Former Republican congresswoman Liz Cheney, daughter of former Republican Vice President Dick Cheney,campaigned alongside Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris on Thursday in Ripon, Wisconsin, the town where theRepublican Party was founded in 1854.
Cheney, who rose to prominence as an outspoken critic of Donald Trump and his attempt to overturn the result of the 2020 election, is the best-known of a number ofRepublicans who have endorsed Harris for president. Unlike other Republicans who have endorsed Harris, she is a nationally recognized figure.
Cheney’s presence with Harris sends a clear campaign message: You don’t have to agree with the candidate on most issues to support her over Trump, whom Cheney has called a danger to the Constitution. The Harris campaign hopes Cheney’s support will persuade conservatives who won’t support Trump to “take the extra step” and cast a ballot for his opponent.
The flow of GOP officials looks unlikely to make a large difference in vote totals, but in Wisconsin and the other states most likely to decide the election — Michigan, Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina, Arizona, and Nevada —polling margins are so close that even a small shift can decide the outcome.