Anti-Trump Republicans endorse a slate of Democrats
A group of anti-Trump Republicans on Thursday endorsed a slate of Democratic lawmakers facing tough races in next year's midterm elections, in a bid to stop their own party from retaking control of Congress.
The GOP officials, dismayed that most elected Republicans now embrace former President Donald Trump's false claims that the 2020 election was stolen, told Reuters they are also backing SOME vulnerable Republicans, including Representative Liz Cheney, who have rejected Donald Trump's voter fraud allegations.
The Renew America Movement (RAM), formed by centrist Republicans after a mob of Trump supporters stormed Congress on Jan. 6 to try to stop lawmakers from certifying Democratic President Joe Biden's election victory, concedes that Trump and his conspiracy theories now have an iron grip on the party.
"Democracy itself is under attack," writes co-founders Evan McMullin and Miles Taylor.
According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll from August, 30% of U.S. adults believe the 2020 election was stolen from Donald Trump.
That's despite the fact even those claims were rejected by multiple courts, state election authorities and members of Trump's own administration.
Trump, for his part, has endorsed several candidates mounting primary challenges to Republican lawmakers who voted to impeach him on a charge of inciting insurrection in a fiery speech ahead of the deadly Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol.
The Renew America Movement’s leadership includes former Republican Governors Christine Todd Whitman of New Jersey and Bill Weld of Massachusetts, who say supporting moderate candidates - even if they are Democrats - is vital to safeguarding American democracy.
Democrats have a narrow majority in the House, while the Senate is tied 50-50. Democratic Party insiders are increasingly nervous about losing both chambers next year, which would derail Biden's agenda.
