# Republican Accountability > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Republican_Accountability > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Republican_Accountability.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Accountability > Source revision: 1349861994 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{short description|Political initiative in the US}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2020}} {{Infobox organization | name = Republican Accountability | full_name = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | logo = Republican Accountability Project logo.svg{{!}}class=skin-invert | logo_size = | logo_alt = | logo_caption = Logo | image = | image_size = | image_alt = | caption = | map = | map_size = | map_alt = | map_caption = | map2 = | map2_size = | map2_alt = | map2_caption = | abbreviation = | nickname = | pronunciation = | pronounce_ref = | pronounce_comment = | named_after = | predecessor = | merged_into = | successor = | formation = May 2020 | founder = [Defending Democracy Together](/source/Defending_Democracy_Together) | founding_location = | extinction = | merger = | type = | tax_id = | registration_id = | status = | purpose = | professional_title = | headquarters = | location = | coordinates = | origins = | region_served = | products = | services = | methods = | fields = | membership = | num_members_year = | language = | owner = | secretary_general = | leader_title = | leader_name = | leader_title2 = | leader_name2 = | leader_title3 = | leader_name3 = | leader_title4 = | leader_name4 = | board_of_directors = | key_people = | main_organ = | parent_organization = | subsidiaries = | secessions = | affiliations = [Never Trump movement](/source/Never_Trump_movement) | budget = | budget_year = | revenue = | revenue_year = | disbursements = | expenses = | expenses_year = | endowment = | endowment_year = | num_staff = | num_staff_year = | num_volunteers = | num_volunteers_year = | num_students = | num_students_year = | website = {{URL|https://accountability.gop/}} | remarks = | former_name = Republican Voters Against Trump
Republican Accountability Project | footnotes = | bodystyle = }} '''Republican Accountability''' ('''RA'''), formerly '''Republican Accountability Project''' ('''RAP''') and, for [the 2024 presidential election](/source/2024_United_States_presidential_election), '''Republican Voters Against Trump''' ('''RVAT'''), is a political initiative launched in May 2020 by [Defending Democracy Together](/source/Defending_Democracy_Together) for the [2020 U.S. presidential election cycle](/source/2020_United_States_presidential_election).{{Cite web|title=New GOP group launches $10 million campaign to get Republicans to vote for Biden over Trump|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/28/politics/republican-voters-against-trump-ad-campaign/index.html|last=Warren|first=Michael|date=May 28, 2020|website=CNN|access-date=May 28, 2020}}{{Cite news|last=Karni|first=Annie|date=May 28, 2020|title=Get Republicans to Vote Against Trump? This Group Will Spend $10 Million to Try|language=en-US|work=[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/28/us/politics/republican-voters-against-trump.html|access-date=May 28, 2020|issn=0362-4331}} The project was formed to produce a US$10 million advertising campaign focused on 100 testimonials by [Republican](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States))s, [conservatives](/source/conservatism_in_the_United_States), moderates, right-leaning [independent voter](/source/independent_voter)s, and former Trump voters explaining why they would not vote for Donald Trump in 2020.{{Cite web|title=Anti-Trump Republican group launches $10 million project to get Biden elected|url=https://www.newsweek.com/anti-trump-republican-group-launches-10-million-project-get-biden-elected-1507168|last=Roos|first=Meghan|date=May 28, 2020|website=Newsweek|language=en|access-date=May 29, 2020}} By August 2020, they had collected 500 testimonials.{{Cite news|author1-link=Jason Zengerle|last=Zengerle|first=Jason|date=August 5, 2020|title=These Republicans Have a Confession: They're Not Voting for Trump Again|language=en-US|work=[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/05/magazine/republicans-confess-against-trump.html|access-date=August 9, 2020|issn=0362-4331}} On January 29, 2021, it transitioned to the Republican Accountability Project (RAP), which focuses on defending "Republican principles", and attacking Republicans whom they hold responsible for the [January 6 United States Capitol attack](/source/January_6_United_States_Capitol_attack).{{cite tweet |user=AccountableGOP |number=1355138904857448453 |title=Last year, we at RVAT helped defeat Trump by promoting anti-Trump GOP voices. Now, we're transitioning to @AccountableGOP |author=The Republican Accountability Project |date=January 29, 2021}} The organization purchased ad campaigns to criticize members of the Republican Party, particularly those allegedly involved in the attack. == Strategy == === During the 2020 presidential campaign === The advertising campaign targets white college-educated suburban voters in [Pennsylvania](/source/Pennsylvania), [Wisconsin](/source/Wisconsin), [Michigan](/source/Michigan), [Florida](/source/Florida), [North Carolina](/source/North_Carolina) and [Arizona](/source/Arizona). [Paul Waldman](/source/Paul_Waldman), writing for ''[The Washington Post](/source/The_Washington_Post)'' compared the campaign to a similar 1964 [Lyndon B. Johnson](/source/Lyndon_B._Johnson) ad called "[Confessions of a Republican](/source/Confessions_of_a_Republican)" giving Republicans "permission" to vote against [Barry Goldwater](/source/Barry_Goldwater) in the [1964 presidential election](/source/1964_United_States_presidential_election).{{Cite news|title=The Never Trumpers might finally be on to something|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/05/28/never-trumpers-might-finally-be-something/|last=Waldman|first=Paul|date=May 28, 2020|newspaper=[The Washington Post](/source/The_Washington_Post)|access-date=May 29, 2020}} Ad space purchased on social media and [Fox News](/source/Fox_News) was scheduled to start the first week of June 2020.{{Cite news |last=Mazza |first=Ed |date=May 29, 2020 |title=Rank-And-File Republicans Turn On Trump In New Effort To Block His Reelection |language=en-AU|work=[HuffPost](/source/HuffPost)|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/republican-voters-against-trump_n_5ed09e83c5b6aeca900f0949|access-date=May 29, 2020}} An ad produced by RVAT featuring Trump's [descriptions of the coronavirus pandemic](/source/Trump_administration_communication_during_the_COVID-19_pandemic) was planned to air during the [Republican National Convention](/source/2020_Republican_National_Convention) in Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Florida and Pennsylvania.{{Cite web|last=Mazza|first=Ed|date=August 14, 2020|title=Republican Group Uses Trump's Words On Coronavirus Against Him In Scathing Ad|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/republican-voters-against-trump-coronavirus-ad_n_5f361062c5b69fa9e2f9355a|access-date=August 18, 2020|website=[HuffPost](/source/HuffPost)|language=en}} === After the 2020 presidential election === After the election, the [lame duck](/source/Lame_duck_(politics)) president questioned the legitimacy of the results and encouraged his supporters to demonstrate in support of overturning the results. After the [January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol](/source/January_6_United_States_Capitol_attack), RVAT transitioned to RAP, assessing legislators on their willingness to support the assertions that the election results were not legitimate and their support of the January 6th event and of [overturning the election results](/source/Attempts_to_overturn_the_2020_United_States_presidential_election).{{Cite web|date=2021-04-26|title=Republican Accountability Project Creates "Report Card" to Grade Republicans on Their Democratic Values|url=https://www.politicususa.com/2021/04/26/republican-accountability-project-creates-report-card-to-grade-republicans-on-their-democratic-values.html|access-date=2021-05-02|website=POLITICUSUSA|language=en-US}} In April 2021, the organization released a "GOP democracy report card" which gave 14 members of congress an A and over 100 members an F.{{Cite web|last=Foran|first=Clare|date=26 April 2021|title=Anti-Trump conservative group to grade GOP lawmakers on whether they uphold (or undermine) democracy|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/26/politics/gop-democracy-report-card/index.html|access-date=2021-05-02|website=[CNN](/source/CNN)}} They credited 6% of Republicans as consistently supporting democracy, with many of those retiring or losing their seats.{{Cite book |last1=Levitsky |first1=Steven |title=Tyranny of the minority: why American democracy reached the breaking point |last2=Ziblatt |first2=Daniel |date=2023 |publisher=Crown |isbn=978-0-593-44307-1 |edition=First |location=New York |pages=130–132}} == Ads featuring former Trump officials == In August 2020, former senior official in the Trump administration [Miles Taylor](/source/Miles_Taylor_(security_expert)) filmed a spot, calling Trump "dangerous" and saying "What we saw week in and week out, for me, after two and a half years in that administration, was terrifying. We would go in to try to talk to him about a pressing national security issue—cyberattack, terrorism threat—he wasn't interested in those things. To him, they weren't priorities."{{Cite web|last1=Diamond|first1=Jeremy|last2=Tapper|first2=Jake|last3=Warren|first3=Michael|date=August 17, 2020|title=Former senior Trump administration official endorses Joe Biden|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/17/politics/miles-taylor-trump-joe-biden-endorse/index.html|access-date=August 18, 2020|website=[CNN](/source/CNN)}} Later that month another former Homeland Security staffer from the Trump administration, [Elizabeth Neumann](/source/Elizabeth_Neumann), made an ad in which she endorsed Biden and called Trump "racist" and "a threat to America."{{Cite magazine|last=Dickinson|first=Tim|date=2020-08-26|title=Former Trump Homeland Security Official Blasts President As a Threat to America: 'We Are Less Safe Today'|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-homeland-security-official-endorse-biden-blame-trump-covid-1050281/|access-date=2020-09-20|magazine=Rolling Stone|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=Mazza|first=Ed|date=2020-08-27|title=Ex-Trump DHS Official Turns Against Him, Backs Biden In Damning New Ad|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/elizabeth-neumann-against-trump_n_5f4758cec5b697186e3114bc|access-date=2020-09-20|website=[HuffPost](/source/HuffPost)|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Hall|first=Louise|date=2020-08-27|title=Second Trump DHS official to turn on president brands him 'racist' in new attack ad|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-election/dhs-donald-trump-attack-ad-elizabeth-neumann-miles-taylor-a9692571.html|access-date=2020-09-20|website=[The Independent](/source/The_Independent)|language=en}} In September, [Olivia Troye](/source/Olivia_Troye), former homeland security and counterterrorism advisor to [Vice President Pence](/source/Mike_Pence) and aide to the [White House Coronavirus Task Force](/source/White_House_Coronavirus_Task_Force) filmed an ad endorsing Biden.{{Cite web|date=2020-08-31|title=Olivia Troye Joins The National Insurance Crime Bureau As Vice President Of Strategy, Policy, & Plans|url=https://apnews.com/PR%20Newswire/c3915df7cc154ad6f7c084d91fadcc8c|access-date=2020-09-19|website=[AP News](/source/Associated_Press) }}{{Cite magazine|last=Glasser|first=Susan B.|title="It Was All About the Election": The Ex-White House Aide Olivia Troye on Trump's Narcissistic Mishandling of COVID-19|url=https://www.newyorker.com/news/letter-from-trumps-washington/it-was-all-about-the-election-the-ex-white-house-aide-olivia-troye-on-trumps-narcissistic-mishandling-of-covid-19|access-date=2020-09-19|magazine=The New Yorker|language=en-us}}{{Cite web|last1=Tapper|first1=Jake|last2=Herb|first2=Jeremy|date=September 17, 2020|title=Pence's former lead coronavirus task force aide slams Trump and endorses Biden in new video|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/17/politics/former-pence-aide-coronvirus-task-force-slams-trump/index.html|access-date=2020-09-19|website=[CNN](/source/CNN)}} == Ads featuring other high-profile individuals == In October 2020 former CIA director and retired General [Michael Hayden](/source/Michael_Hayden_(general)) made an ad for the group.{{Cite web|date=2020-10-07|title=Former CIA director endorses Biden and says Trump 'doesn't keep the country safe'|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/republicans-against-trump-michael-hayden-cia-director-joe-biden-2020-b866761.html|access-date=2020-10-17|website=[The Independent](/source/The_Independent)|language=en}} In October former GOP congressman [Jim Kolbe](/source/Jim_Kolbe) also made an advertisement.{{Cite web|title=Republican Voters Against Trump|url=https://rvat.org/|access-date=2020-10-28|website=Republican Voters Against Trump|language=en-US}}{{Better source needed|date=October 2020}} == Leadership == Organizers included Republican political strategist [Sarah Longwell](/source/Sarah_Longwell), conservative writer [Bill Kristol](/source/Bill_Kristol), GOP strategist [Mike Murphy](/source/Mike_Murphy_(political_consultant)), and former [Jeb Bush](/source/Jeb_Bush) aide [Tim Miller](/source/Tim_Miller_(political_strategist)).{{Cite web|title=About Us|url=https://rvat.org/about-us/|access-date=2020-10-13|website=Republican Voters Against Trump|language=en-US}} The PAC receives funding from several prominent megadonors including [LinkedIn](/source/LinkedIn) cofounder [Reid Hoffman](/source/Reid_Hoffman), investor [John Pritzker](/source/John_Pritzker) and hedge fund manager [Seth Klarman](/source/Seth_Klarman).{{Cite web|title=Here Are The Billionaires Backing This Anti-Trump Republican Campaign|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2024/03/12/here-are-the-billionaires-backing-this-anti-trump-republican-campaign/?sh=ba521722c59ewebsite=[Forbes](/source/Forbes)|language=en-US}} == Reception == [''The'' ''Philadelphia Inquirer''](/source/The_Philadelphia_Inquirer) said the group was "waging guerrilla warfare within the GOP".{{Cite web|last=Fitzgerald|first=Thomas|title=An anti-Trump Republican group is courting 'soft' Trump supporters in Pa. with $1 million in ads|url=https://www.inquirer.com/politics/pennsylvania/republican-voters-against-trump-pennsylvania-advertising-20200724.html|access-date=August 18, 2020|website=inquirer.com|date=July 24, 2020 |language=en-US}} ''[The Washington Post](/source/The_Washington_Post)'' columnist [Jennifer Rubin](/source/Jennifer_Rubin_(columnist)) called the pieces "some of the best pro-Biden ads".{{Cite news|last=Rubin|first=Jennifer|date=August 17, 2020|title=Familiar Republicans join team Biden|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/08/17/familiar-republicans-join-team-biden/|newspaper=[The Washington Post](/source/The_Washington_Post)}} ==See also== * [43 Alumni for America](/source/43_Alumni_for_America) * [The Lincoln Project](/source/The_Lincoln_Project) * [List of former first Trump administration officials who endorsed Joe Biden](/source/List_of_former_first_Trump_administration_officials_who_endorsed_Joe_Biden) * [List of former first Trump administration officials who endorsed Kamala Harris](/source/List_of_former_first_Trump_administration_officials_who_endorsed_Kamala_Harris) * [List of Republicans who opposed the Donald Trump 2016 presidential campaign](/source/List_of_Republicans_who_opposed_the_Donald_Trump_2016_presidential_campaign) * [List of Republicans who opposed the Donald Trump 2020 presidential campaign](/source/List_of_Republicans_who_opposed_the_Donald_Trump_2020_presidential_campaign) * [List of Republicans who opposed the Donald Trump 2024 presidential campaign](/source/List_of_Republicans_who_opposed_the_Donald_Trump_2024_presidential_campaign) * [Republican Political Alliance for Integrity and Reform](/source/Republican_Political_Alliance_for_Integrity_and_Reform) (RePAIR) * [Right Side PAC](/source/Right_Side_PAC) == References == {{Reflist}} ==External links== * {{YouTube|channel=UC03-Q9vq-JyiStTnqasADVg}} {{Never Trump movement}} Category:2020 United States presidential campaigns Category:2024 United States presidential campaigns Category:Never Trump movement Category:Political campaign advertisements Category:Political organizations based in the United States Category:Centrism in the United States Category:Crossover voting --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Republican Accountability](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Accountability) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Accountability?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.