It’s true, dozens of prominent Republicans are supporting Harris.
They include “former White House officials and national security staff, … White House lawyers who served Republican presidents going back to Ronald Reagan, … even members of [Trump’s] own cabinet who once pledged their fealty” (see story here).
Even more significantly, “Opinion polls say that 9% of likely voters who support Trump are prepared to at least consider switching to the Democratic candidate, Kamala Harris.”
What’s going on? These Republicans didn’t suddenly change into Democrats, and they disagree with Harris’s policy proposals. What they agree on is Trump’s unfitness for office.
Suppose 9% of Trump’s voters do vote for Harris. That’s enough to flip even states like Florida and Texas. If that happens, do you think Trump and his minions won’t cry “fraud!” and “stolen election!” and claim the voting machines switched votes from Trump to Harris? Of course they will. They did in 2020 with much less cause to doubt the results.
One of the reasons Kari Lake couldn’t believe she lost the 2022 Arizona governor’s election (see post here) is because 33,000 Republicans voted for her Democratic opponent (see post here), which was incomprehensible to her. Trump and Lake simply can’t wrap their minds around the notion they’re so bad even their own voters would rather elect a Democrat.
Not long ago, Trump believed he had the cat by the tail, and the 2024 election in the bag. He probably did, too, running against a semi-comatose octogenarian. Thus, he’s having an awfully hard time processing the fact he’s now behind; and if this trend holds through November, he’ll be unable to believe it. But given how closely divided the country is, if anywhere near 9% of Republicans vote for Harris, he can’t win.Â
If Harris pulls off what seems an improbable victory margin, and Republicans starting asking how it was possible, remember what you read here. The explanation isn’t fraud, or immigrants voting, or rigged voting machines; it’s Republicans voting for Harris, and there was plenty of evidence in the pre-election polls that such a thing was possible.
