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Former Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is endorsing Harris
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Former Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is endorsing Harris

Topline

California’s former Republican governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, announced Wednesday that he will vote for Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz in November. In doing so, he joins a growing list of Republican lawmakers and big names who have said they will cross party lines in the upcoming elections.

Key facts

Schwarzeneggerwho served as governor of California from 2003 to 2011, said in a post on as un-American as it gets.”

Two New Hampshire Republicans – former attorney general Tom Rath and former U.S. Senator. Gordon Humphrey– said Tuesday they would vote for Harris, while Humphrey told a local television station that although he has “voted for Republicans for over 50 years,” he cannot vote for Trump, who he says is dangerous to security, peace , democracy and freedom, and Rath says this election “completely transcends any partisan identification.”

Upton of Michigan — who retired after voting to impeach former President Donald Trump — said on Oct. 24 that he had already voted for Harris, telling The New York Times in a statement that Trump is “unfit to serve again.” commander in chief” and that his behavior is “unhinged,” while he thinks Harris “will bring people together.”

Wisconsin State Senator. Robert Cowlesa Green Bay Republican who has served for more than 40 years also said on Oct. 24 that he would vote for Harris, telling a local radio station that Trump is a “totalitarian” and “fascist” who “must be defeated.” and added, “The country will move on even with some of the liberal things Harris may or may not do.”

Shawn Reilly, the Mayor of Waukesha, Wisconsin — a Republican city that Trump won in a key swing state in 2016 and 2020 — endorsed Harris on Oct. 23, saying his vote “is a vote against Trump,” adding, “I am terrified that Donald Trump our next president: he has already been impeached twice. He has been convicted of crimes and this is not what the United States needs.”

Former Senator from Arizona Jeff Flake— a Republican who served as ambassador to Turkey until earlier this month — said in a Sept. 29 statement to and will never attempt to use the powers of the presidency to overturn elections” and “seeks to unite our country” rather than divide it.

More than 100 former staffers and national security leaders from past Republican administrations endorsed Harris on September 18 and released a statement from the group “Reagan, Bush, McCain & Romney Alumni for Harris” condemning and criticizing Trump’s actions on January 6, 2021 . its national safety record.

Alberto Gonzalesthe former U.S. attorney general and counselor to the president under George W. Bush, endorsed Harris in an op-ed published in Politico on September 12, saying Trump “may be the most serious threat to the rule of law in a generation. .”

Former Vice President Dick Cheney said on September 6 that he would vote for Harris, calling former President Donald Trump a “threat to our republic” and saying American citizens “have a duty to put our country above partisanship to defend our Constitution.”

Former Rep. Liz CheneyR-Wyo., announced just two days before her father that she would also support Harris, telling a crowd at Duke University that she had “thought deeply” about her vote and supported Harris “because of the danger that Donald Trump poses.”

Former vice presidential candidate and son of Republican Senator John McCain, Jimmy McCainsaid on September 3 that he had changed his voter registration to Democrat and planned to support Harris, citing Trump’s visit to Arlington National Cemetery during which one of his staffers allegedly pushed a cemetery worker.

Former staunch Trump critic Representative Adam KinzingerR-Ill., spoke at the Democratic National Convention in August and urged people to vote for Harris after previously supporting President Joe Biden for president.

Former Lieutenant Governor of Georgia Geoff Duncan also spoke at the DNC and endorsed Harris, saying, “Let me be clear to my Republican friends watching at home: If you vote for Kamala Harris in 2024, you are not a Democrat, you are a patriot.”

Stephanie Grishama Trump White House press secretary, also voiced support for Harris at the DNC, telling the crowd that Trump has “no empathy, no morals and no allegiance to the truth,” while Harris “respects the American people.”

John Gilesmayor of Mesa, Arizona, endorsed Harris at the DNC and urged other Republicans to vote across the aisle, saying the Republican Party had been “kidnapped by extremists,” and that a good Republican would not vote for someone who is “a danger to our republic and someone who has no respect for our Constitution.”

Former Republican Rep. Barbara ComstockVa., said on CNN on August 18 that she would vote for Harris, citing the January 6, 2021 riot, Trump’s refusal to acknowledge he lost the 2020 election and “his threats against democracy.”

Former representative Denver RigglemanR-Va., also said he would vote for Harris in August, releasing a statement saying “Trump’s thirst for power, revenge and retaliation is his real motivation,” and Riggleman later revealed that he, in turn, did not voted for one Republican. mood.

Anthony Scaramucciwho served as White House communications director under Trump, said in a post to adding that he looked forward to seeing her policies towards crypto.

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Which former Trump officials won’t support him for president?

John Kelly, Trump’s longest-serving chief of staff and former secretary of Homeland Security, spoke to The New York Times in late October and expressed his concerns about a second Trump presidency. Kelly said Trump is a fascist, “prefers the dictatorial approach to government,” and that Trump has a fundamental misunderstanding of history and the Constitution. Despite his anti-Trump comments, Kelly did not outright support Harris — although she has clung to his comments in recent events. Trump’s former Vice President Mike Pence also has not and will not endorse Trump, saying, “I believe that anyone who puts themselves above the Constitution should never become president of the United States.” More former Trump officials have also weighed in and advised against re-electing the former president, with former Defense Secretary Mark Esper saying Trump was “a threat to democracy,” and former National Security Advisor John Bolton saying he was “unfit is to be president. ”

Which Republicans will not support a candidate?

A spokesman for former President George W. Bush said in September that he would not endorse a candidate for president as he “retired from presidential politics years ago.” Republican Senator Mitt Romney of Utah also said he will not endorse any candidate. He said earlier this month that he has made it clear he does not want Trump to be elected, but said he wants to “continue to have a voice in the Republican Party after this election,” so he will not support Harris.

Important background

The race between Harris and Trump in November is expected to be highly contentious. After Biden dropped out of the presidential race in late July and handed the top of the ticket to Harris, she nearly erased the lead Trump had built after Biden’s poor first debate performance. The vice president has narrowly led Trump in recent polls, but the two are going back and forth in razor-thin races in most swing states.

Big number

1.7. That’s how many points Harris is ahead of Trump, according to FiveThirtyEight’s national polling average on Thursday. RealClearPolitics’ national average shows Harris with a 0.2-point lead.

Main critics

Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for the Trump campaign, told the Washington Post that “no one cares what these disgruntled and deranged people have to say,” referring to Republicans supporting Harris. “President Trump is overwhelmingly supported by the majority of Republicans and polling is better than ever in 2016 and 2020,” she added. Republican Sen. Lindsay Graham also criticized Republicans who supported Harris on Sunday, speaking directly to them on NBC’s “Meet the Press” and saying, “What the hell are you doing?” … You are supporting the most radical nominee in the history of American politics.” He went on to say that while some people say Trump’s rhetoric is a danger to the country, the real “danger to this country is the policies of Biden and Harris.”

In return for

At least two former Democrats have endorsed Trump. Former Democratic Independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. endorsed Trump in August after ending his presidential campaign, and former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, endorsed Trump shortly afterward. The former president placed both Kennedy and Gabbard on his transition team after their approval.

Tangent

In a late August interview on CNN, Harris said she would put a Republican in her Cabinet if elected as part of her effort to represent “all Americans.” She did not indicate who she had in mind or for what role. Presidents Biden and Trump haven’t appointed Cabinet members from across the board, but it’s not unusual: George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama all did.

Read more

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