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Republicans Speak Out; Harris Warns of Trump’s Danger at Rally

Bob and Kristina Lange attend the Ellipse rally in support of Vice President Kamala Harris, breaking with their Republican roots. Photo: Asia Alexander/HUNewsService.com

By Asia Alexander

Howard University News Service

WASHINGTON, D.C. – With just seven days remaining until Election Day, Vice President Kamala Harris energized a diverse 75,000 in the nation’s capital, urging them to unite for a final push in voter turnout. Her campaign’s bipartisan appeal has attracted unexpected support from Republicans, including Sugertown Strawberries Farm owners Bob and Kristina Lange, who shared their reasons for breaking away from their party.

“We were fortunate enough to introduce Kamala Harris at Washington Crossing,” Bob Lange said. “We got to meet her. We got to talk with her. She’s the most charismatic politician I’ve ever met. … This lady is presidential.”

Bob and Kristina Lange are among a growing number of Republicans endorsing Harris, joining figures like former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, Olivia Troye, Stephanie Grisham, and Adam Kinzinger. At the Democratic National Convention in August, several Republicans backed Harris, and over 200 former officials from the Bush administrations, as well as supporters of Sen. Mitt Romney and the late Sen. John McCain, signed a letter endorsing her.

The Langes were a part of the “Not Again” ad for Harris, which was  aimed at voters in rural Pennsylvania, a region where former President Donald Trump saw strong support in both the 2016 and 2020 elections. 

After the release of the video in September the Langes experienced a different side of the Republican president they supported for the past two terms. 

“The MAGA crowd didn’t like our ad, so they created a false story about us that went viral on X, racking up 2 million views — even Donald Trump retweeted it,” Kristina explained. “Sky News in Australia covered the false narrative, but we eventually got our real story out. The Harris team recognized what we were dealing with. We received an overwhelming amount of hate on our phones, which continues to this day.”

Harris highlighted the importance of accepting and embracing differing viewpoints in her speech. “This election is more than just a choice between two parties and two different candidates,” Harris said. “It is a choice about whether we have a country rooted in freedom for every American, or ruled by chaos and division.”

The chaos Harris referred to primarily centers on former President Donald Trump. The rally’s central theme was a call to turn the page on Trump’s legacy, a message echoed by every speaker on stage.

Bob Lange voiced his frustration with the current state of the Republican Party, stating that he is embarrassed to be a Republican. 

“Trump’s insane,” Lange said. “I mean, let’s be real — he’s insane. I’m embarrassed to be a Republican. I’m a lifelong Republican, but what he’s done to the Republican Party is horrible. It’s divisive. … It’s like he’s not even really a Republican anymore, just a fanatic. And no one wants to stand up to him. Republicans are weak, just lacking a backbone. I’m passionate about not having him as our president.”

The 30-minute speech on the Ellipse echoed the same site where then-President Trump held a rally nearly four years ago, shortly before his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol. In her address, Harris underscored the Democratic Party’s central argument: that another term for the former president would significantly threaten the nation’s future.

“We know what Donald Trump has in mind: more chaos, more division and policies that help those at the very top and hurt everyone else,” Harris said. “I offer a different path and I ask for your vote.” 

Asia Alexander is a reporter for HUNewsService.com.