Ripon, Wisconsin — Former Representative Liz Cheney, the most prominent Republican to back Vice President Kamala Harris, joined her on the campaign trail at an event in Ripon, Wisconsin, the birthplace of the Republican Party.
“I am proudly casting my vote for Vice President Kamala Harris,” Cheney stated on Thursday.
In September, Cheney and her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, announced their support for Harris. Despite their differing views on many policies, they share a strong opposition to former President Donald Trump, whom they view as a threat to democracy following the January 6 Capitol attack.
During the rally, Harris praised Cheney. “Liz Cheney really is a leader who puts country above party and above self, a true patriot,” she expressed to the audience. “It is my profound honor to have your support. We also want to acknowledge your father, Vice President Dick Cheney, for his service to our country.”
Cheney, who previously held the third-highest position in House Republican leadership, was removed from her role after voting to impeach Trump. A challenger backed by Trump subsequently defeated her in a primary election. Cheney served on the House January 6 select committee, which investigated the Capitol riot and recommended that Trump be prosecuted for his actions related to the incident.
“As a conservative, as someone who believes in and cares about the Constitution, I have thought deeply about this. And because of the danger that Donald Trump poses, not only am I not voting for Donald Trump, but I will be voting for Kamala Harris,” Cheney remarked last month at a Duke University event.
The Little White Schoolhouse in Ripon was the site of meetings in 1854 that led to the establishment of the Republican Party and became a national historic site in 1974. Harris is anticipated to emphasize the importance of this location in her speech, as per a senior campaign official.
Cheney’s endorsement aligns with the campaign’s strategy to connect with Republicans disillusioned with Trump. This week, the campaign also unveiled a new advertisement featuring a two-time Trump voter in Pennsylvania who criticized Trump’s economic plans as ineffective for working voters.
Additionally, the campaign is organizing “Republicans for Harris” events across key battleground states, including appearances by former Representatives Denver Riggleman in North Carolina and Adam Kinzinger in Las Vegas. Both Kinzinger and Riggleman have ties to the January 6 committee.
During the vice presidential debate on Tuesday, Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, highlighted Cheney’s endorsement to illustrate the diverse support Harris has garnered. “I’m as surprised as anybody by this coalition that Kamala Harris has built, from Bernie Sanders to Dick Cheney to Taylor Swift and a whole bunch of folks in between,” Walz noted. “They may not all agree, but they are optimistic about the future of this country.”
While only a limited number of conservative voters support Harris, a September CBS News poll indicated that moderate voters prefer Harris over Trump by considerable margins.
At the Democratic National Convention in August, several Republican officials, including Kinzinger, Georgia Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan, and Olivia Troye, a former adviser to then-Vice President Mike Pence, spoke in favor of the campaign. Their involvement has persisted, with Troye appearing in a Harris campaign advertisement and Duncan serving as a campaign surrogate.
Following a September event in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, a Republican-leaning area, Duncan commented that Trump’s criticisms of Republican leaders, including Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, complicate his support among Republicans. “Support for Donald Trump among the majority of Republicans is a mile wide and an inch deep,” Duncan stated. “Most Republicans, aside from a small group of MAGA supporters, would prefer someone other than Donald Trump as their nominee, but that hasn’t happened yet.”
Kate Horning, an undecided voter from Pennsylvania who has supported Trump in the past, expressed her desire for genuine outreach to Republicans. “There are a lot of issues here. I’m not here to talk about abortion — I’m concerned about the number of people crossing the border and how it affects schools,” she said.
Since becoming the nominee, Harris has aimed to appeal to centrists by advocating for bipartisan immigration restrictions, positioning herself as a pro-business advocate, and maintaining her previous stance against banning fracking, which she had previously supported during the 2020 presidential primaries but shifted after becoming President Biden’s running mate.