Vice President Harris’ campaign launched a “Republicans for Harris” rally, bringing together more than 25 Republican supporters, including former Secretaries Chuck Hagel and Ray LaHood, as well as former Republican governors and lawmakers.
The campaign announced Sunday that Stephanie Grisham, White House press secretary during the Trump administration, and Olivia Troye, a former national security adviser to former Vice President Mike Pence, have also endorsed Harris.
Hagel, a Republican senator from Nebraska who served as secretary of defense, and LaHood, a Republican congressman from Illinois who served as secretary of transportation, both served under former President Barack Obama.
In addition, former Reps. Christopher Shays (R-Conn.), Joe Wash (R-Ill.), and Susan Molinari (R-New York) endorsed Harris in November, and former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) endorsed Biden when he was a leading presidential candidate. Biden became vice president after a disastrous debate performance last month and multiple calls from Democrats for him to withdraw.
“To other Trump Administration officials who have witnessed the tyranny we engaged in during their time in office, I urge you to speak out and support Kamala Harris in November to preserve the integrity of the White House and ensure our nation’s democracy,” Grisham said in a statement.
“The stakes are too high to allow partisanship to jeopardize our freedoms and our Constitution,” Troy added.
Harris’ Republican allies will focus on galvanizing Republican voices and “talking to friends and family about the importance of voting for the vice president,” the campaign said, describing the group as a “campaign within a campaign.” The group is scheduled to hold kickoff events on Monday in the battleground states of Arizona, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.
Other backers, the campaign said Sunday, include former Republican governors Bill Weld of Massachusetts, Christine Todd Whitman of New Jersey and Jim Edgar of Illinois. The campaign also highlighted former Georgia lieutenant governor Geoff Duncan’s endorsement of Harris after he endorsed Biden.
“Donald Trump’s MAGA extremism is harmful to millions of Republicans who no longer believe that the party of Donald Trump represents their values and will vote against him again in November,” Austin Weatherford, Harris’ national director of Republican outreach, said in a statement.
He added, “Donald Trump said he doesn’t want these voters, but Vice President Harris and our campaign are working hard to win the support of Republicans who care about defending our democracy and restoring decency — all of which would be taken away if President Trump is re-elected.”
Other lawmakers who endorsed Harris include former Republican Reps. Alan Steelman of Texas, Claudine Schneider of Rhode Island, Dave Emery of Maine, David Trott of Michigan, Jack Quinn of New York, Jim Greenwood of Pennsylvania, John Lebouthillier of New York, Tom Coleman of Mississippi, Rod Chandler of Washington, Peter Smith of Vermont and Wayne Gilchrest of Maryland.
