Kamala Harris to Campaign with Liz Cheney in Birthplace of GOP

Vice President Kamala Harris will be joined on the campaign trail by former Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney on Thursday, according to a senior Harris campaign official.

The event in Ripon, Wis.—the town in which the Republican Party was formed in 1854—will be aimed at increasing support for Harris among disenchanted Republicans. It comes less than a month after Cheney, an outspoken critic of Donald Trump, endorsed Harris’ presidential bid and called on her fellow Republicans to prioritize the Constitution and accountability in the upcoming election. Harris has said that she was “honored” to have her endorsement.

The event will mark Cheney's first appearance with Harris on the campaign trail. During her remarks, Harris plans to deliver a message that champions patriotism and the importance of putting country over party, the campaign official says, appealing to both Republican and independent voters who may feel alienated by Trump.

Harris will also highlight the historical significance of Ripon and the roots of the traditional GOP, emphasizing that while there may be differences in policy, her dedication to upholding the Constitution and fundamental American principles remains steadfast, according to the official. She also plans to denounce any calls to undermine the Constitution, asserting that those who threaten its integrity should be barred from holding office. 

Cheney, who represented Wyoming in Congress for six years before she lost in the GOP primary to a Trump-backed candidate, has emerged as one of the most prominent anti-Trump Republicans in the country, positioning herself as a leader of a growing faction of Republicans who reject Trump's approach and seek to restore traditional conservative values. While in Congress, she co-chaired the House investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, drawing Trump’s ire and straining her relationship with the far-right wing of her party.

“I don’t believe we have the luxury of writing in candidates’ names, particularly in swing states,” Cheney said last month to students in North Carolina. “As a conservative, as someone who believes in and cares about the Constitution, I have thought deeply about this and because of the danger that Donald Trump poses, not only am I not voting for Donald Trump, but I will be voting for Kamala Harris.”

Her father, former Republican Vice President Dick Cheney, announced he would also be supporting Harris, calling it a duty to “put country above partisanship to defend our Constitution.” 

Their support for Harris is echoed by a number of other Republicans who have chosen to endorse Harris over Trump, including former Republican National Committee chair Michael Steele, former Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, and more than 200 people who worked for President George W. Bush, former Arizona Sen. John McCain, and Utah Sen. Mitt Romney. Romney and former Vice President Mike Pence have said they will not be voting for Trump.