election.”

In North Carolina, former state Supreme Court Justice Bob Orr will lead Republicans for Harris organizing efforts in the state.

“As we head into the final days of this election, there has never been a more important time for Republicans, former Republicans, and unaffiliated voters who lean Republican to come together and put country over party by working to elect Kamala Harris and stop Donald Trump,” Orr said in a statement.

Former Members of Congress

Among those GOP supporters was Wayne Gilchrest, who represented Maryland’s 1st District in Congress as a Republican from 1991 until 2009, when he was unseated by incumbent Rep. Andy Harris (R-1st District). Gilchrest later changed his party affiliation to Democrat.

Other Republican members who have received his endorsement include former members of Congress such as Kinzinger, Rod Chandler of Washington, Tom Coleman of Missouri, Dave Emery of Maine, 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 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 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 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 in our country,” he continued.

Several former governors are also part of the coalition, including Jim Edgar of Illinois; Bill Weld of Massachusetts; and former Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan of Georgia.

During a campaign rally this weekend, Trump attacked popular Georgia Republicans like Gov. Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. Both men resisted Trump’s pressure campaign to overturn the 2020 election results, and Raffensperger later testified before the House committee investigating the case on Jan. 6, but neither has endorsed Harris so far.