Republican Mesa Mayor supports Harris in the 2024 Election

Republican John Giles, Mayor of Mesa, is supporting presidential nominee Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.

Mayor Giles joined “Arizona Horizon” to discuss his endorsement for the nominee.

“I honestly think I need to do this as my role as mayor,” Giles said. “I need to be an advocate for what’s in the best interest of my city, and I think a second Trump presidency would not be good for my community.”

When asked what gave Giles the “lightbulb moment” that made him feel the need to support presidential nominee Harris’s campaign, he said, “Some of us have short memories. A lot of us recall those four years as a national nightmare.” He then recalled moments like continuous governing by tweets, continuous chaos and scandals.

Giles said a lot of his reasoning for going toward Harris is backed by the idea that she just is not Trump. “I have some genuine enthusiasm for Vice President Harris and also Governor Walz,” he said. “I’m convinced the top of her agenda is doing what’s in the best interest of the United States.”

He mentioned that as a Republican, he does not agree with all of the policy points she has listed but does not question her good faith.

Some beneficial legislative acts Giles believes President Biden and Vice President Harris have implemented include the CHIPS Act, Bipartisan Infrastructure Act and Inflation Reduction Act.

Some policy points Mayor Giles does not agree with concern core social issues. These include abortion on demand and open border policies. Mayor Giles said he places this blame on Trump for putting the kibosh on the bipartisan immigration reform act.

Mayor Giles mentioned he has received many messages online from Republicans claiming he isn’t a Republican anymore. “I am, whether they think I am or not, I am,” he said. People online are telling him that he should change parties.

Jeff Flake is comparing Republicans siding with Democrats to a fever and stated that it will eventually break, however, this was said years ago as well.

Mayor Giles said the party has been hijacked by the extreme right. Republicans who end up not wanting to support Trump end up becoming independent. Giles said this thought has crossed his mind but feels it’s important for people like him to not do that. He said if there’s any hope for the Republican Party to get out of its downward spiral, voices like his have to continue to stay in the party and state their concerns.

Mayor Giles will be speaking at the Harris-Walz rally in Glendale, Arizona, on Friday, August 9. He will also accept an invitation to the Democratic National Convention (DNC). He said the DNC is a harder decision to make and is unsure of what his role would be, but he is being told he has a role to play there and will support them.

“We need to broaden the Republican Party so that non-MAGA voices aren’t told to get the hell out of the room,” Mayor Giles said, adding Trump had mentioned the party would get tired of winning, but the opposite has been shown. “If Republicans get tired of losing, they’ll have to broaden their perspective and not get rid of people like me,” he stated.