Mickey Edwards, a longtime Republican, has joined the list of those endorsing Kamala Harris for president. Edwards, who represented Oklahoma's 5th congressional district between 1977 and 1993 and was a founding trustee of the Heritage Foundation, urged Americans to support the Democrat in an article in the Philadelphia Inquirer.
The former lawmaker put his focus on foreign policy, saying that a Trump presidency would imperil "America's reliability as a partner in the defense of liberal democracy." "Our fellow democracies want to know, 'Are you with us?' Our authoritarian enemies want to know if, as Trump signaled, we're fine with them doing whatever they want," Edwards says in a passage of his op-ed.
He goes on to say that even though "domestic policy matters," its "effects are often short term." "But in the realm of foreign policy, and defense policy, which is derived from it, the stakes are greater because wrong steps can be disastrous and irreversible."
In that context, he says that no U.S. ally could feel "comfortable believing whatever words come spilling out of his mouth because he is a man who lies instinctively and does not feel bound by either law or custom." As for the country's foes, he said some like China and North Korea "have increased their lethality," and "all they need to succeed is a weak and incompetent American administration, susceptible to greed and flattery."
Edwards claimed that Harris is tough enough to deal with the current foreign policy scenario. He recalls his decades-long relationship, which illustrates her ability to "stand up to bullies, not snuggle up to them."
"Kamala Harris is someone Western leaders will acknowledge as a peer — not a boastful, unread, unserious seeker of applause. Tyrants pose ever-increasing challenges to the United States and its allies. In this moment, we need a serious person with the intelligence to keep the West united in defense of democracy and who, unlike Trump, will put America first," Edwards concluded.
His endorsement comes shortly after former Republican Arizona Senator Jeff Flake, who wrote 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.
Earlier this month, former Vice President Dick Cheney, who served under President George W. Bush, also announced he will cast his ballot for Harris in November just days after his daughter, former Rep. Liz Cheney said the same.
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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