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It’s safe to say that from the very beginning Trump’s introduction and ascension to the upper echelons of the Republican party has caused division. When making his first forays into the GOP, Trump was met with significant resistance perhaps most famously in 1988 when his private request to be considered as a potential running mate for George H.W. Bush was described by Lee Atwater (Bush’s close advisor) as “strange and unbelievable”. In 2015 when he announced his bid to seek the Republican nomination for president, his campaign was heavily criticised in large part due to Trump's inexperience in holding public office. Despite the best efforts of party elites to deter the New York mogul, he succeeded in the primaries. Fast forward to 2024 and whilst Trump is enjoying his third consecutive GOP presidential nomination, his dislike from members in his party is on the incline with his Republican enemies are particularly incensed by issues like the January 6th insurrection, his increasing legal battles, his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election and his questionable policy choices this election cycle. This year’s DNC hosted at the United Centre in Chicago was not only memorable because of its star-studded list of guest speakers such as Michelle & Barack Obama, Bill & Hillary Clinton and Oprah Winfrey but also a members of his own party who took to the stage to plead with other conservatives to throw their weight behind Harris.
Broadly speaking, the coalition of Republicans standing in opposition to Trump fall into two camps: The Never-Trumpers and those who rejected his leadership post-January 6th. On August 13th on an official Zoom call, this coalition synthesised under a new banner proudly labelling themselves "Republicans for Harris". The group includes prominent members of the party such as former prominent MAGA campaigner Rich Logis, CNN political pundit Ana Navarro (who you might know from the daytime talk show The View) and former US House Representative Denver Riggleman. The Harris Campaign is taking full advantage of the division within the party and are hoping to harness this support to appeal to former Trumps supporters and moderates who are growing frustrated with the 45th president. Particularly given that undecided voters are set to decide this election, the Harris campaign are leaving no stone left unturned in their efforts to reach out to as many voters as possible.
On day one of the DNC, Logis spoke to the DNC on a pre-recorded video denouncing the former president and reminding Republicans of the way in which Trump failed those who had originally supported him in 2016. “My message to all the Republicans and independents who are watching, people like me who voted for and believed in Trump. I made a grave mistake, but it's never too late to change your mind” Logis argued. Similarly, former Trump administration official Stephanie Grisham who served as White House Press Secretary in an address that The Cut described as “skewer[ing]” stated “He has no empathy, no morals, and no fidelity to the truth”. Grisham went further to contrast Trump with Harris saying “Kamala Harris tells the truth, she respects the American people, and she has my vote.”. Perhaps the most visceral moment of Grisham’s address was when she revealed a never before seen text exchange between the her and her former boss on January 6th where Grisham can be seen to be beseeching Melania Trump to persuade supporters from assaulting the Capitol to which she simply responded: “No.”.
Check out Grisham's speech at the DNC below.
The Harris campaign continued to go all out and cross the aisle during the convention with Never Trumper Ana Navarro taking to the stage to host the second night of the convention (other hosts included Kerry Washington, Mindy Kaling and Tony Goldwyn) . Navarro explained that despite being a conservative all her life, voting against Obama both in 2008 and 2012 and working on the Jeb Bush presidential campaign, she explained that since 2016 when Trump became the face of the GOP couldn’t find it within herself to support him and asked her fellow conservatives to back Harris instead.
The biggest Republican to join the Harris campaign was former House Representative, Adam Kinzinger who joined the successful effort to impeach Donald Trump after January 6th and did not seek re-election in 2022. Kinzinger in his speech on the final night of the convention spoke to conservatives across America saying “Ladies and gentlemen, we must put country first, and tonight as a Republican speaking before you, I’m putting our country first” going further to congratulate the Democrats for their patriotism and beseeching his party members to leave Trump behind and in doing so save democracy in the process.
It is uncertain just how much impact this new coalition will have in swaying the needle between the close race between Trump and Harris. However the hope from the Harris campaign is that by bringing together members from both party they can pitch Harris as the unity candidate which they optimistically believe will give her the edge.
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