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Erie native Tom Ridge, a Republican who is a former secretary of Homeland Security, Pennsylvania governor and U.S. Representative, said he will support Joe Biden for president.(Photo: CHRISTOPHER MILLETTE FILE PHOTO/ERIE TIMES-NEWS)

WASHINGTON Tom Ridge, a decorated Vietnam veteran, Republican congressman and two-time governor of Pennsylvania, becamethe first secretary of the Department of Homeland Security in 2003 underGeorge W. Bush. Ridgehas joined a group that has grown to more than 600 national security officials, including more than 20 four-star officers, to endorse former Vice President Joe Biden for president.

Federal, state and local law enforcement officials are preparing for possible clashes at polling places, violence and larger demonstrations similar to social justice protests that spilled into the streets of dozens of American cities. President Donald Trump has castdoubt on the legitimacy of the vote andrefusedto commit to a peaceful transfer of power, leading members of Congress and election experts to worry about violence after election day.

Ridge, 75,talked about his concerns regarding the election and the presidential candidatesin an interview with USA TODAY. The questions and answers have been condensed.

A: "I find unseemly, unworthy and unconscionable for an incumbent president to claim to know the heart and mindof Americans and to proclaim months before November 3, that he was going to win.And the only way that he couldn't win was through massivefraud. I never thought I must tell you, from the day I was a soldier in the '60s to the present day never thought that I'd see an American president try to undermine the most fundamental institution in our democracy. And that's our vote. That's the legitimacy of our elections."

"I am hopeful and prayerful that Americans will let the votes be counted so that we can let America's collective voice be heard. It'sno secret that there are a lot of patriotswho are concerned that his rhetoric and subtle encouragement could lead to spasms of violence in a post-election environment. It's interesting for a man who claims to be so supportive of law enforcement to also potentially create an environment where law enforcement lives in jeopardy because of violent protests. Again, it's inconsistent, inconceivable, but not surprising."

"It's just that litany of objections and concerns I have about the rule of law, about the Constitution, about his push back against the institution, about his preference for his own abilities, as opposed to the military, as opposed to the intelligence community. The list is almost endless. When he's decided that he's the smartest person in the room, regardless ofissues, including dealing with the coronavirus and ignoring the expertise brought to him by literally hundreds, if not thousands, of public health officials. So it's troubling to turn the reins of a country, the leadership of a country, to an individual who refuses to accept the guidance and counsel of experts across the board, when it doesn't suit his purpose."

"Vice President Biden hascertain personal qualities that I would like to see in my president: empathy, humanity, civility, character. They're moreimportant to me before I worry or tax policy."

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4 questions on the election, its aftermath, Trump and Biden for Pa. Republican Tom Ridge - USA TODAY

Republicans in Texas are overwhelmingly behind President Trumps reelection, as are statewide officials like Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Atty. Gen. Ken Paxton.

But a few past GOP leaders support Democrat Joe Biden, including former Congressmen Alan Steelman and Steve Bartlett.

Perhaps the most prominent Texas Republican who is reportedly skeptical of Trump, former President George W. Bush, has made no public remarks about the 2020 race, although the New York Times reported in June that Bush wouldnt vote for Trump.

In a Zoom call with reporters on Wednesday, Jacob Monty, who was appointed to two positions by Bush, called on him to make a public statement.

I urge President Bush to denounce him and join so many Republicans and so many members of his own team that have jumped on board with Joe Biden, Monty said.

Monty is a lawyer and was formerly on the University of Houstons Board of Regents. Despite previously serving on Trumps National Hispanic Advisory Council, he now says Trump is an existential threat to both democracy and the Republican Party.

The call was organized by the Texas Democratic Party, and included Steelman, Bartlett, Monty, and former Republican consultant Pierre DuBois.

No one cares about the opinions of disgruntled former politicians, said Trump Victory Spokesperson Samantha Cotten. Texans are enthusiastic to reelect President Trump for four more years.

Texas Republicans are. A University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll taken from late September to early October showed 92% of likely Republican voters said they would vote for Trump.

The presidential race overall, however, looks much closer than it was four years ago. A Quinnipiac University poll out Wednesday had the race even. Trump beat Hillary Clinton by nine points in 2016.

Despite their unity on ousting Trump, Bartlett and DuBois disagreed on whether to support the reelection of U.S. Senator John Cornyn.

Cornyn recently told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram he disagreed with President Trump privately on some issues, and tried to influence him behind the scenes.

In the Senate, though, Cornyn has almost always supported the president, as tracked by the news website FiveThirtyEight. For example, Cornyn voted against a proposal to block Trumps use of an emergency declaration to fund a border wall. He also voted against convicting the president in the impeachment trial.

Bartlett said he supports down-ballot Republicans, and Cornyn in particular. He called him a source of quiet strength.

I think John Cornyn, looking forward to a Biden presidency, will be a voice of reason and a voice of coming together, and a voice of rebuilding the traditional Republican Party, Bartlett said.

DuBois, on the other hand, said Cornyns interview with the Star-Telegram is just the senator angling for political survival, calling it too little too late.

DuBois said he tells his friends to vote against all Republicans.

If we want to rebuild the Republican Party after this election, there needs to be an absolute repudiation of it, DuBois said.

Cornyn is running for his fourth Senate term. His opponent is Democrat M.J. Hegar, an Air Force veteran.

The Quinnipiac University poll showed a competitive race, with Hegar six points behind Cornyn.

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There Are A Few Never Trump Republicans In Texas - KERA News

Multiple Republican Events to be held Saturday in Marion County | KNIA KRLS Radio - The One to Count On

The Republican Party of Marion County is hosting multiple events Saturday. U.S. House of Representatives candidate Marianette Miller-Meeks will speak and answer questions at the headquarters on the square in Knoxville at 10:30 a.m. Shell be joined by former U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad.

Following that event, vehicle rallies will be held in Knoxville, Pella, Melcher-Dallas and Pleasantville. Participants will meet at 11:00 a.m. at their respective locations, and the rallies will run from noon to 1:00 p.m.

Information about the caravans is below:

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Multiple Republican Events to be held Saturday in Marion County - KNIA / KRLS Radio

The reelection campaign of Sen. Heather Somers bristled this week at a campaign flyer from her opponent linking her to President Trump, calling it illegal, a violation of the state's campaign finance law.

Election enforcement officials will eventually decide whether challenger Col. Bob Statchen, a lawyer, is correct in his vigorous denial of an official Republican election complaint over theflyer, which links Somers and Trump.

But what might stick most with voters is the great lengths that Connecticut Republicans have gone to this election season to distance themselves from the person at the head of the ticket they are running on, the one person political candidates traditionally wholeheartedly embrace.

Indeed, in debates this week sponsored by The Day, both Somers and Republican Sen. Paul Formica of East Lyme pretended like the Republican president has no bearing on the lives of their Connecticut constituents, as if their own state government isn't going to have to cope with the turmoil stirred by Trump, from a bungled pandemic response to inciting racial turmoil, eliminating tax deductions for blue states like Connecticut and doing nothing to tame climate change.

Most Connecticut Republicans have gone to great lengths to neither support nor repudiate Trump, to not answer any questions about him or his policies.

And yet, despite the silence, we can see the state's Republican establishment is quite Trumpian in behavior, from attempts at voter suppression to their own votes against gun control, family leave, a higher minimum wage and an effort to make police officers more accountable, from increased training to wearing body cameras.

I was especially struck by the way Sen. Formica's Democratic challenger, Martha Marx of New London, a nurse, managed to bring home the difference between the policies of Trumpian Connecticut Republicans and the state's Democrats.

Her description of how her work takes her into the homes of the working poor was very powerful, and she made a heartfelt argument about how an extra $40 or $80 a week from a raise in the minimum wage could be life changing, especially for a single mother trying to put food on the table.

Making employers pay a fair wage, she added, could save the state from the need to provide a larger safety net.

Formica complained about the negative impacts on businesses of a higher minimum wage.

"As probably one of the only job creators on the stage this evening ..." a Trumpian Formica began his answer on the minimum wage, an obvious jab at his only opponent.

I don't see, though, how running a restaurant, or a chain of hotels and golf resorts, for that matter, is more noble than a career in caring for the sick.

A thorough and statesmanlike candidate, Statchen also hit hard on his opponents' votes against things like a higher minimum wage, paid family leave and banning bump stocks, gun superchargers.

He noted that even Trump eventually came around to supporting a ban on bump stocks.

He also called the senator out for denying that there is systematic racism in this country.

Somers sighed a lot and rolled her eyes more than a few times, an apparent debate technique, often looking annoyed she had to answer her opponent's arguments.

While watching the debate for the 18th Senate District, I couldn't shake the image of a high school debate for class president, with candidate Somers gathering with friends later at a sock hop, slurping milkshakes and laughing about the other candidate, a nerd with a briefcase.

I felt good about the debates, mostly because I liked what I heard and have already voted, using a dedicated ballot box at my town hall.

One of the reasons Somers gave at the debate for voting against the use of the ballot boxes, to make pandemic voting easier, is that someone might maliciously throw a cigarette inside one and destroy the votes.

She gave similar, fantastic Trumpian-like reasons for her votes against measures that would make life better for the people of Connecticut, especially the neediest and most vulnerable.

I'm pretty sure my vote made it past the dangers of a cigarette ballot box bomber and is safe.

This is the opinion of David Collins.

d.collins@theday.com

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Connecticut Republicans, loyal soldiers in the party of Trump - theday.com

Published: 10/23/2020 12:01:39 AM

On Nov. 3, I will be voting in my 12th presidential election. All of the last 11 were important, but this year my voting is even more imperative. This year we will determine what kind of country we will leave our children and grandchildren.

Since the election of Donald Trump, our allies no longer trust us. Russia is placing a bounty on the heads of American soldiers. Americans that have died or wounded in the service of their country are called suckers and losers. We have withdrawn support for international agreements.

Instead of living up to our agreements and defending our troops, when Putin interferes with our election, Trump praises him. He admires brutal dictators like Kim Jong-un.

Trump has attacked Social Security. The Republicans have passed a tax cut favoring the wealthiest Americans, which created a huge deficit, increasing our national debt. There is a slow dismantling of the Affordable Care Act. While many Americans cannot pay the rent or put food on their table, the Republican Senate refuses to help them. There are weekly revelations of a new scandal and corruption. We are watching an attempt to undermine our electoral system. Because of Trumps incompetence, 225,000 Americans have died due to the coronavirus.

In the last three years, we have seen corruption, hypocrisy, and authoritarianism. As Patrick William Robertson once said, There are three things that deserve no mercy, hypocrisy, fraud, and tyranny. This year the voters must show no mercy. Vote them out.

JOHN HARWOOD

Concord

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Letter: Vote out the Republicans - Concord Monitor