Representative Liz Cheney, the highest-profile Republican to announce her support for Vice President Kamala Harris, joined her on the campaign trail at an event in Ripon, Wisconsin, the home of the GOP.
“I am proud to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris,” Cheney said Thursday.
Cheney, along with his father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, announced in September that Harris would have his vote. The Cheneys and Harris have almost nothing in common in their views on politics, but they share a dislike for former President Donald Trump and see him as a threat to democracy after the attack on 1 of January at the United States Capitol.
Vice President Kamala Harris dates former Rep. Liz Cheney during a demonstration at Ripon College on October 3, 2024 in Ripon, Wisconsin.
At the rally, Harris praised both. “Liz Cheney is truly a leader who puts country above party and herself, a true patriot,” Harris told the crowd. “And it is a great honor for me to have your support. You and I also thank your father, Vice President Dick Cheney, for his support and what he has done to serve our country.”
Cheney was the third highest-ranking Republican in the House of Representatives before she was removed for the vote to impeach Trump. A Trump-backed opponent beat Cheney in his primary. Cheney was one of two Republicans who served on the January 6 House Select Committee that investigated the riots and what led to them. This commission recommended that Trump be prosecuted for his conduct in connection with the attack on the Capitol.
“As a conservative, as someone who believes in the Constitution and cares about the Constitution, I have thought deeply about this issue. And because of the danger that Donald Trump represents, not only am I not voting for Donald Trump , I’m going to vote for Kamala Harris,” Cheney announced last month at an event at Duke University. The Little White School in Ripon hosted meetings in 1854 that led to the establishment of the Republican Party. It was designated a national historic site in 1974, and Harris is expected to address the site’s significance during his speech, according to a former Harris campaign official.
Cheney’s appearance with Harris is part of a concerted campaign effort to woo Republicans disaffected by Trump.
On Wednesday, the campaign launched a new ad with a live-camera call from a two-time Trump voter in Pennsylvania who argued that the former president’s economic plan did not benefit working voters.
The campaign is also hosting “Republicans for Harris” events in key states this week, including one with former representatives. Denver Riggleman in North Carolina and Adam Kinzinger in Las Vegas. Kinzinger also served on the House committee on January 6, while Riggleman served as an adviser.
Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, pointed to Cheney’s support during Tuesday’s vice presidential debate to argue that his coalition of support is broad. “I’m as surprised as anyone at this coalition that Kamala Harris has built, from Bernie Sanders to Dick Cheney to Taylor Swift and a lot of people in between,” Walz said. “They don’t all agree on everything, but they are really optimistic people. I believe in a positive future for this country and a future in which our politics can be better than theirs.”
While only a small number of voters who identify as a conservative support Harris, according to a CBS News poll in September, voters who identify as “moderate” prefer Harris to Trump by double digits.
Several Republican officials spoke at the Democratic National Convention in August, including Kinzinger, Georgia Gov. Geoff Duncan and Olivia Troye, a former adviser to then-Vice President Mike Pence.
His rural activity continued. Troye has appeared in a Harris campaign ad, and Duncan has also been dispatched as a campaign surrogate in recent weeks.
After a September event in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, a Republican-leaning part of the state, Duncan said Trump was “making it harder on himself” to not lose Republican support for some of his criticism of Republican officials. as the governor of Georgia. . Brian Kemp.
“There really isn’t a mystery. The support for Donald Trump among most Republicans is a mile wide and an inch deep. “Almost all Republicans, except for a small wing of MAGA supporters, would have liked to have someone other than Donald Trump, but that has not been the case,” Duncan told CBS News.
Kate Horning, an undecided voter from Pennsylvania who attended the event and has supported Trump in previous elections, said she appreciated the outreach to Republicans but wanted it to be “authentic.”
“There are a lot of problems here. I’m not here to talk about abortion – I’m concerned about the number of people crossing the border and their impact on schools,” he said.
Since becoming a candidate, Harris has tried to appeal to centrists by supporting bipartisan immigration restrictions in Congress, portraying herself as a pro-business capitalist and saying she won’t stop immigration — a position she has maintained as a candidate in the 2020 presidential primary, but dropped out after becoming President Biden’s running mate later in the cycle.
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Aaron Navarro
Aaron Navarro is a CBS News digital reporter covering the 2024 election. He previously served as an associate producer in CBS News’ political unit during the 2021 and 2022 election cycles.
At a recent rally, Vice President Kamala Harris praised former Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney for her principled leadership, emphasizing her commitment to putting the country first. “Liz Cheney is truly a leader who puts country above party and herself, a true patriot,” Harris said, acknowledging Cheney’s support and extending gratitude to her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, for his service to the nation.
Cheney, once a high-ranking Republican in the House of Representatives, faced significant backlash within her party after voting to impeach former President Donald Trump. She lost her primary race to a Trump-backed opponent but continued her mission, serving as one of two Republicans on the January 6 House Select Committee that investigated the Capitol riots. The committee ultimately recommended that Trump be prosecuted for his role in the insurrection.
At a recent event at Duke University, Cheney announced her decision to support Harris in the 2024 election, citing the dangers Trump poses. “As a conservative, as someone who believes in the Constitution, I have thought deeply about this issue. And because of the danger that Donald Trump represents, not only am I not voting for Donald Trump, I’m going to vote for Kamala Harris,” Cheney said.
Cheney’s support is part of a broader strategy by the Harris campaign to attract Republicans dissatisfied with Trump. The campaign recently launched a new ad featuring a two-time Trump voter from Pennsylvania, who criticized Trump’s economic policies for failing to benefit working-class Americans.
Additionally, “Republicans for Harris” events are being held in key states, featuring notable figures such as former Representatives Denver Riggleman and Adam Kinzinger. Both have been vocal critics of Trump, with Kinzinger serving alongside Cheney on the January 6 committee.
During the recent vice presidential debate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Harris’ running mate, highlighted the diverse coalition Harris has built. “I’m as surprised as anyone at this coalition that Kamala Harris has built, from Bernie Sanders to Dick Cheney to Taylor Swift and a lot of people in between,” Walz remarked. He stressed that while these supporters may not agree on everything, they share optimism for a better political future
Although polls indicate that only a small number of conservatives support Harris, her appeal among moderate voters is strong. According to a CBS News poll from September, moderates prefer Harris over Trump by double digits, signaling a potential shift in the 2024 election.
Several Republican officials, including Adam Kinzinger, Georgia Governor Geoff Duncan, and Olivia Troye, have spoken at Harris’ campaign events. Troye, a former adviser to then-Vice President Mike Pence, has even appeared in a Harris campaign ad, while Duncan has been a key campaign surrogate in Republican-leaning areas.
In Pennsylvania, after a Harris event in the Republican-leaning town of Lancaster, Governor Duncan noted that Trump’s criticism of Republican leaders like Georgia Governor Brian Kemp is hurting his support. “The support for Donald Trump among most Republicans is a mile wide and an inch deep. Many Republicans would have preferred a different candidate,” Duncan told CBS News.
As the 2024 election approaches, Harris continues to appeal to centrists and moderate Republicans, emphasizing bipartisan policies and economic pragmatism. With endorsements like Cheney’s, Harris aims to build a broad coalition capable of challenging Trump in the upcoming election.
