USA Cheney: Never voted Democrat, but will vote for Harris

Republican Liz Cheney has thrown her weight behind the Democratic presidential candidate at a joint campaign appearance with Kamala Harris, once again warning against Donald Trump.

"I ask you to reject (...) the depraved cruelty of Donald Trump," Cheney said of the Republican candidate in Ripon in the hard-fought state of Wisconsin.

"I will tell you that I have never voted for a Democrat before, but this year I am proudly casting my vote for Vice President Kamala Harris," the 58-year-old said. "I know she loves our country, and I know she will be a president for all Americans." Trump must be defeated in the presidential election on November 5, she said.

Cheney: Harris is the right choice

The arch-conservative politician went on to say: "I believe in limited government. I believe in low taxes. I believe in a strong national defense, and I believe that the private sector is the engine of growth in our economy." But as a conservative, a patriot, a mother and someone who honors the Constitution, she said she is certain Harris is the right choice and will inspire "our little girls" in particular.

Harris praised Cheney's courage and called the Republican "a leader who puts country above party and above self, a true patriot". Trump, on the other hand, accused her of "trampling on democratic values".

Republicans have sidelined Cheney

Liz Cheney is the daughter of former US Vice President Dick Cheney, who also wants to vote for Harris in the presidential election on November 5. The politician is considered the loudest Trump critic among the Republicans and publicly backed Harris a few weeks ago. She has paid a high price for this. She lost her leadership role within the party and ultimately also her seat in the House of Representatives. She played a leading role in the committee investigating the attack on the US Capitol and repeatedly warned that Trump posed a threat to democracy.

Cheney had only openly opposed Trump after the Capitol attack. Before that, she largely supported his policies. It remains to be seen how much influence her support for Harris will have. Within the party, she has been sidelined - most Trump loyalists see her as a representative of the old establishment. Her commitment is therefore likely to be aimed primarily at as yet undecided voters. So far, the polls show that there is virtually no movement among either Trump or Harris voters. It amounts to a neck-and-neck race. Cheney is unlikely to convince Trump supporters to vote for Harris with her appearance in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin as an important swing state

Wisconsin in the north of the USA is one of the few states likely to tip the scales in the vote in November. It is not clear from the outset whether the state will traditionally go to the Democrats or Republicans. Trump won here in 2016, Joe Biden four years later. The races were very close in each case. This is why Harris and Trump are particularly common in Wisconsin and the other swing states - Michigan, Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina, Arizona and Nevada.

The fact that some states are so important in the presidential election is due to the special electoral system in the USA. Who becomes president is not decided by the sum of the votes cast nationwide, but by 538 delegates from the states. In almost all states, if a candidate is ahead, he or she is awarded all the electoral votes in that state, regardless of the exact voting ratios.