Schwarzenegger Endorses Kamala Harris for President

On 30/10/2024, former Republican Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger publicly endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and her running mate Tim Walz for the 2024 United States presidential election. The announcement was delivered in a lengthy statement posted on X, where Schwarzenegger explained that he rarely issues political endorsements but felt compelled to share his decision in the final days before the 5 November 2024 election. Schwarzenegger, who served as California governor from 2003 to 2011 as a Republican, wrote that he would vote for Harris and Walz despite disagreements with both major parties. He stated that he “will always be an American before I am a Republican,” and emphasized concerns about political division, election denial, and rhetoric surrounding the 2020 presidential election. The former governor also criticized former President Donald Trump, saying another term would deepen divisions and increase anger in the country. The endorsement came during the closing phase of the 2024 campaign, when Harris’s campaign sought support from Republicans and independents. Schwarzenegger described his choice as driven by a desire to “move forward as a country,” even while acknowledging disagreements with Harris and Walz’s platform. His statement framed the endorsement as a rare intervention motivated by his experience as governor and his views on national unity. At the time of the announcement, Schwarzenegger was among several high-profile Republicans publicly backing Harris over Trump. His endorsement added to a broader list of cross-party figures supporting the Democratic ticket in the final week of the campaign.