Wisconsin’s Longest-Serving State Senator, A Republican, Endorses Harris
Sen. Robert Cowles called former President Donald Trump a 'totalitarian' in a radio interview
State Sen. Robert Cowles, R-Green Bay, seen at the Wisconsin State Capitol on Jan. 25, 2020 in Madison, Wis. Coburn Dukehart/Wisconsin Watch
A Republican legislator who has served in the Wisconsin state Senate for nearly four decades announced that he will be voting for Vice President Kamala Harris, citing concerns about former President Donald Trump’s commitment to democratic ideals.
Sen. Robert Cowles has represented a Green Bay-area district for 37 years. He made the endorsement on a radio program aired by Civic Media, a statewide liberal broadcast network, and called it “one of the most important things I’ve done.”
“Trump has to be defeated, and we have to protect the Constitution,” he said on the show “Rational Revolution.” “And the country will go on, even with some liberal things that Harris might do, or might not do.”
Cowles called Trump “a totalitarian and very much a fascist,” and added that he has prepared for pushback and even threats related to his decision.
“I probably should have done this sooner, but there was concern, you know, about blowback and public safety and all that. So I’m going to be ready for that,” he said.
Cowles did not respond to WPR’s request for comment.
He has served in the state Legislature for 42 years, beginning with five years in the Assembly before launching a Senate career that makes him the longest-sitting Wisconsin state senator.
He announced in April that he would not seek reelection.
Cowles’ interview was made public days after Harris was joined by Republican former Congresswoman Liz Cheney in Waukesha County for their second Wisconsin event aimed at bringing over independent and Republican voters in opposition to Trump’s platform.
In recent months, Cowles has broken with his party on several issues. In January, he did not join fellow Republicans in rejecting Gov. Tony Evers’ appointments to the Department of Natural Resources.
And as chair of the Legislature’s audit committee, he maintained that the 2020 election was “largely safe and secure,” discounting allegations from Trump and allies that there had been wide widespread fraud that lost him Wisconsin and other key swing states.
Green Bay Republican, Wisconsin’s longest-serving state senator, endorses Kamala Harris was originally published by Wisconsin Public Radio.
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Given recent history, Robert Cowles not only will be uninvited to the 10/30 Frump/Favre rally at the Resch Center, but could have signed his political death sentence with his stance on Frump.
I congratulate him on his position, his honesty and his bravery. There should be many more GOP-ers with the same opinion.
We can only hope there are, and they are just being silent about it.
Cowles is among a growing group of Republican officials standing against fascist 45. I am deeply grateful for Cowles courageous stand.
The only problem is the “totalitarian or “fascist” problem doesn’t begin and end with Trump. Most of the GOP party plays along with Trump as does our corporate owned media. It’s not just a Trump problem!
As Charlamagne tha God said to Anderson Cooper on CNN (who was immediately offended by Tha God’s comment),
“It’s crazy because you still don’t have news networks having that conversation, like when somebody says, when somebody questions Kamala Harris’s Blackness or is she a DEI hire, you all will have roundtable discussions about that, asking that question. How come we’re not having a roundtable discussion asking is Donald Trump a fascist? Actually not even asking, he’s stating it,”
GOP party leaders are quick to label Harris as the one inciting violence. Ron Johnson and Mitch McConnell urged Harris to “abandon the base and irresponsible rhetoric that endangers both American lives and institutions,” saying it could lead to another attempt on Trump’s life. “Labeling a political opponent as a ‘fascist,’ risks inviting yet another would-be assassin to try robbing voters of their choice before Election Day,” they said.
Telling the truth is crucial to Democracy.
The hypocrisy of the ReTrumplicans is beyond astounding. How many times has Frump unabashedly called Harris a socialist, communist, Marxist and/or fascist, and nobody on the right even blinked?
But when Harris is asked if Frump is a fascist and she replies yes, Conspiracy Theory King RoJo, Spineless Mitch McConnell and Milquetoast Mike Johnson pretend to be outraged by her response.