In a bid to sway Republicans as she faces off against former US President Trump in the 2024 presidential race, vice president Kamala Harris is set to visit Ripon, Wisconsin—home to the town that claims to be the birthplace of the Republican Party. This event marks an effort to connect with voters dissatisfied with Trump’s nomination.
On Thursday, Harris is set to team up with former Republican Representative Liz Cheney, who has emerged as a leading anti-Trump figure within her party.The event will take place in a one-room schoolhouse that played a pivotal role in the meetings of 1854, which ultimately led to the formation of the Republican Party. Harris’s campaign aims to highlight the importance of this historical moment while appealing directly to Republican voters, according to the New York Post.
During the event, Harris is expected to commend Cheney for her bravery and commitment to prioritising country over party. Cheney, who announced her support for Harris during a speaking engagement at Duke University in September, said, “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.”
This endorsement is particularly noteworthy as Cheney’s father, former vice president Dick Cheney, has also thrown his support behind Harris. In response, Trump dismissed the endorsements as “irrelevant.”
Cheney, who once held a prominent position within the House Republican leadership, became a target for criticism from Trump and his supporters after voting to impeach him in early 2021 over the January 6 Capitol riot. She later lost her House leadership position and was ousted in the GOP primary in Wyoming in 2022 by a Trump-backed candidate. Throughout her political career, Cheney has been vocal about the necessity of defending democracy, calling Trump a “liar” and a “con man” who poses a grave threat to the Constitution.
The Cheneys are among a growing number of prominent Republicans supporting Harris, alongside former Representatives Adam Kinzinger and Geoff Duncan, who both had speaking roles at the recent Democratic National Convention. Furthermore, Harris enjoys the backing of over 200 alumni from both Bush administrations, as well as former national security officials.
Harris and Trump are locked in a tight race in key swing states, where even a small fraction of Republican support for Harris could serve as a pivotal turning point, especially with the election set for November 5.