A former Staten Island Republican congressman is crossing party lines to endorse Democrat Kamala Harris for president.
Susan Molinari, the daughter of another prominent New York Republican, told Spectrum News NY1 that she thought Harris was “smart,” “strong” and “knows how to behave on the world stage.”
“And she’s not crazy,” she said.
Molinari is part of a new coalition, Republicans for Harris, an effort to reach out to disaffected members of the GOP who, like her, may not agree with everything Democrats advocate on policy but view former President Donald Trump as a volatile threat.
Molinari, whose father Guy served as a congressman and then as Staten Island borough president, argues that his announcement should be seen as “both” an endorsement of Harris and an endorsement against Trump.
In 2020, the former congresswoman also broke with her party, throwing her support behind Joe Biden.
Speaking at the Democratic National Convention that year alongside other Republicans, she said: “I’ve known Donald Trump for most of my political career – so disappointing and lately so disturbing.”
Four years later, Molinari maintains his support, saying the president’s recent actions have only “reinforced” his decision.
“This was a man giving up the job he wanted most in life while he negotiated the return of the hostages,” she said, citing Biden’s decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race.
Unlike Molinari, other Republican critics of Trump have chosen to stay on the Republican side, including Trump’s former attorney general, Bill Barr.
Asked about Barr, Molinari said: “I don’t want to judge anybody. But you know he’s clearly said, ‘Trump is a national danger.’ How can you put him back in office?”
Molinari said she is still a Republican and hopes her party can return to the one she once knew. It is the party of her father, who himself was a longtime Republican politician on Staten Island and had the support of both the state’s conservative and Republican parties in various elections.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if my dad never voted for Donald Trump,” she said. “I think he would be proud of me and understand all the reasons why I voted for him.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s not a Republican for Biden or a Republican for Harris,” she added.
As the election draws to a close, New York State is poised to make or break the decision as to which party will control Congress.
His advice to Republican voters in the state’s most competitive districts: be informed and thoughtful, don’t blame Trump for being one of the most popular candidates, and know that “splitting your ticket is a very easy thing to do.”
Molinari, who was once “very close” to Rudy Giuliani, said it makes her “so sad” to see what has become of the former New York mayor turned Trump lawyer.
“Donald Trump leaves very few people unscathed and untroubled. And Rudy Giuliani is probably proof number one of that,” she said.
