The Group known as Republicans for Biden, is Officially relaunching Sunday as Republicans for Harris, and Aides on the revamped Campaign are hoping that a much different Candidate will be able to deliver on what had been a key part of Biden’s Electoral Promise.
The Rollout will include Outreach from Republicans to Republicans, targeted Ads and Themed Events, as Aides aim to convince Voters that Kamala Harris is Not a “San Francisco Radical” and that Trump and Others have changed.
In an Election that is once again looking Tight, the Harris Campaign is hoping that Republicans Repelled by Trump and Independent Moderates, can help make a difference for the Vice President in Critical States.
At its core, the latest effort targets Republicans who see Trump as Anathema, or the kind of Existential Threat to Democracy, that would compel them to cross Party Lines, and who had bought into Biden as an Acceptable Alternative.
Aides who have been shifting from @joebiden.com to @kamalaharris.com email addresses, acknowledge now that the Outreach to these Republicans had become difficult, as confidence in Biden spiraled after His dismal Debate Performance.
“There’s a lot of excitement, because I think people were feeling unsure of where things were going, and now they are all on board,” said Austin Weatherford, a Onetime Chief-of-Staff to former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL, 16th District). Weatherford had just started gearing up with the Republicans for Biden effort in June when the Race took a turn.
Weatherford said that while Biden was “providing the alternative” on the topic of preserving Democracy, “now people just see it more clearly. They feel it more clearly.”
On Monday, the New Group will hold kick-off Events in Arizona, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania.
Already signing on as Supporters: former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld, former New Jersey Gov. Christie Todd Whitman, Kinzinger, former Virginia Rep. Denver Riggelman, former Illinois Rep. Joe Walsh, and former Trump Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham.
Former Rhode Island Rep. Claudine Schneider, who now lives in Colorado, and has been leading efforts to Organize other former Republican Members of Congress, said via email that She believes Harris is “the PERFECT candidate to oppose Trump,” calling Her “intelligent, honest, hard working” and someone who “genuinely cares about every citizen, and about justice.”
Schneider said that She is interested in Changing the Political Conversation back toward Compromise, and that the Character differences between Harris and Trump, are very much on Her mind and the Minds of others She’s spoken to.
Harris Aides have quickly announced Changes to many of Her previous more Liberal positions. Those include: Her past Support for Defunding the Police, Banning Fracking, and a Federal Jobs Guarantee that is part of the Green New Deal.
She is a different kind of Candidate in a different kind of Race, Her Aaides now argue, and they hope that Voters will respond differently this Fall, than they did to Her Bid for the 2020 Democratic Presidential Nomination.
As for worries that Harris is too Liberal, Schneider said, “I have a hard time these days in the application of the terms liberal and conservative — especially suggesting that addressing climate change is ‘liberal’ and other uses of conservative.”
Campaign Aides say Harris has been receiving Support from Republicans who hadn’t previously been for Biden, as well as from those who had.
Former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, a CNN Contributor who previously said he was Voting for Biden, backed Harris in an Atlanta Journal-Constitution op-ed last week, declaring that “though my support for Harris didn’t come easily, it did come naturally” and calling her “the best vehicle toward preventing another stained Trump presidency.”
Trump’s problems with past Republican Leaders was evident at the GOP Convention in Milwaukee last month. No living previous GOP Nominee for President or Vice President attended, including former President George W. Bush.
While Trump and His Campaign have Not done much to try to win over Democrats, Weatherford and other Harris Aides will be leaning on former Trump Administration Officials, who will speak about:
- How Unfit for Office they see Him.
- Current and former Republican Elected Officials, who will speak about how the MAGA takeover means the Party no longer represents traditional GOP Values and Principles.
- On Rank-and-File Republican Women, who will put out Testimonials on why they’re Rejecting Trump.
“We want Republicans talking to Republicans,” Weatherford said, “because we think that’s the best way to make it work.”
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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