Former President George W. Bush is sitting out the 2024 presidential race, opting not to endorse either candidate, a move that’s shining a spotlight on the growing rift within the Republican Party. Bush, who once backed GOP stalwarts like Mitt Romney and John McCain, has officially bowed out of presidential politics, leaving the party in a moment of uncertainty and division. His silence highlights the widening gap between traditional Republicans and those still loyal to Donald Trump.
Bush’s former Vice President, Dick Cheney, didn’t hold back. On Friday, Cheney publicly endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, calling Trump “a greater threat to our republic” than anyone in U.S. history. His daughter, former Rep. Liz Cheney, echoed her father’s sentiment, confirming she’ll vote for Harris in November. The Cheney’s’ endorsements represent a seismic shift in the GOP, with some moderates viewing Trump as too dangerous to return to power.
The Harris campaign wasted no time capitalizing on the fractured GOP, gathering endorsements from prominent Republicans like ex-Massachusetts Governor Bill Weld, and more than 200 former staffers from the Bush, McCain, and Romney camps. These Republican defectors aren’t flocking to Harris for her policies but rather to make a stand against what they believe Trump could do to the country.
The “Republicans for Harris” group is a rebellion of moderate Republicans who, despite their policy gripes with Vice President Kamala Harris, see her as a crucial counterweight to Donald Trump in the 2024 election. This coalition, consisting of former GOP officials, ex-staffers, and strategists, reflects a deep-seated anxiety within the party about Trump’s unchecked influence and the potentially dire consequences of his return.
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They’ve rallied behind Harris, not for her policies, but as a bulwark against what they view as Trump’s threat to democratic norms. With endorsements from figures like ex-Governor Bill Weld and a roster of over 200 former Republican staffers, this faction is making it clear: the stakes are too high for party loyalty when the future of democracy hangs in the balance.
Harris’s team has tapped into this split, reaching out to moderate Republicans and independents, signaling that this election isn’t just about left vs. right—it’s about preserving the nation’s democratic values. While Bush’s refusal to pick a side seems like a quiet exit, his silence says more than an endorsement ever could. It points to the deepening fractures in the GOP and the growing discomfort within Bush’s wing about what Trump’s return to power might mean.
Featured image via Political Tribune gallery.
