On Monday, a group of over 200 former Republican officials endorsed Kamala Harris for president. These officials—who worked for the late Sen. John McCain, Sen. Mitt Romney, former Vice President Mike Pence, and Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush—represent the last three Republican administrations and the two Republican presidential candidates before Trump.
They all share a single message: “[R]e-electing President Trump would be a disaster for our nation.”
Could Trump compile over 200 Democratic officials of a similar rank who support his candidacy? It’s not clear if he’d find that many supporters even among those who served in his administration. Either way, the support that Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, are getting from Republicans should be a big red flag to Trump and his supporters.
Joining the officials endorsing Harris is retired four-star General Larry Ellis, who served as the commander of the U.S. Army Forces Command under George W. Bush. This is the first time he has endorsed a candidate for president.
"Donald Trump has demonstrated that he is wholly and dangerously unfit for Commander-in-Chief,” Ellis wrote in his endorsement of Harris. “He praises and emboldens our enemies that seek to weaken our country. He has denigrated our brave men and women in uniform.”
The mass endorsement follows the appearance of former Republican officials during all four nights of last week’s Democratic National Convention. At least seven Republicans appeared on the DNC stage, including former Rep. Adam Kinzinger, former Georgia Republican Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, and former Trump White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham.
Their endorsement of Harris doesn’t come because these Republicans have suddenly adopted Democratic policy positions. As the letter from the former officials states, they have “plenty of honest, ideological disagreements with Vice President Harris and Gov. Walz.” But these officials are putting party aside to endorse Harris because they recognize the magnitude of Trump’s threat to American democracy.
Even before the DNC, many important GOP figures were notably missing from the Republican National Convention.
Former Democratic Presidents Joe Biden, Barack Obama, and Bill Clinton all spoke at the DNC. However, former Republican President George W. Bush did not appear at the RNC. Neither did members of his family, or the families of recent candidates.
Trump’s former vice president was not at the RNC and refuses to endorse him. This is a long list of former Trump administration officials who have scorned the idea of him returning to power.
Despite the way some Republicans want to spin this, those endorsing Harris aren’t all junior clerks from some obscure agency. They are chiefs of staff, press secretaries, legislative directors, campaign chairs, and top advisors. They are high-ranking agency officials, U.S. attorneys, and a former director of the National Security Council.
These are people who worked closely with former Republican presidents and past candidates, all lining up to say that Trump isn’t worthy of the office.
We’re heartfully calling on these friends, colleagues, neighbors, and family members to take a brave stand once more, to vote for leaders that will strive for consensus, not chaos; that will work to unite, not divide; that will make our country and our children proud. Those leaders are Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz.
In the meantime, Trump cannot muster the endorsement of his former vice president, defense secretary, chief of staff, White House national security adviser, Homeland Security adviser, or White House communications director. These are people who worked directly with Trump. They saw how he behaved in office and know how he treated the responsibility of being behind the Resolute desk. They are not supporting his attempt to return to that office.
Republicans can try all they want, but the hundreds of lifelong Republican officials lining up behind Harris, as well as the long list of Trump officials who don’t want to see him return, is not something that can be just waved away. Neither can the “Republicans for Harris” groups that are appearing and gaining steam in swing states.
What’s happening isn’t a big shift to the left by Republicans; it’s a broad recognition by those connected to past Republican administrations, and to many registered Republicans today, that Trump is not a continuation of the party of Abraham Lincoln. He doesn’t represent their concerns or their principles.
Recognition of the threat Trump poses to America goes beyond Democrats.
Trump supporters may smear these officials as RINOS, or Republicans in name only. They have also wielded that term against a Republican speaker of the House, past Republican candidates for president, and Republican presidents. It’s been thrown at Republicans as hard right as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis—in other words, anyone seen as potentially disagreeing with Trump.
But if such an overwhelming number of Republicans are RINOs ... then who is the real Republican in name only?
Show your endorsement of Kamala Harris with a $5 donation today. Then we can put away the threat of Donald Trump and go back to kicking Republican butt on policies, like the good old days.
