Republican congressman Adam Kinzinger (Ill.) endorsed several Democrats less than a month before the midterm elections.
Kinzinger, one of Donald Trump’s vocal critics inside the Republican Party, started his leadership PAC, Country First, to “reclaim democracy” after Trump supporters stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6. Kinzinger was one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Donald Trump after the Capitol riot. He later announced he will not be seeking re-election.
On Tuesday, Country First PAC rolled out a slew of midterm endorsements, including Democrats in key races to control their state’s election infrastructure.
Among the Democrats Kinzinger’s Country First PAC endorsed are Josh Shapiro and Katie Hobbs, who are running for governor in Pennsylvania and Arizona respectively against Trump-backed election deniers Doug Mastriano and Kari Lake.
“Shapiro is a staunch defender of our democratic institutions and will lead the state with integrity,” Country First said in its statement. “His opponent, Doug Mastriano, is an election denier who has spread dangerous conspiracy theories, fought to overturn Pennsylvania’s election results, and was present at the Capitol on January 6th after paying to bus people from Pennsylvania to D.C.”
The candidate who wins governor of Pennsylvania will appoint the secretary of state.
Country First heaped similar praises on Hobbs, calling her “a staunch defender of our democratic institutions” and said Lake is an election denier who “demonstrates greater loyalty to Donald Trump than to our constitution and institutions.”
The PAC also endorsed Democrats in secretary of state races in Arizona, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada and Republican Brad Raffensperger in Georgia.
“Now more than ever, it’s critical we elect leaders up and down the ballot who are loyal to the Constitution and willing to be a bulwark for democracy – regardless of their political party affiliation,” Rep. Kinzinger said in a statement.
“We must set partisan politics and ideology aside in order to preserve our nation’s democracy and demand accountability in our leaders. I’m proud to endorse this slate of candidates that are ready to put our country and the American people first.”
