McCain, Romney, and Bush staffers who backed Biden to avoid 'disaster' now siding with Kamala Harris
Having ostensibly grown tired of relative international stability, of waiting for a new American military adventure, of unleashed domestic energy, and of rolled-back regulations, scores of Republican staffers who served under President George W. Bush, the late Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), and failed presidential candidate Sen. Mitt Romney (Utah) threw their support behind Joe Biden in 2020.
They suggested that the country lost its "moral compass" under President Donald Trump, citing the continued existence of the previously uncriticized, Obama-era detention facilities for undocumented minors, as well as Trump's occasional "vulgarity." The former staffers determined that the U.S. needed "an adult back in the room."
On Monday — the three-year anniversary of the Biden-Harris administration's botched withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Abbey Gate bombing that claimed the lives of 13 American service members — the same nominal Republicans doubled down, throwing in their lot with Vice President Kamala Harris.
The small army of relative unknowns' corresponding endorsement letter, first obtained by USA Today, stated, "Four years ago, President George W. Bush, the late Sen. John McCain, and then-Gov. Mitt Romney alumni came together to warn fellow Republicans that re-electing President Trump would be a disaster for our nation. In those declarations we stated the plain truth, each predicting that another four years of a Trump presidency would irreparably damage our beloved democracy."
The letter reveals its author(s) and the signers may be further left than their former Republican affiliation might suggest.
The letter noted further that the signers' previous soothsaying did not account for the subsequent Jan. 6 protests or claims of a stolen election.
"We reunite today, joined by new George H.W. Bush alumni, to reinforce our 2020 statements and, for the first time, jointly declare that we're voting for Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz this November," continued the letter.
The letter acknowledges that the signatories have some "ideological disagreements with Vice President Harris and Gov. Walz," but does not specify how they are in any way ideologically distinct.
It is unclear, therefore, whether the signatories are worried about Harris and Walz's support for radical gender ideology and the corresponding medicalization of confused children; Harris' stated desire to once again enshrine the right to kill the unborn nationally; or their preferred candidate's support for granting 11 million illegal aliens amnesty.
In its regurgitation of a false Democratic talking point about Project 2025, the letter reveals its author(s) and the signers may actually be fellow travelers.
"At home, another four years of Donald Trump's chaotic leadership, this time focused on advancing the dangerous goals of Project 2025, will hurt real, everyday people and weaken our sacred institutions," says the letter.
The Heritage Foundation's Project 2025 is the product of a collaboration between hundreds of conservative groups, policy wonks, and scholars, all keen to "take down the Deep State and return the government to the people."
Blaze News previously reported that Project 2025 has made numerous policy recommendations that recent polling indicates are popular with Americans, such as increase oversight of the Department of Justice and FBI; unfetter American energy production to drive down prices and boost the economy; oust obstructionist partisans in the federal bureaucracy; secure the border and oust illegals aliens; and ban men from participating in women's sports.
Although the project's recommendations appear to resonate with potential voters, President Trump has disavowed it.
After suggesting mainstream conservative views are "dangerous," the letter asserts that Harris and Walz "will strive for consensus, not chaos," and "make our country and our children proud."
The letter has 238 signatures from former staffers who majoritively held positions of little consequence — particularly those who worked on the McCain and Romney presidential campaigns. There are, however, slightly bigger names among the signatories.
'Nobody knows who these people are.'
Among them: Reed Galen, an original co-founder of the Lincoln Project, the anti-Trump group that staged a fake white supremacist rally in 2021 to smear then-candidate Glenn Youngkin ahead of the Virginia gubernatorial election and whose co-founder John Weaver reportedly had a habit of sexually harassing young men online.
Galen runs the Home Front Substack, where he speaks glowingly about Democratic personalities and criticizes Trump and the Republicans who would dare support him.
Micah Spangler, who Politico previously indicated led the effort among Romney acolytes in 2020, is also now backing Harris. Just months before the border crisis would unfold under his preferred candidate, Spangler stressed that the country "desperately" needed someone like Biden in office.
"We need an adult in the room," said Spangler.
Olivia Troye, a former adviser to Vice President Mike Pence, is another signatory. Troye recently spoke at the Democratic National Convention, joining former Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger in begging Republicans not to vote Republican in November. Troye said, "You aren't voting for a Democrat; you're voting for democracy."
George H.W. Bush chief of staff Jean Becker, George W. Bush senior energy under secretary David Garman, former McCain legislative director Joe Donoghue, McCain 2008 campaign press secretary Jennifer Lux, and various special assistants and interns also signed the letter.
The Trump campaign isn't taking the letter seriously, largely because the signatories lack star power.
Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung told the Washington Examiner Monday, "It's hilarious because nobody knows who these people are."
"They would rather see the country burn down than to see President Trump successfully return to the White House to make America great again," added Cheung.
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