Former Republican VP Dick Cheney Announces Support for Kamala Harris

By Kanishka Singh and Steve Holland

WASHINGTON – Former Vice President Dick Cheney, a Republican, announced on Friday that he will vote for Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris instead of former President Donald Trump in the upcoming U.S. elections on November 5. His statement follows a similar declaration by his daughter, Liz Cheney, made earlier this week.

Importance of the Announcement

The race between Trump and Harris is heating up, and both candidates will debate next week. A number of Republicans dissatisfied with Trump’s influence within the party have begun to back Harris, including several former staff members of Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush.

Background

Dick Cheney served as vice president under George W. Bush from 2001 to 2009. Throughout his career, he has faced criticism from human rights organizations due to his significant involvement in the planning of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, which resulted in considerable civilian casualties and human rights violations. In the case of Iraq, the war was justified by claims of weapons of mass destruction that were never discovered.

Liz Cheney, also a Republican and former congresswoman, has emerged as a prominent critic of the current Republican candidate, particularly in connection with the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters.

Key Statements

Dick Cheney remarked on Friday that, "in our nation’s 248-year history, there has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our republic than Donald Trump." He emphasized the importance of prioritizing the nation over partisan interests, stating, "As citizens, we each have a duty to put country above partisanship to defend our Constitution. That is why I will be casting my vote for Vice President Kamala Harris."

The Harris campaign stated that the Cheneys represent "a growing movement of Republicans putting country over party" by endorsing her candidacy.

In response, Trump characterized the Cheneys as "irrelevant RINO," a term he uses for Republicans who are not loyal to him, which stands for "Republicans in Name Only."