It seems quite clear that Mitt Romney held little enthusiasm for the prospect, while John Bolton completely dismissed the likelihood of it happening. Liz Cheney avoided any response on the subject. Vice President Kamala Harris, indicating the only discernible deviation from President Biden’s administration, made a pledge to add a Republican to her cabinet. This would hardly be a cause for commotion in different times. Past presidents, such as George W. Bush and Barack Obama, readily welcomed opposition members into their cabinets, where Donald J. Trump broke with this tradition, albeit unsuccessfully, trying to involve Senator Heidi Heitkamp, a North Dakota Democrat.
Four years ago, it was not known if any Republicans were seriously considered for Biden’s cabinet. However, Harris vows to revive this custom in a symbolic show of unity, parading alongside former Representative Liz Cheney of Wyoming as she reaches out to the middle ground of the Republican electorate. Nevertheless, Harris artfully avoided getting into details about her prospective Republican choice. When Howard Stern proposed Cheney as a potential choice, Harris nonchalantly brushed it aside, stating, ‘I have to win first.’
Nevertheless, she couldn’t help but heap praises on Liz Cheney, a move that might have felt out of place given her reluctance to even acknowledge her potential future cabinet. Cheney’s spokesperson declined any comment and referred to a previous interview given that month where she stated her focus was elsewhere and not on any hypothetical Harris administration roles. Despite this, she actively participated in Harris’s campaigns and was a prominent figure in the campaign’s commercials.
Republican Senators Mitt Romney of Utah and Todd Young of Indiana, among others, stated their refusal to endorse Trump, which was later shaped into, despite the lack of a public announcement, potential support for Harris. There is, of course, no precondition for cabinet inclusion that a member must endorse the president elect— a fact exemplified when Barack Obama chose Ray LaHood, a Republican congressman from Illinois, who supported John McCain as his transportation secretary in 2008.
LaHood opines that the selection this time would perhaps focus on someone with congressional experience. Romney, one of the vocal critics of the presidential choices and opting out of re-election to the Senate this year, communicated his displeasure about potential political clashes in a text, stating that each victorious candidate would claim a mandate to execute their agenda, calling it ‘Baloney.’
Romney went on to express his opinion that such an election result, which is predicted to be extremely close, couldn’t be interpreted as a clear mandate endorsing either Trump or Harris’s policies—indeed it signifies a nation divided. He implies that the true mandate is to work towards finding a common ground favored by both ends of the political spectrum, and as for cabinet picks, he said he would let the victors handle it.
There are some supporters of Harris who engage in fantasies where Harris triumphs, Republicans securing 51 seats in the Senate, and a Republican senator from a state with a Democratic governor takes up a cabinet position to leave room for a governor-appointed replacement. The balance of the Senate would then be evenly distributed with Vice President Tim Walz breaking any tie votes. One Virginia Republican campaigning with Harris suggested she could request Susan Collins to join.
Making this move, according to the supporter, would allow Collins to bypass dealing with MAGA in potential 2026 fights. Any attempts to reach out to Collins were met with silence. On the other side of the coin, Mr. Toomey declared his disinterest, citing his significant policy disparities with Harris as his prime reason for such a stance.
The list of Republicans open to collaborating with a Democratic president already has some names. Biden appointed former Arizona senator, Jeff Flake, as his ambassador to Turkey. Distinguished figures like Cindy McCain, Meg Whitman, and John J. Sullivan have served as ambassadors. Additionally, Michael B. Donley, a former Pentagon official, served as the Air Force secretary during the administration of Obama and George W. Bush.
Additionally, Jon Huntsman Jr., the previous Utah governor, served as the ambassador to China under Obama before he tried to get nominated for the Republican presidential candidate to run against him. Robert M. Gates and Chuck Hagel have served as the defense secretary in the Obama administration. Harris has seen an endorsement from Flake, though he has denied any discussion regarding potential roles in her administration.
Despite expressing his contentment with Harris’s commitment, he humbly added that there are others who are more equipped for the task, diplomatically side-stepping the possibility. The rumored list of potential candidates could fill an entire book. The list has names like Jeb Bush and Carly Fiorina—candidates who fell through the cracks in the 2016 Republican presidential primary, along with Paul D. Ryan, past House speaker, and other former officials who drifted away from Trump.
It may be a challenge for many of these individuals to accord with and support enough of Harris’s policies for them to be shortlisted or to accept a nomination. John Bolton’s foreign policy strategies are mix-matched far too much with Harris’s to consider him a viable choice. As Bolton concluded, even he cannot predict Harris’s plans in this matter.