The Democrat Party launched “Republicans for Biden” on Monday, the first day of the Republican National Convention, featuring over two dozen former GOP lawmakers who are endorsing the former vice president.
Former Republican Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ), who encouraged the GOP to “put country over party” during the partisan impeachment trial and announced his decision to refrain from casting his ballot for President Donald Trump in April, is part of the group of Republicans formally backing Joe Biden (D).
The list includes “former Republican Sens. Gordon Humphrey of New Hampshire (who is now an independent) and John Warner of Virginia,” as well as several former House members, according to Fox News.
Others include:
Former Reps. Steve Bartlett of Texas, Bill Clinger of Pennsylvania, Tom Coleman of Missouri, Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania, Charles Djou of Hawaii, Mickey Edwards of Oklahoma, Wayne Gilchrest of Maryland, Jim Greenwood of Pennsylvania, Bob Inglis of South Carolina, Jim Kolbe of Arizona, Steve Kuykendall of California, Ray LaHood of Illinois (who served as Transportation secretary in the Obama administration), Jim Leach of Iowa, Connie Morella of Maryland, Mike Parker of Mississippi, Jack Quinn of New York, Claudine Schneider of Rhode Island, Chris Shays of Connecticut, Peter Smith of Vermont, Alan Steelman of Texas, Bill Whitehurst of Virginia, Dick Zimmer of New Jersey, and Jim Walsh of New York.
Biden’s campaign is attempting to capitalize on the Never Trump movement, drawing disillusioned Republicans to Biden’s side and encouraging them to speak out.
“These former Members of Congress are supporting Joe Biden because they know what’s at stake in this election and that Trump’s failures as President have superseded partisanship,” a Biden campaign official told Fox News.
The Democrats featured a number of supportive establishment Republicans during last week’s virtual convention, including former Gov. John Kasich (R-OH), former Secretary of State Colin Powell, former Rep. Susan Molinari (NY), and former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman.
Others, such as Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT), former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci, and former Homeland Security Department Chief of Staff Miles Taylor, have also demonstrated opposition to the president’s reelection bid.
Former second lady Jill Biden has predicted that “a lot of Republicans” will come out in support of her husband, come November.
“From what I’ve seen, a lot of Republicans are going to vote for Joe. You know, they’ve been saying it. Maybe they’re not saying it publicly,” she said during a June appearance on The View.
“When I was out there on the trail, a lot of people came up to me and said, ‘Jill, I’m a Republican, but I’m going to vote for your husband because he’s a moderate and he’s a steady leader, and we believe in Joe,'” she added.