In Chicago, Republicans for Harris: “A Great Pro-Democracy Move” - McLeod

In Chicago, Republicans for Harris: “A Great Pro-Democracy Move” - McLeod

When I was lucky enough to volunteer at both the Republican and Democratic national conventions as a college student, I was captivated by the energy, the momentousness, and the sense of democratic possibility of both great occasions.

Next week, in Chicago, I will attend my ninth national political convention -– and I am as enthused about this profound convening as any.

A centrist, I’ve long believed that parties must fundamentally serve the republic and its majorities. Broad public interests -- and meeting the demands of practical, constitutional government for 330 million diverse Americans -- are paramount. We the people have to lead and have to ensure that our parties inspire and unite us, and that they do not force-feed narrow ideologies and extreme, divisive personalities.

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This perspective reflects the path I’ve traveled politically -- as an aide to a great Rhode Island public servant (then Senator) John Chafee, a Massachusetts alternate delegate for John McCain in 2000, working as a Democratic campaign county chair in Florida, and now volunteering for the Virginia Democratic delegation in strong support of Kamala Harris.

As Republicans have leaped further and further to the wide margin -- achieving full, lawless fanaticism -- I like to believe that I have held fast philosophically, rooted in the bipartisan middle.

That’s why I am so intrigued with the emergence of Republicans for Harris. Organizing rapidly for Chicago, this ambitious coalition includes:

·      “establishment” and “country club” Republicans (who are harshly denounced by GOP extremists),

·      disaffected Reaganites,

·      mainstream legatees of Jacob Javits, John Anderson, Mark Hatfield, Olympia Snowe, and Charlie Baker,

·      libertarian Republicans like Bill Weld and Paul Ryan,

·      “Never Trumpers,” and

·      Many, many women who have voted Republican traditionally or nominally but now understandably can't see past their indignation of the denial of their rights by Republican men.

These previously unlikely supporters of Vice President Harris make for an exciting, important new bloc in an election when independent voters are key.

Republicans for Harris are Americans for democracy!

Ruth Ben-Ghiat, the New York University expert on authoritarianism, wrote two days ago that the creation of Republicans for Harris “stands for the conviction that in a deeply divided country, we can remain optimistic that people can come together and do what is right for the nation.”

She declares:  “Republicans for Harris is a great pro-democracy move.”  I agree.

And now, I’m off to Chicago!

Andy McLeod served on the staff of two Republican governors and two Republican U.S. senators.