The Republican mayor of a city with a population of about 500,000 in Arizona, a battleground state that will determine the outcome of the November presidential election, has made an unusual announcement in support of Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris.
Mayor John Giles of Mesa, the largest suburban city around Phoenix, argued in an op-ed in the Arizona Republic on the 29th that the state should support Vice President Harris over former President Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, in this presidential election. Mayor Giles emphasized that “the Republican Party has stood for the belief that all Arizonans, regardless of their background or circumstances, should have the freedom and opportunity to live the ‘American Dream.’ “He criticized, “However, Donald Trump refused to accept the results of the 2020 presidential election, and the Republican Party still has a long way to go,” and “The Republican Party with Trump is flowing toward political extremism, which is moving away from the focus on our essential freedoms.”
He also emphasized that, unlike former President Trump who ignored immigration reform, President Joe Biden and Vice President Harris brought investment and job creation to Arizona through infrastructure laws and claimed that Vice President Harris represents the return of ‘decency’ to politics.
Mayor Giles also summoned the late former Senator John McCain, a moderate politician representing the Republican Party and the Republican candidate in the 2008 presidential election. Mayor Giles emphasized that former Senator McCain, a politician representing Arizona, pursued bipartisan politics, and said, “That is the same level of character and leadership that I see in Vice President Harris.” He also mentioned that Senator Mark Kelly, a Democrat from Arizona, is being mentioned as one of the leading candidates for the Democratic vice-presidential nomination, adding, “That’s why I support her.
Kamala Harris is the fair leader that our country needs.” He added, “There is too much at stake to vote for a Republican candidate this year.” Former President Trump had maintained a clear lead in most battleground states, including Arizona, until President Biden abruptly withdrew from the Democratic presidential nomination. However, there are signs that the race will be a close one after Vice President Harris emerged as the new Democratic presidential nominee.