Republican Leader Faces Backlash After Endorsing Kamala Harris Over Trump: “I’m Not Going to Quit”
ABC; BRANDON BELL/GETTY IMAGES
Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign has not only unified the Democratic Party but also garnered support from disillusioned Republicans. One such Republican, Upper Merion GOP leader Matthew McCaffery, has faced severe backlash from his own party after publicly endorsing Harris over former President Donald Trump.
According to WHYY, the Philadelphia NPR and PBS affiliate, the Montgomery County Republican Party recently held a private disciplinary meeting to address McCaffery’s endorsement of Harris. As a result of his decision, McCaffery’s home was targeted in a swatting incident, a dangerous prank where an anonymous caller falsely reports a situation to the police, leading to the deployment of a SWAT team. Despite the threats and potential repercussions, McCaffery remains resolute in his stance.
“If I wasn’t already doubled down with my convictions now — I’m like tripled and quadrupled down,” McCaffery, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, told WHYY. “I’m not going to quit.” McCaffery’s endorsement is particularly significant given Pennsylvania’s status as a crucial battleground state. The Keystone State’s electoral votes have gone to the eventual winner of the presidency in every election cycle since 2008, and it is expected to be a fiercely contested state in the upcoming election.
McCaffery’s support for Harris highlights the potential for bipartisan dissatisfaction with Trump within critical voter segments. In July, McCaffery penned an op-ed in the Philadelphia Inquirer titled, “I voted for Trump in 2016. His disrespect for veterans will make me vote Democrat.” He later told NBC 10 Philadelphia that he was committed to opposing Trump in 2024, stating, “I didn’t commit 34 felonies; I haven’t been found liable for sexual misconduct; I haven’t dragged our country through one of the worst days in our history on Jan. 6.”
Montgomery County Republican Party chairman Christian Nascimiento did not rule out disciplinary action against McCaffery for his endorsement. He emphasized that party bylaws require officials to support Republican candidates. “If you want to be a Republican committee person, one of the few things that you have to do is support Republicans up and down the ticket,” Nascimento said. “It’s pretty straightforward, and so disciplinary action happens when one member brings charges against another member for a violation of the bylaws.”
McCaffery is actively involved with the group Republicans Against Trump, which includes prominent GOP figures such as former Trump White House communications official Stephanie Grisham, former Georgia Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan, and former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Illinois). These figures, alongside McCaffery, represent a growing faction within the Republican Party that is openly critical of Trump.
Grisham, Duncan, and Kinzinger are slated to speak at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, where they will share the stage with progressive leaders like Sen. Bernie Sanders and former President Barack Obama. Their participation underscores the ongoing rift within the GOP and the increasing number of Republicans willing to cross party lines in opposition to Trump.
