In a striking op-ed published in The New York Times on Sunday, prominent conservative commentator David French announced his endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris for the 2024 presidential election. French, known for his critical stance on former President Donald Trump and his alignment with traditional conservative values, argued that backing Harris is a necessary step to “save conservatism” from the corrosive influence of Trump’s “MAGA movement.”

French’s endorsement of Harris, a Democrat, is rooted in his concerns about the direction of the Republican Party under Trump’s leadership. A self-described pro-life advocate who supported the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision that returned abortion law to the states, French nonetheless finds himself unable to support Trump. He criticizes the former president for what he describes as a departure from “Reaganite conservatism,” a drift that he believes has led the GOP into dangerous territory.

“But I’m going to vote for Kamala Harris in 2024 and — ironically enough — I’m doing it in part to try to save conservatism,” French wrote in his op-ed.

One of French’s primary critiques of Trump is his propensity for dishonesty. French highlighted Trump’s repeated false claims, particularly those surrounding the 2020 presidential election, as emblematic of a broader moral decline within the GOP. He specifically cited the lawsuits against Fox News, Rudy Giuliani, and Salem Media Group as evidence of the damaging effects of Trump’s persistent election lies.

“Let’s take an assertion that should be uncontroversial, especially to a party that often envisions itself as a home for people of faith: Lying is wrong,” French argued. “I’m not naïve; I know that politicians have had poor reputations for honesty since Athens. But I have never seen a human being lie with the intensity and sheer volume of Donald Trump.”

French’s concern extends beyond Trump’s dishonesty to what he perceives as the former president’s role in fostering political violence. He pointed to Trump’s use of songs performed by the “J6 Prison Choir,” a group of prisoners jailed for their involvement in the January 6th Capitol riot, as evidence that Trump supports “violent insurrectionists.”

In his scathing critique, French did not spare the broader Republican Party, particularly those who spoke at last month’s Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He condemned the inclusion of speakers with controversial pasts, arguing that their presence signals a moral decline within the party.

“It becomes even stranger to claim that Christians can’t vote for Democrats when the prime-time lineup at the Republican convention featured an OnlyFans star, a man who publicly slapped his wife, a man who pleaded no contest to an assault charge, and another man who had sex with his friend’s wife while the friend watched — and that’s not even including any reference to Trump himself,” French wrote.

French expressed deep concern about the influence of Trump and his evangelical supporters, whom he referred to as “MAGA Christians.” He accused this faction of infusing the American church with “viciousness and intolerance,” a shift he finds deeply troubling.

“It is difficult to overstate the viciousness and intolerance of MAGA Christians against their political foes. There are many churches and Christian leaders who are now more culturally Trumpian than culturally Christian. Trump is changing the church,” French warned.

Looking forward, French suggested that a Harris administration would offer a strong stance against Russia and provide an opportunity for conservative Americans to rebuild their movement from the ground up. He remains hopeful that the GOP can return to its roots as a force for good in American life, but only if it can distance itself from Trump’s influence.

“If Harris wins, the West will still stand against Vladimir Putin, and conservative Americans will have a chance to build something decent from the ruins of a party that was once a force for genuine good in American life,” he concluded.

French’s endorsement of Harris, a Democratic candidate, is likely to stir significant debate within conservative circles. As the 2024 election approaches, his op-ed could mark a turning point in the conversation about the future of the Republican Party and the broader conservative movement.

The Christian Post