Vice President Kamala Harris has added another major Republican endorsement from a growing list that already includes household names like former GOP Vice President Dick Cheney, former Rep. Liz Cheney and former Rep. Adam Kinzinger. Most recently, former GOP Sen. Jeff Flake joined this growing group, writing in a statement that Harris is "ready" for the White House.
Flake took to X, formerly Twitter, to explain his recent support in a written statement and a video, where he described himself as a "conservative Republican," but still thought the Vice President is the best person to be commander-in-chief come January.
"I served with Kamala in the United States Senate. I've also served with Tim in the United States House of Representatives," Flake said in a video posted on the social media platform, referencing vice presidential candidate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. "I know them. I know firsthand their fine character and love of country."
"I want to support a presidential candidate who seeks to unite our country, rather than one who divides us," Flake said in the video. "One who represents the ideals of a new generation of leadership, not based on grievances of the past but hope for the future."
I’ll be supporting Kamala Harris for President and Tim Walz for Vice President.
— Jeff Flake (@JeffFlake) September 29, 2024
I’ve served with Kamala in the U.S Senate. I’ve also served with Tim in the House of Representatives.
I know them. I know first of hand of their fine character and love of country.
I would… pic.twitter.com/xn0OM4rcqk
In the video, and later in an interview with Martha Raddatz on ABC's "This Week" on Sunday morning, Flake pointed to Trump's attempt to overturn the 2020 election results as a reason he cannot support him— and that he wants a candidate who "respects the will of the voters," Politico reports.
"I think Republicans believe in the rule of law in particular, and it's difficult to support a candidate who, having lost an election, tries to use the powers of the presidency to overturn that election," Flake said in the interview with ABC. "That is anything but respect for the rule of law. So I know that a lot of conservative Republicans feel the way I do, that you just can't support a candidate like that."
Flake has been a longtime critic of Trump and his ideas. He previously endorsed President Joe Biden in 2020 and served as the ambassador to Turkey under Biden before stepping down earlier this month.
Similarly, in 2016, he said he would write in a candidate rather than vote for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton or Trump. In 2017, after announcing he would not seek re-election, the then-Senator continued to be outspoken in his opposition to Trump, saying at the time that "there may not be a place for a Republican like me in the current Republican climate or the current Republican Party."
With his endorsement, Flake joins a growing list of Republicans who step aside from party lines and support the Vice President ahead of November.
Earlier this month, former Vice President Dick Cheney, who served under President George W. Bush, announced he will cast his ballot for Harris in November just days after his daughter, former Rep. Liz Cheney said the same.
"In our nation's 248-year history, there has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump," Dick Cheney said in a statement. "He tried to steal the last election using lies and violence to keep himself in power after the voters had rejected him. He can never be trusted with power again."
The Democratic National Convention in August also featured prominent Republican speakers backing Harris and Walz, including former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan. Former Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois and former Trump White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham.
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