Former Rep. Tom Rice (R-S.C.), one of many 10 Home Republicans who voted to question former President Trump after the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol, mentioned he’ll vote for neither Trump nor Vice President Harris for president, declining to affix the three different pro-impeachment Republicans who’ve endorsed the Democratic nominee.
His stance displays the issue that Harris has in profitable over the anti-Trump Republicans as her marketing campaign angles for each attainable undecided voter in an extremely shut race.
“Donald Trump is a proven liar and a fraud and thief and a sexual predator. Everyone now knows that,” Rice informed The Hill. “But the thing that absolutely disqualifies him from office is his disregard for the constitution … The idea that we would elect someone who has proven he will crumple it up and throw it in the trash for his own advantage is unimaginable to me.”
But Rice, who spent a decade in Congress earlier than a Trump-backed main problem from Rep. Russell Fry (R-S.C.) compelled him out, mentioned that he can’t assist Harris.
“I’m not going to endorse Harris. She’s an anathema to me. I am a conservative Republican. There is no method in hell I can endorse her,” Rice informed The Hill of Harris.
Rice mentioned he would vote for somebody for president slightly than not voting in any respect, however has not but determined for whom he’ll vote.
“But it’s not going to be one of them,” Rice mentioned of Trump and Harris.
Three of the Home Republicans who voted to question Trump have endorsed Harris, with former Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) saying Thursday he would vote for her. Former Reps. Liz Cheney (Wyo.) and Adam Kinzinger (Sick.) beforehand endorsed Harris, and have been campaigning for her.
Cheney, Kinzinger, and the Harris marketing campaign hope to persuade Republican and Republican-leaning voters that points regarding respect for democracy, the structure, and Trump’s actions on Jan. 6, 2021, are necessary sufficient to miss coverage and ideological variations they could have with Harris.
However Rice’s place reveals that supporting Harris could be a step to far, even for Republicans who detest Trump.
Not all of the Republicans who voted to question Trump have utterly shunned him. Former Rep. Peter Meijer (R-Mich.) had mentioned when he was working for Senate that he would vote for Trump in 2024 if he was the choice to President Biden, regardless of his vote to question Trump. Meijer ended his Senate marketing campaign earlier than the first election.
Rice additionally expressed his disappointment in Republicans for failing to question Trump.
“I am so deeply disappointed in members of Congress and particularly the leadership for failing to hold him accountable. They knew their duty to protect the constitution. And they violated their oath. Not just Trump, but they themselves are disqualified from office,” Rice mentioned.
“I am particularly disappointed in [Senate Majority Leader] Mitch McConnell,” Rice continued. “He is a brilliant man. He knew very well the gravity of the moment. But in the days following January 6, he made a cold political decision that it was more important to try and get more republicans in the senate than it was to do their duty and hold Trump accountable. One word from him and it would have been done. We would not be in this precarious position.”
Rice additionally had sharp phrases for former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who was Home minority chief on Jan. 6.
“Kevin McCarthy was a guy who was not very bright and not very strong. He had no principles whatsoever, if those and he should never have been speaker of the House. And I told him that. I told him that to his face,” Rice mentioned.
“Kevin McCarthy on January 6 [was] begging Trump on the phone to call off the dogs,” Rice mentioned. “And Trump laughed at him. After which he goes down there two weeks later and indicators up at Mar-a-Lago … I used to be livid about that”
Solely two of the ten Republicans who voted to question Trump stay in Congress. Rep. David Valadao (R-Calif.), who’s working for reelection in a aggressive district, has declined to disclose who he’s voting for on the high of the ticket, saying in a debate this month that he’ll “not get involved in the presidential race.”
And Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.), who will face a Trump-backed Republican on the overall election poll, informed native information outlet KEPR Information of Trump in August: “I’ll do all I can to make sure he is as profitable as attainable.”
