Anti-Trump Republicans to back vulnerable Democratic lawmakers in 2022
congressional races
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[October 15, 2021]
By Tim Reid
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A group of
anti-Trump Republicans on Thursday will endorse a slate of Democratic
lawmakers facing tough races in next year's midterm elections, in a bid
to stop the Republican Party from retaking control of Congress.
The officials, dismayed that most elected Republicans now embrace former
President Donald Trump's false claims that the 2020 election was stolen,
told Reuters they are also backing vulnerable Republicans, including
Representative Liz Cheney, who have rejected Trump's voter fraud
allegations.
The Renew America Movement (RAM), formed by centrist Republicans after a
mob of Trump supporters stormed Congress on Jan. 6 to try to stop
lawmakers from certifying Democratic President Joe Biden's election
victory, concedes that Trump and his conspiracy theories now have an
iron grip on the party.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2021/Oct/15/images/ads/current/countryfinancial_lda_PPP_2018.png)
According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll from August, 30% of U.S. adults agreed
that the "2020 election was stolen from Donald Trump." That included 61%
of Republicans, 19% of independents and 10% of Democrats.
Trump, for his part, has endorsed several candidates mounting primary
challenges to Republican lawmakers who voted to impeach him on a charge
of inciting insurrection in a fiery speech ahead of the deadly Jan. 6
assault on the Capitol.
He has also backed a challenger to Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski of
Alaska, one of seven in her party who voted to convict Trump on the
charge. He was ultimately acquitted by the Senate.
RAM, whose leadership includes former Republican Governors Christine
Todd Whitman of New Jersey and Bill Weld of Massachusetts, said
supporting moderate candidates is vital to safeguarding American
democracy.
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![](../images/101521pics/news_p19.jpg)
U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., and Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill.,
listen as Rep. Elaine Luria, D-Va., speaks during the House select
committee hearing on the Jan. 6 attack on Capitol Hill, July 27,
2021. Andrew Harnik/Pool
![](../images/ads/current/centraldirect_lda_SPONSOR_2021.png)
"With the mounting threats to our democracy and
Constitution, we need people who work proactively to lead their
party and the country away from the political extremes," Joel Searby,
the group's national political director, told Reuters.
RAM will endorse and in many cases campaign for 11 moderate
Democrats, nine moderate Republicans and one independent running for
the House of Representatives and Senate in the November 2022
elections, the officials said.
Democrats have a narrow majority in the House, while the Senate is
tied 50-50. Party insiders are increasingly nervous about losing
both chambers next year, which would derail Biden's agenda.
The lawmakers to be backed by RAM include Representative Abigail
Spanberger of Virginia and Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, and Senator
Mark Kelly of Arizona, all Democrats locked in close contests.
The group is also supporting Republican House members such as Cheney
of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger from Illinois, who are among a handful
of elected Republicans to denounce Trump and his baseless voter
fraud claims. Trump's allegations were rejected by dozens of courts,
state election officials and members of his own administration.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2021/Oct/15/images/ads/current/safety-tip-daily-2.png)
(Reporting by Tim Reid; Editing by Soyoung Kim and Peter Cooney)
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