Groups of wealthy Republicans unhappy with Donald Trump have been privately courting prominent peers to join them in backing Democrat Hillary Clinton’s U.S. presidential bid.
A republican official said on condition of anonymity on Friday in Washington that several members were involved in the effort.
The official said that some of them have received encouragement from Clinton and members of her campaign staff.
The official disclosed that the groups formed to support Clinton include Republicans for Her 2016, run by Republican lobbyist Craig Snyder.
Others are a grassroots organisation called R4C16, led by John Stubbs and Ricardo Reyes, officials in former President George W. Bush’s administration, and the Republican Women for Hillary group co-led by Jennifer Pierotti Lim, an official at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
He explained that the first two groups are acting independently of Clinton’s own effort, while the third is acting in concert with her campaign.
Dan Webb, a former Federal Prosecutor and a Republican, said that Trump is not the answer.
Webb, a partner at law firm Winston & Strawn, said he had begun his outreach after being approached by billionaire investor J.B. Pritzker and longtime Clinton associate Lanny Davis.
“I made the decision that I wouldn’t be able to look at my grandkids if I voted for Trump.
He said that Trump has made traditional Republican donors uneasy with inflammatory statements about women, Mexicans, Muslims and war veterans, among others.
“Big-name Wall Street donors can make a difference for Clinton, as they could inject big money into a campaign.
“They might influence moderate Republicans to switch sides,’’ he said.
Pierotti Lim, who spoke at the Democratic National Convention at the Clinton team’s invitation, said that a lot of concerned citizens were wary of Trump becoming the president.
“We wanted to go out there and be the voice for Republicans who were feeling wary about Trump and weird about publicly endorsing Hillary.
Meanwhile, Trump Spokeswoman, Hope Hicks, declined to comment on the moves.
Clinton spokesman, Jesse Ferguson, however, said acknowledge that business leaders are supporting Clinton because of her economic plan and because Trump “cannot be trusted to lead the economy. (Reuters/NAN)