- Several Democratic candidates in races against opponents backed by former President Donald Trump have received Republican endorsements ahead of the midterm elections.
Leading Republicans at the state level in Arizona, Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas and Pennsylvania have so far publicly expressed their support for Democrats facing Trump-backed Republican candidates.
Whether this trend will continue and what effect it may have on the outcome of the races remains to be seen. The upcoming midterm elections for the US House of Representatives and the US Senate, as well as the elections for state offices, may be a test of the endorsement of former President Trump.
Here is a list of races where Republicans have endorsed the Democratic nominee.
Arizona
Arizona Republican state representative Joel John revealed Thursday that he was endorsing Democratic secretary of state candidate Adrian Fontes over Republican candidate state representative Mark Finchem.
Finchem has been endorsed by Trump and echoed the former president’s baseless claim that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him.
In a statement by John, shared tweeted by the Fontes campaign, said he was “proud” to support Fontes and cited Finchem’s desire to “get rid of mail-in voting” and that he “has sought to nullify the 2020 election.”
Kansas
Former Republican Governor Mike Hayden endorsed Kansas Governor Laura Kelly, a Democrat, for re-election this week over her Trump-backed opponent, state Attorney General Derek Schmidt.
Hayden joined another Republican and former governor, Bill Graves, as well as former Democratic governors Kathleen Sebelius and John Carlin in calling for Kelly’s support.
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“In 50 years in Kansas politics I’ve seen the good times and the bad,” Hayden said. “Kansas affairs are in great shape right now, and I credit Governor Kelly’s bipartisan approach.”
Oklahoma
Democratic US Senate candidate Kendra Horn has been endorsed by three Republicans at the state level as she faces Trump-backed US Representative Markwayne Mullin.
Kris Steele, a Republican and former speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, publicly endorsed Horn over Mullin in a video posted Wednesday.
Steele said Horn was “the kind of leader we need to move our state in a positive, productive and healthy direction.”
Horn has previously been endorsed by two other Republicans: former Republican state party chairman Stephen Jones and Steven Agee, former president of the Oklahoma City branch of the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank.
Pennsylvania
Several Republicans have endorsed Democratic gubernatorial candidate Josh Shapiro in Pennsylvania over Trump-backed Republican state Sen. Doug Mastriano.
At least 16 Republicans publicly endorsed Shapiro in August following a Reuters report that Mastriano had posed for a photo in a Confederate uniform in 2014.
Republicans who support Shapiro include former Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, who served under former President George W. Bush, and former state Rep. Mario Civera.
In a statement, Chertoff described Shapiro as “a staunch defender of our democratic institutions and will lead Pennsylvania with honor and integrity. I am proud to support his campaign for governor of him ».
Former Pennsylvania House Speaker Denny O’Brien, former state Representative Dave Steil and current Lawrence County Commissioner Morgan Boyd also endorsed Shapiro.
Texas
Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick is seeking re-election this year, along with Republican Governor Greg Abbott, who is running for a third term. Patrick’s website features his endorsement of former President Trump.
Former Republican Lt. Governor Bill Ratliff has endorsed Patrick’s Democratic opponent, Mike Collier. Ratliff is the most prominent Texas Republican to endorse Collier so far, but he’s not alone.
Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley and state Senator Kel Seliger have also thrown their support behind the Democrat.
“As a former Republican-elect, I put aside partisanship and join the growing number of Republicans voting for the man we think is best for Texas, and that is Mike Collier,” Ratliff said in a statement issued by the Collier campaign.