As a lifelong Republican who dedicated 34 years to public service, I never imagined I would find myself enthusiastically supporting the Democratic nominee for president.
Yet I am—not because I’ve abandoned my Republican values, but because my party has strayed so far from them.
For 13 years, I served as a state representative from Stamford, Connecticut and for 21 years, I represented Connecticut’s 4th District in Congress. After the 2006 election, I stood as the only Republican Congressman left in New England. Though I lost my seat in 2008 to Democrat Jim Himes, my commitment to public service and to the principles that once defined the Republican Party has never wavered.
It is those very principles that compel me to speak out against Donald Trump. He is too old, foolish, undisciplined, inherently dishonest, dangerous, and corrupt. He is, quite frankly, an embarrassment to my party and our nation. I cannot and will not support a former president who denied his election loss, sought to overturn the legitimate outcome, and incited an assault on the Capitol during the certification of that very outcome.
Our Founding Fathers, the architects of our republic, should inspire and guide our elected officials—and each of us—to ask: What can and should we do now for the future well-being of our country?
We have been given a magnificent blueprint for a strong and vigorous democracy, the Constitution of the United States. This precious document, created through compromise and designed to promote it, provides the ideal structure for governing a diverse population in a powerful nation.
When Benjamin Franklin exited the Constitutional Convention, he was asked what the Convention had achieved. His response was both simple and profound: “A Republic, if you can keep it.” Every election, and the government we choose, is an ongoing test of Franklin’s admonition.
Keeping our Republic requires that candidates for public office honor the results of their elections—by being inspired, motivated leaders in victory, and gracious, respectful leaders in defeat. Franklin’s warning also calls for well-informed, energized citizens to put our beloved country first, holding our public servants, elected officials, and judges to the highest standards worthy of this great nation.
Kamala Harris embodies the qualities we should seek in a leader: intelligence, thoughtfulness, and a deep respect for democracy. She is the candidate who can guide our nation forward, providing dignity and integrity to the office of the presidency. The contrasts between Harris and Trump could not be more stark—young versus old, forward-looking versus backward, thoughtful versus reckless, kind versus nasty, joyful versus angry, positive versus negative, hopeful versus pessimistic and dark.
Trump’s behavior—his ethical lapses; isolationist worldview; fawning over dictators like Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un; misogynistic treatment of women; and disdain for wounded veterans—makes him unfit to serve as President of the United States, with responsibility as Commander in Chief of our Armed Forces. While Trump may have a stranglehold on the Republican Party for now, he cannot, must not, and does not, have a hold on my conscience.
This election is not just about policy differences; it’s about the soul of our nation. I believe in the power of hope, and the promise of a brighter future for America—one that is inclusive, respectful, and forward-thinking. That’s why, even as I continue to identify as a Republican, I will be voting for Kamala Harris.
I believe there are many other Republicans like me—those who refuse to stand by while Trump leads our nation down a dangerous path. This November, let’s choose thoughtful over reckless, kind over nasty, and hope over despair. Let’s choose an America that will continue to be better.
Christopher Shays served in the United States House of Representatives as representative of the 4th District of Connecticut from September 9, 1987 – January 3, 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party.
