Republican Jeff Flake endorses Kamala Harris, says ‘she’s ready’ for the job
After endorsing Kamala Harris on X Sunday, former Republican Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona praised the vice president’s grasp of foreign policy and her proposal for tougher border restrictions on ABC News’ “This Week.”
With 37 days until Election Day, Flake said he made his endorsement now since he couldn’t participate in political activities in his role as ambassador to Turkey, which he stepped down from on Sept. 1.
“I think Republicans believe in the rule of law in particular, and it’s difficult to support a candidate who, having lost an election, tries to use the powers of the presidency to overturn that election,” Flake told ABC “This Week” anchor Martha Raddatz. “That is anything but respect for the rule of law.”He said that other conservative Republicans feel similarly.
In his endorsement, Flake wrote that he believes Harris will unite the country and “respect the will of voters.” He also discussed his endorsement in an interview with the Arizona Republic.
The former congressman and senator joins other prominent Republicans who have endorsed Harris, including former Vice President Dick Cheney and his daughter, former Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming.
Flake is one of a handful of Republicans who have served in President Joe Biden’s administration, along with Cindy McCain, the widow of former Sen. John McCain of Arizona. Since leaving the Senate in 2019, Flake has been an outspoken critic of former President Donald Trump and urged Republicans to “move away from Trump-ism.”
Flake also endorsed Biden in 2020 on the first day of the Republican National Convention along with dozens of former GOP members of Congress.
He said that Harris “ought to court all voters,” particularly moderate and conservative Republicans.
Asked about his interactions with Harris during his time as an ambassador, Flake said that she is ready to serve as commander in chief.
“We have to support and work with our allies,” Flake said. “And she understands that.”
He pointed to Harris’ speech at the Munich Security Conference and each candidate’s approach to foreign policy during the ABC presidential debate.
“It was really stark watching the debate the other day and hearing the former president not be able to even cheer for Ukraine,” said Flake. “That’s a big issue for me.”
Raddatz pressed Flake on whether his endorsement would make inroads with voters in Arizona who are a part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, of which he is a member. Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah., another high-profile Mormon Republican opposed to Trump, has not endorsed Harris.
Flake demurred, responding that “I can only speak for myself and where I am.”
Raddatz asked Flake about his thoughts on one of the vice president’s biggest vulnerabilities after her visit to the U.S.-Mexico border on Friday, her first in three years. A recent ABC News/Ipsos poll found that voters thought Trump was better suited to handle the border over Harris by 10 points.
Flake said that he was glad to see Harris visit the border and propose stricter asylum restrictions. He pointed to her work as a prosecutor and attorney general, saying, “She knows what it takes.” Harris’ campaign is looking to gain ground on an issue of high importance to voters.
While in Congress, Flake backed a bipartisan immigration proposal that failed to pass. When pressed by Raddatz on the Biden-Harris administration’s handling of the southern border, Flake said there needs to be stricter asylum policies.
He applauded Harris for saying she would sign the immigration bill that failed in the Senate after Republican opposition led by Trump cratered the legislation.
“She knows how to work on a bipartisan basis, and if we do immigration reform that endures, it’s going to have to be bipartisan,” said Flake.
(WASHINGTON) — With just 36 days until Election Day, the campaign trail is taking a sharp turn toward how Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are responding to the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene and its aftermath.
It’s also one day before the vice presidential debate on Tuesday.
Here’s how the news is developing.
Harris campaign launches ad on Jan. 6 debate clash between Walz, Vance
Just hours after last night’s debate, the Harris campaign launched a new ad slamming Vance over his answer to a question about Jan. 6 in a moment they consider to be a highlight of Tuesday’s vice-presidential debate.
In the 30-second clip titled “JD Vance’s Damning Non-Answer,” Vance refuses to clarify if he thinks Trump lost the 2020 election. It is part of the campaign’s $370 million fall media push and will air digitally across battleground states.
Michael Tyler, a Harris spokesperson, was asked by CNN Wednesday morning if the Jan. 6 exchange was something Walz wanted to talk about or if it was something that just happened in the moment.
“I think the governor was prepared to make sure that the voters understood that Donald Trump remains a risky bet for the American people,”
-ABC News’ Gabrielle Abdul-Hakim, Fritz Farrow and Will McDuffie
Harris discusses Helene and Iran with Georgia ABC station: ‘We’ve got boots on the ground’
“So, I was actually in the Situation Room today with the president for several hours with our national security team,” said Harris on Tuesday. “It is important that we as the United States stand with Israel and its right to defend itself, especially against Iran, which poses a threat to American interest American personnel in the region.”
Harris also told the reporter that the government is sending supplies to Georgia following Hurricane Helene.
“I have been in touch with the governor. Actually I spoke with him. I’ve been getting regular briefings at FEMA,” before refuting Trump’s claims that President Joe Biden’s administration has not been moving supplies in fast enough.
“We’ve got boots on the ground in Georgia. There has been a big effort that we have made to make sure that we get food, water and generators to folks who need that after the hurricane.”
-ABC News’ Gabriella Abdul-Hakim, Fritz Farrow and Will McDuffie
Harris calls Iran attack ‘reckless and brazen’
Vice President Kamala Harris condemned Iran’s attack against Israel calling it “reckless and brazen,” and labeling Iran “a destabilizing, dangerous force in the Middle East.”
The vice president said that while American officials are “still assessing the impact,” and that “initial indications are that Israel, with our assistance, was able to defeat this attack.”
“This operation and successful cooperation saved many innocent lives,” she said.
“My commitment to the security of Israel is unwavering,” Harris said.
-ABC News’ Will McDuffie, Gabriella Abdul-Hakim and Fritz Farrow
Trump criticizes Biden-Harris administration over Iranian attack
Former President Donald Trump addressed the Iranian attack against Israel five minutes into his remarks in Waunakee, Wisconsin, Tuesday, claiming “the world right now is spiraling out of control.”
He also suggested the Biden-Harris administration is close to achieving a “global catastrophe.”
The president and vice president gathered in the Situation Room earlier Tuesday afternoon to monitor the situation and gather updates from their national security team.
Trump doubled down on his previous statement that the White House has “no leadership.”
-ABC News’ Lalee Ibssa, Kelsey Walsh and Soo Rin Kim
Harris to tour Helene damage in Georgia Wednesday
Vice President Kamala Harris will visit Georgia Wednesday, to tour areas that were hardest hit by Hurricane Helene last week, her office said.
“The Vice President will also provide updates on Federal actions that are being taken to support emergency response and recovery efforts in Georgia and several other states throughout the southeast,” her office said in a statement.
The tour will be at the same time that President Joe Biden visits areas in the Carolinas that were struck hardest by the storm.
-ABC News’ Cheyenne Haslett
Trump claims Musk will help Helene victims
Standing in front of a destroyed furniture store in Valdosta, Georgia, former President Donald Trump claimed he’s requested help from Elon Musk and will be traveling to North Carolina when conditions clear.
“They don’t have communication. … I just spoke to Elon,” he said. “We want to get Starlink hooked up because they have no communication whatsoever. And Elon will always come through.”
“As you know, our country is in the final weeks of a hard-fought national election. But in a time like this when a crisis hits, when our fellow citizens cry out in need, none of that matters,” Trump said before later suggesting the Biden-Harris administration wasn’t doing enough and falsely claiming that Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp couldn’t get ahold of the president.
–ABC News’ Lalee Ibssa, Soorin Kim and Kelsey Walsh
Fact check: Biden and Georgia’s governor have spoken
Trump incorrectly claimed that Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and President Joe Biden haven’t been in touch since Hurricane Helene devastated parts of the Southeast, making clear that his already controversial visit to the hard-hit state is a political one.
“I spoke with, for a couple hours, leaders yesterday affected by the hurricane,” Biden said Monday morning. “Governor Kemp of Georgia, Governor Cooper of North Carolina, county officials in the Big Bend region of Florida and other leaders in South Carolina and Tennessee.”
Kemp on Monday acknowledged the call with Biden and said he and Harris had been trying to speak.
–ABC News’ Cheyenne Haslett and Molly Nagle
Trump claims Biden and Harris not responding to Georgia disaster
Trump claimed Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is having a hard time getting President Joe Biden on the phone and that the federal government is being unresponsive after Hurricane Helene wrecked the parts of the state.
“The Vice President, she’s out some place campaigning and looking for money,” Trump said after landing in Valdosta, Georgia. “They have to be focused over here.”
Biden approved Kemp’s request for an emergency declaration on Thursday and Harris canceled campaign events Monday to return to Washington for a briefing on the storm and the federal response.
NC leaders ask politicians to stay away
Ahead of his visit to Valdosta, Georgia, Trump posted to Truth Social that he will pay his respects to the community, which was devastated by Hurricane Helene, and bring aid.
Trump added that he was going to stop by damaged communities in North Carolina too, but determined it would be too burdensome on local officials.
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper and Rep. Chuck Edwards, who represents Asheville, North Carolina, told ABC Contributing Political Correspondent Rachael Bade on Sunday night that photo-ops were not welcome. Cooper even asked President Joe Biden and Harris to please not visit the state right now.
–ABC News’ Lalee Ibssa, Soorin Kim and Kelsey Walsh
New York Times endorses Harris
The New York Times endorsed Harris for president in an editorial published Monday morning, calling her “the only patriotic choice for president” and later “the only choice.”
“As a dedicated public servant who has demonstrated care, competence and an unwavering commitment to the Constitution, Ms. Harris stands alone in this race,” the Times’ editorial board wrote. “She may not be the perfect candidate for every voter, especially those who are frustrated and angry about our government’s failures to fix what’s broken — from our immigration system to public schools to housing costs to gun violence. Yet we urge Americans to contrast Ms. Harris’s record with her opponent’s.”
–ABC News’ Oren Oppenheim
Trump heads to Georgia devastation, Harris cancels campaign events and heads to DC for FEMA briefing
Trump is scheduled to visit Valdosta, Georgia, on Monday amid storm wreckage in the area.
Trump, who has been criticizing Harris for not visiting communities damaged by Hurricane Helene, will receive a briefing on the damage from the hurricane, help distribute relief supplies and deliver campaign remarks at a local furniture store in Valdosta, the campaign announced on Sunday.
Harris, meanwhile, is canceling her campaign events and heading back from Las Vegas to get a briefing at FEMA headquarters in Washington on what her campaign says are the “ongoing impacts of Hurricane Helene and the federal actions being taken to support emergency response and recovery efforts across several states.”
(ERIE, Pa.) — At a rally in Pennsylvania on Sunday, former President Donald Trump suggested “one rough hour” of law enforcement would deter retail theft.
After falsely claiming crime is up in the U.S. under President Joe Biden, mostly due to migrant crime, Trump brought up seeing stores in New York City and San Francisco locking up their merchandise behind glass doors.
“See, we have to let the police do their job. And if they have to be extraordinarily rough –” Trump trailed off as his rally crowd cheered.
Trump went on to claim, without evidence, that people are walking out of stores with items like air conditioning units and refrigerators “on their back,” “And the police aren’t allowed to do their job,” he said.
“They’re told if you do anything, you’re going to lose your pension; you’re going to lose your family, your house, your car. The police want to do it. The Border Patrol wants to do it. … They’re not allowed to do it because the liberal left won’t let ’em do it,” he said on stage.
“You know, if you had one day, like, one real rough, nasty day with the drugstores as an example, where when they start walking out with–” Trump continued before pivoting to retail crime in San Francisco, falsely claiming his opponent in the presidential race — Vice President Kamala Harris — was responsible for reclassifying felony theft as misdemeanors if under $950, even though it was a proposition approved by California voters.
Trump, who said he recently had a tenant end a lease due to retail theft, said things are “so bad.”
“One rough hour — and I mean real rough — the word will get out, and it will end immediately, end immediately. You know, it will end immediately,” he said.
(WASHINGTON) — Former President Donald Trump participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday morning to mark the third anniversary of the Kabul airport attack that killed 13 U.S. service members.
Trump will also later address the National Guard Association at the group’s annual conference in battleground Michigan.
The chaotic withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan in August 2021 continues to be a focal point of conservative criticism of the Biden administration.
Trump has long decried President Joe Biden’s handling of what he said on Monday was a “botched” exit and “embarrassing” moment for the nation, though recently has included Vice President Kamala Harris — his new 2024 rival — in his denunciation of the event.
“Exactly three years ago this month, the weakness and incompetence of Kamala Harris and Crooked Joe Biden delivered the most humiliating event in the history of our country and one of the biggest military disasters in the history of the world,” Trump claimed at a rally in North Carolina last week.
Harris on Monday released a statement honoring the 13 U.S. service members who lost their lives when an ISIS-K terrorist detonated a suicide bomb at the Abbey Gate of the Hamid Karzai International Airport, where evacuation efforts were centered after the Taliban’s swift takeover of Afghanistan. At least 170 Afghan civilians were also killed in the bombing and dozens of others wounded.
The vice president said the fallen soldiers “represent the best of America, putting our beloved nation and their fellow Americans above themselves and deploying into danger to keep their fellow citizens safe.”
“I will fulfill our sacred obligation to care for our troops and their families and I will always honor their service and sacrifice,” she said.
Harris went on to defend Biden’s decision to end “America’s longest war.”
“Over the past three years, our Administration has demonstrated we can still eliminate terrorists, including the leaders of al-Qaeda and ISIS, without troops deployed into combat zones,” she said in the statement. “I will never hesitate to take whatever action necessary to counter terrorist threats and protect the American people and the homeland.”
Harris has previously spoken about being in the room with Biden for important decisions, including his decision to carry out a troop withdrawal from Afghanistan — which Trump reportedly tried to launch in his final days as president. The Trump administration’s negotiated peace plan with the Taliban included a date of May 1, 2021, for the final withdrawal of troops — which Biden then continued to carry out with a September deadline.
Top officials have testified before Congress on the tumultuous withdrawal, some of whom have detailed regrets about how it was handled.
House Speaker Mike Johnson on Monday announced he will present the Congressional Gold Medal posthumously on Sep. 10 to honor the 13 service members who were killed in Kabul. The medals, Congress’ highest civilian honor, will be presented to their families.
Biden, in his own statement on Monday, said the 13 Americans killed at Abbey Gate embodied “the very best of who we are as a nation: brave, committed, selfless. And we owe them and their families a sacred debt we will never be able to fully repay, but will never cease working to fulfill.”
Biden said “we must never forget the immense price that was paid for our freedom. We must never forget that each beloved service member we lost was a human being, who left behind entire families and communities. And together, we must never stop striving to be worthy of their ultimate sacrifice.”