Liz Cheney Announces Support for Kamala Harris in Upcoming Vote

Former Representative Liz Cheney, a Republican known for her critical stance toward former President Donald Trump, has publicly declared her intention to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris in the upcoming presidential election.

During an event at Duke University, Cheney emphasized the urgency of her decision, stating, “I don’t believe that we have the luxury of writing in candidates’ names, particularly in swing states.” As a conservative with a strong commitment to the Constitution, she expressed that her decision was borne out of deep reflection on the potential dangers posed by Trump. “Not only am I not voting for Donald Trump, but I will be voting for Kamala Harris,” she affirmed.

Cheney’s opposition to Trump is rooted in her roles and opinions regarding the events surrounding the January 6 Capitol riot. At the time, she suggested that Trump should be barred from running for office again due to his actions related to that day. Moreover, a divided ruling from the Colorado Supreme Court had determined that Trump was disqualified from serving due to these actions, although the U.S. Supreme Court later ruled that states could not remove Trump from ballots based on his involvement in the riot.

Despite the legal complexities, Cheney remains confident in a political resolution, stating, “We have to be prepared to ensure that we can defeat him at the ballot box, which ultimately I believe we’ll be able to do,” during her appearance on “Face the Nation” earlier this year.

Jen O’Malley Dillon, chair of the Harris-Walz 2024 campaign, responded positively to Cheney’s endorsement, expressing pride in receiving her vote. Dillon added that for Americans seeking to reject Trump’s divisive approach, there is an avenue within the Harris-Walz coalition, which aims to uphold American values while defeating the chaos associated with Trump’s leadership.

In response to Cheney’s support for Harris, a spokesperson for Trump’s campaign downplayed her significance, asking, “Who is Liz Cheney and what does she do?”

Cheney is not alone among Republicans expressing support for Harris; she joins a growing list of former GOP officials endorsing a candidate from the opposing party. Recently, over 200 former Republic leaders from the administrations of George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, John McCain, and Mitt Romney signed an open letter endorsing Harris. They warned that democracy is at risk should Trump return to power and called upon moderate Republicans and independents in critical states to stand up once more.

This wave of support for Harris follows significant appearances by Republicans at the recent Democratic National Convention, where they openly criticized Trump’s leadership. Noteworthy figures included Olivia Troye, a former adviser to Mike Pence, Stephanie Grisham, who served as one of Trump’s press secretaries, and former Congress member Adam Kinzinger.

As the political landscape evolves, Cheney’s endorsement and the backing of other prominent Republicans underline the ongoing divisions within the GOP regarding Trump’s influence and the potential path forward for American democracy moving into the 2024 elections.