NATIONWIDE — As delegates gather in Charlotte, North Carolina, to open the convention that will formally renominate President Donald Trump as the Republican candidate for president, a group of former GOP lawmakers is throwing its support behind his Democratic opponent, former Vice President Joe Biden.
Former Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake and former Pennsylvania Rep. Charlie Dent headline a group of nearly two dozen former Republican lawmakers who endorsed the Democratic nominee Monday.
First reported by Fox News, the Biden campaign launched the group Republicans for Biden as part of the former VP's strategy to build a wider coalition as he makes his case to the American people to vote for him come November.
"In a strong rebuke to the current administration, these former members of Congress cited Trump's corruption, destruction of democracy, blatant disregard for moral decency, and urgent need to get the country back on course as a reason why they support Biden. These former Members of Congress are supporting Joe Biden because they know what's at stake in this election and that Trump's failures as President have superseded partisanship," the Biden campaign wrote in its announcement about the endorsements.
Trump campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh released a statement slamming the endorsements: "Joe Biden has been a failure in the Washington Swamp for a half century, so no one should be surprised when Swamp creatures gather to protect one of their own."
Flake, one of the most high-profile endorsements in the group, penned an op-ed for The Washington Post urging his fellow Republicans "to risk your careers in favor of your principles" and abandon Trump's agenda.
Here is the list of the 27 former lawmakers who endorsed Biden as part of the Republicans for Biden group:
- Texas Rep. Steve Bartlett
- Pennsylvania Rep. Bill Clinger
- Missouri Rep. Tom Coleman
- Hawaii Rep. Charles Djou
- Oklahoma Rep. Mickey Edwards
- Maryland Rep. Wayne Gilchrest
- Pennsylvania Rep. Jim Greenwood
- South Carolina Rep. Bob Inglis
- Arizona Rep. Jim Kolbe
- California Rep. Steve Kuykendall
- Illinois Rep. Ray LaHood
- Iowa Rep. Jim Leach
- New York Rep. Susan Molinari
- Maryland Rep. Connie Morella
- Mississippi Rep. Mike Parker
- New York Rep. Jack Quinn
- Rhode Island Rep. Claudine Schneider
- Connecticut Rep. Christopher Shays
- Vermont Rep. Peter Smith
- Texas Rep. Alan Steelman
- New York Rep. Jim Walsh
- Virginia Rep. Bill Whitehurst
- New Jersey Rep. Dick Zimmer
The Republican endorsements follow a letter from over 70 former Republican national security officials under Presidents Ronald Regan, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush and Donald Trump endorsing Biden, as well as the notable Republican voices who participated in the Democratic National Convention last week, which included former Ohio Gov. John Kasich.
)
