LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Some say it was January 6. Others blame the 34 felony convictions. Still others worry about America's standing in the world and its commitment to allies overseas.
Those are among the reasons cited by members of the group Republicans for Harris, a group of disaffected Republicans (or former Republicans) who have announced their intention to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris in November.
"I think it's really just a sense of right and wrong, kind of, ethics and decency," says Greg Brower, a former Republican state senator who served as U.S. attorney for Nevada under President George W. Bush.
Brower worked as deputy general counsel of the FBI when former President Donald Trump fired then-Director James Comey, and criticized the bureau for its election-related investigations. He says he decided in 2018 to re-register as a nonpartisan.
"My real motivation and decisionmaking is based on putting country over party, and frankly, putting patriotism over specific policies," Brower added. "You know, we can have policy debates, but we need to preserve our democracy in a meaningful way if we're going to have those debates."
That's a thought echoed by Las Vegas pastor Tanesha Jordan Roberts, who like Brower acknowledges she disagrees with Harris on some issues. But Roberts says they agree on the most important thing.
"It's not about policies," Roberts said. "I'm not voting for her because of policies. We disagree on a lot of policies. But where we agree is that we have to fight for the democracy of this nation. That's where we agree."
And, Roberts said, Trump sets a bad example.
"My son was a Republican, and he said, 'Mom, why do I get in trouble at school for violating the law, but there's no consequences for 45 [i.e. Trump, who was the 45th president] for violating the law?' So my choice was really clear, because I raise a lawful house."
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But it's not just Republicans supporting the Democratic nominee. Some former Democrats are leaning toward Trump.
That includes Duke Tanner, a former boxer who was convicted of drug conspiracy and was sentenced to life in prison. After spending more than 16 years behind bars — and unsuccessfully appealing for clemency under former President Barack Obama — Tanner's case finally made it to Trump's desk.
Trump commuted the sentence, and Tanner was freed.
"By the grace of God, he supported me," Tanner said. "President Trump, he ended up reading my case and he let me go Oct. 21, 2020 by granting me clemency.
"He read my case, and he decided to say, 'well, we're not going to put the fate, his fate in the judge's hands again. I'm going to decide to grant him clemency and he's going home today. That's taking action. That's not just talk."
That idea is an important thing for Tanner, who says he sees more action from Trump than from his Democratic rivals.
"Do you want to have someone who will talk the talk to you, make you a bunch of promises, or do you want to have someone who will show what they can do?" Tanner asked.
And since he was freed from prison, Tanner says he's come to appreciate the Republican position more than that of Democrats.
"Since I came home, I'm thinking about, as far as jobs, you know, just finances and things of that nature, I'm looking for different policies and the Republican side is feeding me what I think this country needs."
For Brower, however, the election isn't a normal contest between Republican ideas and Democratic ones; it's about the future of the country. He says the party he proudly represented for decades has changed into something unrecognizable.
"Someone of [former] President [Ronald] Reagan's character and generation frankly would look at the current state of things and really not be able to believe where we are," Brower said. "So no, I don't think President Reagan would recognize the current reality at all."
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