The Democratic National Convention kicked off its second day of events, with former President Barack Obama headlining the evening — but not all of the speakers were Democrats, some prominent Republicans took the stage including Mesa Mayor John Giles.
“It was an email from somebody in the campaign extending the invitation,” Giles, a registered Republican, told ABC15 when asked about how we was approached to attend the DNC. “First, they invited me to come to the convention, and I was politely declining, saying, I'm not a Democrat, right? I don't really know why I would do that. Then they included the invitation to speak and then at that point, I realized, you know, it's that's an opportunity to deliver this message that I think is important for me to speak to people like myself, people in the political middle that need to be told that the Republican Party of John McCain is gone.”
Giles’ message focused on courting conservative voters who are on the fence about supporting former President Donald Trump.
“I don't know very many Arizona Republicans that think Donald Trump, that they admire him personally, they're just thinking that perhaps he'll protect their financial interests better than the Vice President,” Giles said. “That's where people like me need to help get the message of the Harris campaign out — This is someone who will govern from the center, someone who is very attuned to the economic challenges that we face.”
However, critics see Harris as one of the more liberal-leaning candidates with nothing in her policy positions to suggest she would govern from the center.
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“Kamala Harris' platform is a very, very unpopular platform. The fact that she supports open borders, she supports inflationary policies, that she has been weak as a leader on the international stage, and America is weaker over the course of her four years than we were before. Those are deeply unpopular," Michael Whatley, Chairperson of the Republican National Committee told ABC15.
Whatley said he was “disappointed” to see any Republican speak at the DNC, but added that the Republican party is “the most unified we have benefited from in generations.”
The latest polls show the Harris campaign building momentum in swing states across the country, including Arizona. When asked about whether the Trump campaign needs a shift in strategy heading into the final months of the election, Whatley said the focus is to “talk to every American voter” about “issues they care about.”
“Issues like securing our southern border, making sure that we restore our economy. And making sure that we have the strength to defend ourselves at home and abroad,” Whatley said.
Harris will cap off the DNC Thursday night, while Trump, on the same day will visit the southern border in Arizona.
Giles was one of several Republicans speaking at the DNC, including former GOP Congressman Adam Kinzinger, former White House Press Secretary and aide to First Lady Melania Trump, Stephanie Grisham and former Trump White House National Security Official Olivia Troye.
