The presidential election is just 30 days away, and voters are starting to hear strong opinions from Republicans concerning Donald Trump.

This is not the narrative that the former one-term Republican president prefers.

As the election approaches in a tightly contested race, every marginal vote becomes crucial. Both Vice President Kamala Harris and Trump are aware of this, and their campaigns are taking contrasting approaches. Harris is diligently working to broaden her appeal while Trump focuses on energizing his core supporters.

A significant asset for Harris is the support she’s receiving from some Republican factions.

Republicans are stepping up to aid Kamala Harris in defeating Donald Trump

Take, for instance, Republican Voters Against Trump, which recently initiated a campaign featuring ads and billboards, investing $15 million to showcase testimonials from former Trump supporters explaining why they plan to vote for Harris this year.

Additionally, there’s Haley Voters for Harris, which aims to engage center-right voters who previously supported former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley during this year’s Republican primaries. This group recently launched a significant digital advertising campaign portraying Harris as a preferable choice over Trump for those prioritizing economic concerns.

Harris is welcoming this Republican backing, having appeared in Ripon, Wisconsin—where the Republican Party originated—alongside former U.S. Representative Liz Cheney, a Republican who lost her House seat in Wyoming in 2022 due to her outspoken critiques of Trump.

Notably, Cheney’s father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, also supports Harris over Trump.

In contrast, Trump has been engaging in a series of self-aggrandizing rallies where he often speaks for over an hour about various grievances to an audience that has already decided to vote for him.

Harris is seeking to attract a fresh wave of cross-party support, whereas Trump continues to deliver the same message as before.

Analyzing the voting dynamics in key states

The numbers reveal an interesting narrative in swing states such as Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

Haley garnered over 297,000 votes in Michigan’s Republican primary on February 27, just days before she exited the race. Biden had previously defeated Trump in this state by a margin of 154,188 votes in the last presidential election.

In Wisconsin, Haley received almost 77,000 votes in the Republican primary in April, a month after she exited the race. Biden had won here over Trump by just 20,682 votes four years ago.

Moreover, in Pennsylvania, she achieved nearly 159,000 votes in the April 23 Republican primary, seven weeks after withdrawing from the race. Biden previously defeated Trump in Pennsylvania by 80,555 votes in 2020.

Support from Republicans continued for Haley, particularly after she suspended her campaign. Does it matter now that she endorsed Trump in July after casting doubt on his mental fitness to serve as president back in January?

In this exceedingly close contest, Haley’s supporters in these three crucial states could potentially tip the balance in favor of Harris.

The Republican establishment is likely aware of this, as evidenced by a cease and desist letter sent to Haley Voters for Harris by a law firm representing Haley, on July 23—just a week after her Trump endorsement—prohibiting the group from using her name.

The group, however, responded, asserting that their right to engage with her base “will not be silenced.”

What’s the objective of these organizations? Prevent Trump’s victory.

Craig Snyder, national director for Haley Voters for Harris, stated that their advertising campaign is focused on reaching center-right voters “pretty much wherever they are online,” targeting platforms like YouTube, Facebook, streaming services such as HBO Max, and even gaming networks.

The campaign is specifically aiming at 1.5 million voters in Pennsylvania, 600,000 in Michigan, and 400,000 in Wisconsin.

Snyder shared that his organization is presenting the “affirmative case for Harris,” highlighting her achievements and policy suggestions and explaining how they can be appealing to center-right voters.

Part of their argument relies on the idea that Republicans have a strong possibility of reclaiming control of the U.S. Senate in the upcoming November elections, and that the Supreme Court currently holds a six-to-three conservative majority.

“No single party will possess total control over the government,” Snyder commented. “There are too many safeguards and too many checks and balances.”

According to Snyder, Republican Voters Against Trump shares a similar objective but focuses more on portraying the former president as “a danger to democracy,” particularly because of his actions leading up to and following the January 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection.

The campaign finance disclosures from both groups indicate considerable backing from traditional Democrats and politically aligned organizations, despite the fact that the potential viewers of their advertisements might differ.

Snyder acknowledged this but clarified that their small-dollar contributions are coming from individuals who identify as Republicans across more than 40 states.

“It’s truly a coalition of diverse individuals working together,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Trump remains himself

Another factor benefiting both groups is Trump’s persistent behavior. If his actions lead center-right voters to support Harris, it would be advantageous for those opposing Trump.

On Friday, Trump shared a lengthy post on his social media platform Truth Social, harshly criticizing Cheney and her father for endorsing Harris. He mocked her as “a low IQ War Hawk” and claimed both are “grievously afflicted by Trump Derangement Syndrome.”

Furthermore, he displayed his typical outrage on social media Wednesday after a prosecutor’s brief was released in his federal case related to the January 6 insurrection, which raised new and troubling revelations about his conduct. He labeled the filing an “ILLEGAL ACTION” in a “Witch Hunt” aimed at undermining him and his reelection efforts.

Trump’s obsession with grievances isn’t effectively expanding his support base. However, growing a base requires consistency and determination, traits not commonly associated with Trump at this time.

The most favorable scenario for organizations like Republican Voters Against Trump and Haley Voters for Harris — as well as for Harris herself — would be for Trump to continue his current behavior over the next month.