Former Republicans against Trump, often referred to as “Never Trumpers,” are now aligning with Vice President Kamala Harris. She is attempting to rebrand herself as a moderate candidate while distancing from her previous progressive stance.
The campaign formally initiated as Republicans for Harris on Sunday, with the support of several ex-lawmakers, including former Trump administration officials Stephanie Grisham and Olivia Troye.
While the Trump campaign has concentrated on emphasizing Harris’ progressive record during her time as California’s attorney general, Harris’ campaign is recalibrating to depict her in a more moderate light, distancing itself from past positions while labeling former President Trump as “extreme.”
In response to inquiries, a Trump campaign spokesperson asserted that Trump “is creating the largest, most diverse political movement in history because his winning message of prioritizing America resonates with people from all backgrounds.”
“Kamala Harris is weak, has failed, and is dangerously liberal; a vote for her leads to higher taxes, inflation, open borders, and more conflict,” the Trump campaign stated to Fox News Digital.
THE MEDIA’S SUDDEN REJECTION OF KAMALA HARRIS’ ‘BORDER CZAR’ LABEL
Rogan cautioned that some voters may be so misled that they could elect Harris as president this November. (Getty Images)
In a statement, national director of Republican outreach, Austin Weatherford, characterized Trump as “toxic” for “Republicans who feel the party of Donald Trump no longer represents their ideals and will vote against him again in November.”
“Donald Trump stated that he doesn’t want these voters, but Vice President Harris and our campaign are dedicated to winning over fellow Republicans who prioritize democracy and want to restore decency — all of which would be jeopardized in a second Trump term,” Weatherford commented.
Other Republican figures backing Harris include former Gov. Christine Todd Whitman, former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld, and former Reps. Adam Kinzinger, Jim Greenwood, Claudine Schneider, Tom Coleman, Denver Riggleman, and Joe Walsh, another former Trump challenger.
“Having served as his chief spokesperson and one of the longest-tenured members of his team, I witnessed firsthand how far Trump would go to maintain power, as illustrated on January 6th, and the falsehoods he spread to the public throughout his administration. While I may not agree with Vice President Kamala Harris on every issue, I trust she will advocate for our freedoms, protect our democracy, and represent the United States with integrity on the global stage,” Grisham, Trump’s former White House press secretary, expressed.
HARRIS’ TRANSITION FROM TOUGH-ON-CRIME PROSECUTOR TO SOCIAL JUSTICE ADVOCATE FACES SCRUTINY FROM CONSERVATIVE GROUP
Vice President Kamala Harris was given the task early in the Biden administration to confront the root causes of mass migration from Central and South America. (Kevin Mohatt/Reuters)
“I was a proud Republican, but Donald Trump is not fit to lead our nation,” Whitman stated in her remarks.
Former GOP Washington state chair and state Sen. Chris Vance, Reed Howard of Young Republicans for Harris, and former RNC delegate Rina Shah are additional supporters of Harris.
To attract attention during her presidential primary campaign in 2019, Harris appealed to the liberal faction of the Democratic Party.
She ended that campaign in December of that year, and just months later, in the summer of 2020, aligned more with the progressive ideas pushed by Democrats following George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis and the subsequent Black Lives Matter protests and riots across the U.S.
In resurfaced footage that began circulating in ads by Republican David McCormick’s campaign for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania, Harris is seen rejecting fracking, expressing she would “consider” abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), criticizing hiring more police as “misguided,” and pondering allowing felons to vote. Harris also stated her support for a “mandatory buyback program” for firearms and suggested the elimination of private health insurance, according to a summary of the ads’ content provided by the New York Times.
ABORTION, ‘FREE’ EDUCATION AMONG TOP ISSUES FOR HARRIS VOTERS
VP Harris attracted a substantial crowd on Tuesday afternoon in West Allis, Wisconsin, at a rally as she assumes leadership in the Democratic Party. (Fox News Digital)
On the topic of fracking, which plays a vital role in Pennsylvania’s economy — a critical battleground state for the 2024 election — the Harris campaign reversed its stance on Friday. A representative from Harris’ re-election campaign informed The Hill that she would not pursue a ban on fracking if elected president.
This statement contrasts sharply with her earlier comments to CNN during her 2020 presidential campaign.
“There’s no question I’m in favor of banning fracking,” Harris stated back then.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
A Harris campaign official told the Times that their strategy involves branding Republicans who highlight Harris’ past leftist statements as distorting or misrepresenting her record. The campaign also plans to emphasize Harris’ connections to law enforcement by showcasing her history as a local prosecutor and state attorney general in California, according to the newspaper.
Harris faces a pivotal week in her two-week presidential campaign, as she is anticipated to announce her running mate by Tuesday. Harris and her VP candidate will travel to various battleground states to court voters amidst the latest national and key state polls indicating a competitive race between Harris — who took Biden’s place on the 2024 ticket due to mounting pressure within the Democratic Party — and the former president.
Fox News Digital’s Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.
