Ripon, Wis. — Former U.S. Rep. liz cheney, most high-profile republican He joined Vice President Kamala Harris at an event in Ripon, Wisconsin, the birthplace of the Republican Party, to show his support for her.
“I am proud to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris,” Cheney said Thursday.
Mr. Cheney, along with his father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, announced in september That Harris would have their vote. Although the Cheneys and the Harrises have no real common policy views, they share a shared antipathy towards former President Donald Trump and, after their attacks on him, see him as a threat to democracy. are. US Capitol on January 6th.
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At the rally, Harris praised both men.
“Liz Cheney is a leader who truly puts country over party, country over self, and a true patriot,” Harris told the audience. “And I am honored to have your support. You and I would also like to thank your father, Vice President Dick Cheney, for his support and service to our country.”
Cheney was the third-highest-ranking Republican in the House of Representatives until she was ousted by Trump’s impeachment resolution. A Trump-backed challenger then defeated Cheney in the primary. Cheney was one of two Republicans to serve on the House special committee that investigated the Jan. 6 riot and its aftermath. that committee Recommended Trump will be indicted for his actions over the storming of the Capitol.
“As a conservative, as someone who believes in the Constitution and cares about the Constitution, I’ve thought deeply about this. And given the danger that Donald Trump poses, I simply won’t vote for him. “I’m going to vote for Kamala, not Harris,” Cheney announced last month during an event at Duke University.
The Little White Schoolhouse in Ripon hosted the meeting that led to the creation of the Republican Party in 1854. The site was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1974, and Harris campaign officials said she plans to mention its significance in her speech.
The collaboration between Ms. Cheney and Ms. Harris is part of the campaign’s concerted effort to appeal to Republicans dissatisfied with Mr. Trump.
On Wednesday, the campaign launched a new ad featuring a direct-to-camera appeal from two-time Trump voters in Pennsylvania who argue that the former president’s economic plan won’t benefit working voters.
The campaign is also hosting “Republicans for Harris” events across battleground states this week, including events with former Rep. Denver Riggleman of North Carolina and former Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Las Vegas. Mr. Kinzinger also served on the House January 6th Committee, and Mr. Riggleman served as an advisor.
Harris’ running mate, the governor of Minnesota. tim waltznoted Cheney’s support. vice presidential debate On Tuesday, they claimed their coalition of support was broad.
“I’m as surprised as anyone in this coalition that Kamala Harris has built, from Bernie Sanders to Dick Cheney to Taylor Swift and so many people in between,” Walz said. . “They don’t all agree on everything, but they’re really optimistic people. They believe in a positive future for this country and a future where our politics is better than it is.”
Only a minority of self-identified conservative voters support Harris, one source said. September CBS News PollVoters who identify as “moderate” support Harris over Trump by double digits.
Several Republican officials spoke at the Democratic National Convention in August, including Kinzinger, Georgia Lieutenant Governor Jeff Duncan, and Olivia Troy, a former adviser to then-Vice President Mike Pence.
Their campaign activities continue. Mr. Troy has appeared in Harris’ campaign ads, and Mr. Duncan has also been used as a campaign surrogate in recent weeks.
After a September event in Republican-leaning Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Mr. Duncan lost Republican support as Mr. Trump criticized some Republican officials, including Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. “I’m making it difficult for myself,” he said. .
“There’s no mystery to this at all. Support for Donald Trump among the majority of Republicans is a mile wide and an inch deep. Almost all Republicans except a minority of MAGA supporters support Donald Trump. You would have wanted someone other than Trump to be the nominee. But that didn’t happen,” Duncan told CBS News.
Kate Horning, an undecided Pennsylvania voter who attended the event and supported Trump in past elections, said she likes the Republican outreach but wants it to be “authentic.” He said he was there.
“There are a lot of issues here. I’m not here to talk about abortion. I’m concerned about the amount of people coming across the border and how that will affect schools. ” she said.
Since becoming a candidate, Harris has sought to appeal to centrists by supporting immigration restrictions that have bipartisan support in Congress, touting herself as pro-business capitalist and banning fracking. He has repeatedly insisted that he will not do so, and his position as president in 2020 was the same. He was a primary candidate, but dropped out later that cycle when he became President Biden’s running mate.
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