GREAT START

Dozens of Ex-GOP Lawmakers Abandon Trump and Back Biden on Day One of Republican Convention

The former members of Congress blamed Trump’s “destruction of democracy” for their decision.

There are better ways to kick off a party convention. More than two dozen former Republican lawmakers endorsed Joe Biden for president on Monday, with the Republican National Convention set to get underway later in the day. Twenty-seven former members of Congress have joined the “Republicans for Biden” group which has been organized by the Biden campaign to encourage Republicans to lend their support to Biden and get rid of President Donald Trump in November’s election. In a joint statement, the former lawmakers cited Trump’s “corruption, destruction of democracy, blatant disregard for moral decency, and urgent need to get the country back on course” as their reasons for the move. The 27 include the vocal Trump critic and former Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ), as well as former Reps. Steve Bartlett (R-TX), Tom Coleman (R-MO), Bob Inglis (R-SC), Chris Shays (R-CT), and Alan Steelman (R-TX).