‘I made a grave mistake’: Ex-MAGA supporter addresses the DNC

We all have so much more in common than what separates us. Let us fight for the ideals we hold dear and let us always remember when we fight, we win. That was Kamala Harris last night, briefly taking to the stage. And now it is day two of the Democratic convention and hosting tonight's gathering, a Republican host of The View and CNN political commentator Ana Navarro. But she is not the only Republican who is lending their voice in support of Kamala Harris, something the Harris campaign is making sure to highlight this week at the DNC. Of course, that includes Rich Lewis. He's a self-proclaimed ex MAGA activists who addressed the convention last night, explaining how he went from loving Donald Trump to now campaigning for Kamala Harris. So I finally stepped outside the echo chamber. I stopped listening to what Trump said and looked around my own eyes, and I realized he had been lying about pretty much everything. So this is my message to all the Republicans and independents who are watching people like me who voted for and believed in Trump. I made a grave mistake. But it's never too late to change your mind. And joining us now is Rich Lowe. He's now the co-chair of Republicans for Harris in Florida. Thanks for coming in, Rich. Seeing your message, your face there in that video the same night on the same convention stage as President Joe Biden, who took the stage later as Hillary Clinton, who was a 2016 Democratic nominee against Donald Trump, taking the stage the same night. What was it like for you? Okay. Good morning. Thank you so much for having me. It was my life has come a bit full circle that that video aired on the evening. And with Secretary Clinton and President Biden both spoke when I was a Maga activist and pundit from 2015 to 22. I made some abhorrent comments publicly and privately about Mr. Clinton and President Biden and I for one of my Twitter account last night and wrote down personal apologies, and I hope we'll get to them. And when I was in the community, I was not just simply a Partizan Trump voter. I was a volunteer. I did phone banking. I did I wrote in part, contributed to some of the call script to the Trump campaign. So I was very much into that world. And after the victory in 2016, I got even deeper into it. having spoken at Trump groups, sponsored Trump groups, writing for a number of, as a freelancer, a number of right wing article, excuse me, right wing, news sites and opinion sites and a professionally produced podcast. So I was someone who gravitated to the Trump campaign at the time in 2015. And Rich, you were deep in it, as you're describing. And one of the things I was wondering is what how do you sum up what attracted you so much to Donald Trump then? And also, when was the moment that he lost you? So I was I consider myself at the time a very disillusioned American politically, and I saw Trump as someone, as an outsider looking to change the ways of Washington. And right now, as I am working on behalf of the Harris Walls campaign for Republicans, for Harris down here as a coach here in Florida, I understand why they're Americans right now who who have these feelings of disillusionment and disenchantment. And I was asked to come on the campaign. I didn't hesitate when I was asked, because I think that there's a message that perhaps, I hope I'm uniquely able to deliver, because there were a number of factors that led to my questioning, my beliefs. They all happened in the summer of 2021. there was mismanagement of Covid by both Trump and my governor, Ron DeSantis. there was a better understanding of January 6th. I started to diversify. My news and information sources started to get out of that MAGA and right wing echo chamber started to realize that there were some beliefs I held that turned out to be wrong. there were other moments, such as when the Republican Party deemed the insurrection legitimate political discourse. And then there was the final straw for me rally, which was the Uvalde, Texas school shooting. So I went through an entire year of personal tumult, having to come to this conclusion that I was mistaken about pretty much everything that I believed. And and I think it's important that I let viewers know that I take responsibility for everything that I said, all my rhetoric, all of my decisions. And it was on August 30th, 2022, when I published a mayor culpa, in which I stated my remorse for supporting Trump and DeSantis and MAGA. And I wanted to acknowledge that mistake publicly because I was always very public in my support for Trump. So I also want to ask you, now you're working on behalf of the Harris campaign, trying to win over more Republicans to support Kamala Harris in Florida. And my colleague John King, he spoke with some Republicans in Iowa who have wavered on Trump. One really stuck with me saying that she did not want to vote for Trump this time. But then inflation started hurting just too bad. Let me play what she said. I would describe myself as being resigned, I suppose, to voting for Donald Trump. again, I just I can't vote for the status quo. And I was absolutely better off during Donald Trump's presidency than I am today. I'm wondering in the conversations that you're having or you're trying to have with Republicans in Florida, is the economy is inflation? Is it your biggest struggle? There's no question that that is an everyday concern for most Americans and will be throughout the duration of their lives. But in this particular election, I helped Donald Trump divide the country for many, many years. he has he is someone who has torn asunder. Families and communities and households all across the country pitted complete strangers against each other. He's amplified and elevated conspiracies that he almost certainly knows cause avoidable deaths and trauma. And so, with those concerns, I I've been saying to those who are feeling disenchanted with our political system. Republicans right now who maybe are not enamored for whatever reason with the Harris Waltz ticket but don't want to vote for Donald Trump. I think that this is an election that is a referendum on character and trust. And we have, with the Harris Walls ticket, very clearly a campaign who is inclusive. It is. I am unaware of any major presidential candidate who has actually invited into the campaign to directly participate. Those whom they know are probably going to disagree with some of the policy, style and substance that is an inclusive campaign. The Harris campaign is one that is looking to unite left, center and right. And very clearly that is not what the Trump campaign is trying to do. in fact, when I was in MAGA, we did not talk about the benefits of democracy. We talked about crushing and conquering our opponents and our enemies because we believe anyone not with us was an enemy. So, so when we think about these issues of trust, we have to ask ourselves, and my my message to undecided voters is if we're going to talk about character and we're going to talk about trust. Do we think that Trump or Harris is better equipped and better fit to try to provide actual solutions to these concerns that all of us have every day? It's fascinating the conversations that I'm having with you, and also the conversations you're having with fellow Republicans are trying to have, in Florida. Rich, thank you very much for coming in. It's my pleasure, Kate. Thank you. Thank you.