In a striking development within the Republican Party, more than 200 former staff members who served under ex-President George W. Bush have endorsed Kamala Harris, the current Vice President, instead of their own party’s candidate, Donald Trump. This endorsement arrives just weeks before the U.S. Presidential election, scheduled for early November.
Fox News reports that this group of Republican officials, including several former aides to George H.W. Bush, has called on “moderate Republicans and conservative independents” to support Harris. This move follows a similar stance taken during the 2020 election cycle, where the same group opposed Donald Trump.
The letter, which was made public on Monday by USA Today, recalls previous warnings issued by prominent Republicans such as George W. Bush, the late Senator John McCain, and former Governor Mitt Romney. In their earlier declarations, they cautioned that re-electing Trump would be detrimental to the nation.
“Four years ago, President George W. Bush, the late Sen. John McCain, and then-Gov. Mitt Romney alumni came together to warn fellow Republicans that re-electing President Trump would be a disaster for our nation. In those declarations we stated the plain truth, each predicting that another four years of a Trump presidency would irreparably damage our beloved democracy,” the letter states.
Also read: Kamala Harris highlights her mother’s legacy at democratic convention
The renewed letter, supported by additional alumni of George H.W. Bush, reiterates the 2020 objections and for the first time publicly endorses Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. The letter acknowledges the significant policy differences between the signatories and Harris but argues that the alternative, presumably a second Trump term, is unacceptable. “Of course, we have plenty of honest, ideological disagreements with Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Walz. That’s to be expected. The alternative, however, is simply untenable,” the letter concludes. This unprecedented endorsement underscores a significant intra-party rift as the election approaches.
