Republicans against Trump: 6 conservative leaders support Kamala Harris at DNC

Even as Barak Obama and Hillary Clinton steal the show at the ongoing Democratic National Convention (DNC), there are five speakers who are unlikely to sweep the headlines but represent the extent to which the US politics stands polarised.

These five speakers are Republican leaders who would make a case for Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party’s nominee. They are part of a growing body of moderate and mainstream American conservatives who have rejected the extremist politics of Donald Trump and the Republican Party’s surrender to his far-right Make America Great Again (MAGA) platform.

This is part of a broader trend in the US presidential election in which a bunch of Republican leaders and conservative commentators have broken away from Trump because of his extremist agenda and are calling for fellow moderate Republicans and Independents to vote for Harris.

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‘We made a grave mistake by voting for Trump’

In a speech via a recorded, conservative commentator Rich Logis told the DNC attendees that he and fellow conservatives made a “grave mistake” by previously voting for Trump.

Logis said that while he hated the Democrats earlier, he realised during the Covid-19 pandemic when the Trump administration did nothing to help the public that Trump had lied about nearly everything.

“Lying is Trump’s superpower. He has ripped apart families, communities, and the whole country. This is my message to all the Republicans and the Independents who are watching. People like me voted for and believed in Trump. I made a grave mistake. It’s never too late to change your mind. You don’t need to agree to everything you hear tonight to do what is right,” said Logis, a former MAGA pundit.

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In a video played at the DNC, former MAGA pundit Rich Logis endorsed Vice President Harris.

"I finally stepped outside the MAGA echo chamber, I stopped listening to what Trump said, and looked around with my own eyes." pic.twitter.com/amVbbFCzen

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) August 20, 2024

‘Republicans for Harris’ movements have been organised in swing states to convince moderate Republicans miffed with Trump and Independents to vote for Harris.

“While we may agree with Kamala Harris on all policies or even most of the policies, in my mind, it is about do we want our kids and grandkids to be raised in a democracy that is as healthy as the one we were raised in or not? And I think I do,” the NPC quoted a conservative leader as saying.

Here are the other five Republicans who will speak at the DNC and support Harris.

Mayor John Giles

John Giles is the Mayor of Mesa, Arizona.

Giles told CNN he was excited to support Harris.

“This was not something I was excited to do … but occasionally there are issues and questions that we are presented with in life that are just too compelling to be silent,” said Giles.

In an article last month, Giles had endorsed Harris and said that the Republican Party under Trump had lost its way. Mentioning the false claim that Trump won the 2020 election, he said that the party had failed to correct its course regarding Trump. He said the extremism in the party challenged the fundamental freedoms.

“Our party used to stand for the belief that every Arizonan, no matter their background or circumstances, should have the freedom, opportunity and security to live out their American Dream…But since Donald Trump refused to accept the outcome of the 2020 election, Republicans have yet to course correct. The Republican party with Trump at its helm continues down the path of political extremism, away from focusing on our fundamental freedoms,” said Giles in an article for The Arizona Republic newspaper.

Former Georgia Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan

Duncan said that voting for Harris does not mean support for the Democratic Party but it is an act of patriotism.

“Just because you vote for Kamala Harris in 2024 doesn’t mean you’re a Democrat. It just means you’re a patriot. You’re doing your duty as an American to step up to the plate and reclaim this country’s future,” said Duncan to CNN.

Former White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham

Grisham served as the White House Press Secretary for under a year under the Trump administration. Overall, she worked for Donald and Melania Trump for around five years, including as Melania’s chief of staff, according to CNN.

Grisham said that she is supporting Harris because of the threat that Trump posed to the nation.

“I never thought I’d be speaking at a Democratic convention. But, after seeing firsthand who Donald Trump really is, and the threat he poses to our country, I feel very strongly about speaking out,” said Grisham to NBC News.

Grisham further said, “While I don’t agree with Vice President Harris on everything, I am proud to be supporting her because I know she will defend our freedoms and represent our nation with honesty and integrity.”

Olivia Troye

Troye is a former White House national security official who was a counter-terrorism advisor during the Trump administration.

Troye endorsed Harris by saying that “a second Trump term will bring more turmoil” to the United States. She said that while she does not agree with Harris on everything, she believes Harris will secure the fundamental freedoms of Americans.

“As a lifelong Republican, I may not agree with Kamala Harris on everything, but I trust her to protect our freedoms, uphold the rule of law & provide steady leadership on the world stage. That’s why I’m voting for Kamala Harris,” said Troye in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

As someone who served in the Trump White House, I witnessed the destruction & chaos firsthand. A second Trump term will bring more turmoil. As a lifelong Republican, I may not agree with Kamala Harris on everything, but I trust her to protect our freedoms, uphold the rule of law…

— Olivia of Troye (@OliviaTroye) August 4, 2024

Previously, Troye had joined at an event in Michigan and said this was not the Republican Party she grew up with.

“The extremists are not done…This isn’t the Republican Party I grew up with. This isn’t the party that I supported…The things that I’m seeing that Donald Trump has implemented along the way, and I have greater concerns about what’s to come,” said Troye.

Former Congressman Adam Kinzinger

Kinzinger is a former Republican Congressman from Illinois. He was a lawmaker for over two years.

As a lawmaker, Kinzinger was among the 10 Republican lawmakers to support Trump’s impeachment over the January 6 attack on the US Capitol that he fuelled. He also voted to create a bipartisan committee to carry out an inquiry into the Jan. 6 attack.

Last week, Kinzinger was part of the efforts that mobilised a ‘Republicans for Harris’ event that had 70,000 people, according to The New Republican.