Vice President Kamala Harris returned to Pennsylvania on Wednesday to showcase support from several Republican former officials, arguing there is a place for conservatives in her campaign.
Ms. Harris arrived in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia’s most purplish suburb with 100 Republicans in tow, including former congressmen, governors, Trump administration officials, and ordinary Americans as part of her explicit outreach to GOP voters.
Several Republicans who spoke before Ms. Harris took the stage delivered the message that they support the Democratic nominee and that it’s OK for other conservative voters to do so too.
“In a typical election year, you all being here with me might be a bit surprising, dare I say unusual, but not in this election because the stakes in this race are the democratic ideals that our founders and generations of Americans have fought for,” Ms. Harris said. “We are here today because we share a core belief that we must put country before party.”
Among the prominent Republicans sitting on the stage with Ms. Harris include conservative columnist Bill Kristol, former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, former Mike Pence adviser Olivia Troy, former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman and former Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger.
Ms. Harris urged Republicans to put the country ahead of their party, arguing that there is room in her platform for conservatives, even if they don’t agree with her on every issue.
“Donald Trump must never again stand behind the seal of the President of the United States. And to those of you who are watching, if you share that view — no matter your party, no matter who you voted for last time — there is a place for you in this campaign,” she said. “The coalition we have built has room for everyone who is ready to turn the page on the chaos and instability of Donald Trump.”
Ms. Harris was introduced by two local residents, Bob and Kristina Lange, lifelong Republicans, who are voting for the Democrat. Mr. Lange said he voted for Mr. Trump in 2016 and 2020, while Ms. Lange voted for the former president in 2016.
“Donald Trump doesn’t care about helping hard-working people and he certainly doesn’t care about our commonwealth and our Constitution,” Mr. Lange said. “He only cares about what’s good for him.”
The event Wednesday took place in Upper Makefield, Pennsylvania, near the site where George Washington famously crossed the Delaware River.
Ms. Harris reiterated that she would be a president “for all Americans,” emphasizing her pledge to appoint a Republican to her Cabinet and establish a council on bipartisan solutions that will include members of both parties.
Ms. Harris also recounted how she reached across the aisle to work with Republicans during her time in the Senate.
Bucks County is the most bipartisan of the “collar counties” surrounding Philadelphia and a contentious battleground of its own within the swing state of Pennsylvania. Registered Republicans outnumber Democrats in the county by a mere 280 voters. In 2020, President Biden won Bucks County by 17,000 votes, while in 2016, Hillary Clinton narrowly defeated Mr. Trump by less than 2,000 votes.
Both campaigns have made extensive visits to Bucks County. Last month, Mr. Trump’s running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, held a campaign rally in Newtown. The next day, Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan campaigned for Ms. Harris in nearby Bensalem.
The event is part of Ms. Harris’ aggressive pursuit of Republican voters in battleground states. Last month, she hosted an event in Wisconsin with former Rep. Liz Cheney, perhaps Mr. Trump’s fiercest Republican critic.
On Monday, the campaign announced a $370 million advertising buy in swing states featuring Republicans who back Ms. Harris, including John Giles, the GOP mayor of Mesa, Arizona. The ads will run on television networks, including Fox News, in swing states.
Ms. Harris also invited several Republicans to speak at the Democratic National Convention in August and her campaign hired a director of Republican outreach.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.