Former Rep. Denver Riggleman, R-Va., endorsed Harris’s presidential bid on Sunday, warning that returning former President Trump to the White House would “endanger American citizens and cause global chaos.”
Riggleman’s name was included among a list of key supporters released by the Harris campaign as it launched its “Republicans for Harris” initiative.
“I’m here. Yes,” Riggleman said in a post on the social platform X that included a “Republicans for Harris” press release.
Riggleman cited the events of January 6, 2021, when a violent mob of Trump supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol, as the basis for his endorsement. Riggleman had endorsed Trump on two separate campaigns, but broke with the former president on January 6.
“I’ve seen the J6 data. Trump and his cronies are dangerous. The same people who pushed J6 are pushing Project 2025,” Riggleman said. “A second Trump term would put Americans at risk and create global chaos.”
“Mental health should be the standard. Criminals should be ignored,” he added, tagging Republicans with the Harris X account.
Harris’s campaign launched the initiative with the support of more than 25 prominent Republicans, including former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, former Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and other Republican lawmakers and governors.
Trump-era White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham and Olivia Troy, who served as national security adviser to former Vice President Mike Pence, also expressed support for Harris.
Former Reps. Christopher Shays (R-Conn.), Joe Walsh (R-Ill.), Susan Molinari (R-N.Y.) and Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) are also listed as supporters.
According to the campaign, Republicans supporting Harris will focus on activating GOP voices to “tell their friends and family about the importance of voting for the vice president,” which the group describes as a “campaign within a campaign.” The group is scheduled to hold kickoff events in key battleground states Arizona, North Carolina and Pennsylvania on Monday.
“Donald Trump’s MAGA extremism is toxic to the millions of Republicans who believe the party of Donald Trump no longer represents their values and will vote against him again in November,” Austin Weatherford, Harris’ national director of Republican communications, said in a statement.
