Conservative Republican Endorses Harris

United States – In a significant departure from his Republican roots, retired federal appeals court Judge J. Michael Luttig, a respected conservative legal scholar appointed by President George H.W. Bush, has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris in the upcoming presidential election. Luttig, who has served in two Republican administrations, expressed grave concerns about former President Donald Trump, labeling his candidacy a profound threat to American democracy.

This endorsement marks Luttig’s first time voting for a Democrat, a decision he detailed in a statement shared exclusively with a major news outlet. Luttig emphasized that in the 2024 election, only one party and candidate can be seen as the defender of American democracy, the Constitution, and the Rule of Law. As a result, he will “unhesitatingly” vote for Vice President Harris.

Luttig’s role in guiding former Vice President Mike Pence to reject Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election results is well-documented. His legal reasoning, shared via tweets at Pence’s attorney’s request, was pivotal in affirming Biden’s victory. Since then, Luttig has emerged as a leading constitutional critic of Trump. In his endorsement of Harris, he argues that the usual partisan distinctions must be set aside in this election to prevent Trump, whom he deems “singularly unfit,” from reclaiming the White House.

Though Luttig acknowledges that Harris’s policy views likely differ significantly from his own, he remains indifferent to these differences in the face of the more pressing issues of safeguarding democracy. He believes all Americans should prioritize these fundamental principles in the upcoming election.

Luttig’s sharp critique of Trump and his endorsement of Harris highlight the deep divisions within the Republican Party, particularly between the traditional Reagan-Bush era conservatives and the modern, Trump-led GOP. He holds both Trump and the Republican Party responsible for what he describes as a “war on America’s Democracy,” warning that the consequences will resonate for generations.

He notes that Trump’s persistent false claims about the 2020 election have eroded public trust in the electoral process, particularly among younger Americans, who now question whether constitutional democracy is the best system for the country. Luttig compares the current stakes to those of the late 18th century, when the nation’s founders, despite their political differences, united against the threat of authoritarianism.

“The time for America’s choosing has come,” Luttig writes, urging all Americans to declare their commitment to democracy, the Constitution, and the Rule of Law.

While this will be his first time voting for a Democrat, Luttig has supported some decisions by the Biden administration since January 6, 2021. Notably, he endorsed the nomination of Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, praising her qualifications and criticizing Republicans who opposed her confirmation.

Luttig joins other prominent Republicans, including former Congress members Joe Walsh, Barbara Comstock, and Adam Kinzinger, in endorsing Harris. Former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan also recently endorsed Harris, describing her campaign as the best means to prevent another Trump presidency.

In an interview, Luttig explained that his decision to back Harris was driven by his moral conviction to do what is right, stating, “In my faith, we believe that we will one day answer for our wrongs… My endorsement of the Vice President was the right thing to do. It would have been wrong for me to stay silent.”