Former Republican congresswoman Barbara Comstock endorsed Kamala Harris’s presidential bid on Sunday, aligning with another former Virginia representative in crossing party lines, as the state’s GOP establishment remains loyal to Donald Trump.
Comstock stated her support for Harris due to Trump’s refusal to acknowledge his loss and threats against democracy.
On CNN, Comstock explained her decision: “After Jan 6, after Donald Trump has refused for four years to acknowledge that he lost, and his threats against democracy, I think it’s important to turn the page. That’s why I will be voting for the vice president.”
Her endorsement follows that of former congressman Denver Riggleman, who previously backed Trump but now supports Harris, citing the Jan 6 insurrection as a key reason.
Riggleman and Comstock both shared concerns about the country’s democratic principles. Comstock represented Virginia’s 10th Congressional District from 2015 to 2019.
She clashed with Trump during her tenure, calling on him to drop out of the presidential race in 2016 after the release of the Access Hollywood tape.
This tape featured Trump bragging about groping women. Comstock also opposed Trump’s effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act and his government shutdown in 2018.
She lost her re-election campaign in 2018, with her supporters attributing the loss to Trump’s unpopularity in her district and her inability to distance herself from him within her party.
Despite the stances of Comstock and Riggleman, the broader Virginia GOP continues to support Trump. Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin spoke strongly in favour of Trump at a June rally in Chesapeake and pledged to help him win Virginia in the upcoming election.
However, Youngkin has refrained from addressing some of Trump’s more controversial proposals, such as abolishing the US Department of Education and stopping student loan forgiveness.
Comstock stated her support for Harris due to Trump’s refusal to acknowledge his loss and threats against democracy.
On CNN, Comstock explained her decision: “After Jan 6, after Donald Trump has refused for four years to acknowledge that he lost, and his threats against democracy, I think it’s important to turn the page. That’s why I will be voting for the vice president.”
Her endorsement follows that of former congressman Denver Riggleman, who previously backed Trump but now supports Harris, citing the Jan 6 insurrection as a key reason.
Riggleman and Comstock both shared concerns about the country’s democratic principles. Comstock represented Virginia’s 10th Congressional District from 2015 to 2019.
She clashed with Trump during her tenure, calling on him to drop out of the presidential race in 2016 after the release of the Access Hollywood tape.
This tape featured Trump bragging about groping women. Comstock also opposed Trump’s effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act and his government shutdown in 2018.
She lost her re-election campaign in 2018, with her supporters attributing the loss to Trump’s unpopularity in her district and her inability to distance herself from him within her party.
Despite the stances of Comstock and Riggleman, the broader Virginia GOP continues to support Trump. Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin spoke strongly in favour of Trump at a June rally in Chesapeake and pledged to help him win Virginia in the upcoming election.
However, Youngkin has refrained from addressing some of Trump’s more controversial proposals, such as abolishing the US Department of Education and stopping student loan forgiveness.