Biden campaign hires ex-GOP staffer for outreach to Republican voters

President Joe Biden’s campaign is intensifying efforts to attract moderate Republican voters by enlisting the help of a long-time GOP strategist to target a voting block crucial for his reelection.

Austin Weatherford, former chief of staff for Republican Congressman Adam Kinzinger, has been appointed as the National Republican Engagement Director for the Biden-Harris campaign, as confirmed by Scripps News. Weatherford will lead the campaign’s outreach to independent and Republican voters who are displeased with former President Donald Trump.

Kinzinger, who retired from Congress last year, was one of the two Republicans on the House Select Committee investigating the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. He consistently criticized Trump’s false claims of election victory and faced censure from the Republican National Committee for his involvement in the investigation.

When reached for comment by Scripps News, Weatherford declined to provide further details beyond the campaign’s announcement.

Weatherford’s hiring demonstrates the Biden campaign’s ongoing efforts to reach out to Republican voters. As previously reported by Scripps News, the campaign official recently participated in a call with Nikki Haley supporters shortly after the GOP presidential candidate endorsed Trump. The Biden reelection team also launched a seven-figure ad campaign targeting moderate voters by highlighting Trump’s past criticisms of Haley.

“Weatherford’s addition is just the latest in Team Biden-Harris’ work to reach and invest in [GOP and independent] voters, while Donald Trump continues to push moderates and Nikki Haley supporters away from his campaign,” stated a campaign official.

Additionally, Democratic groups have intensified efforts to challenge Trump in his own political territory. The Democratic National Committee commissioned a digital billboard near Trump’s scheduled speech in Phoenix, characterizing him as a “convicted felon” for the first time in a paid advertisement.

Trump’s Arizona speech, organized as a town hall with conservative group Turning Point Action, is his first campaign event since being convicted of 34 felony counts related to an alleged affair with Stormy Daniels. Trump has maintained his innocence and mentioned plans to appeal the conviction.

In response to the Biden campaign’s claims of gaining ground with GOP and independent voters, a Trump campaign spokesperson rejected the notion, labeling President Biden as weak and incompetent with failed policies.

“All Americans, of all backgrounds, view Joe Biden as a weak and incompetent president with failed policies, and remember how much better their lives were under President Trump’s strong leadership,” said Karoline Leavitt, the Trump campaign’s national press secretary.

Election results reveal Trump losing a considerable portion of GOP votes to Haley in recent primary contests, even after her endorsement of him. Haley garnered significant votes in swing states like Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, which Biden won in 2020, making them crucial in the upcoming November election.