PHOENIX – Republican Mesa Mayor John Giles will speak Tuesday on the second day of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
The mayor of Arizona’s third-largest city has become one of the most prominent Republican supporters of Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris.
“I have differences with Kamala Harris, but I have no doubt that what is in the best interest of the United States of America is at the top of her agenda. Unfortunately, I don’t believe that is the case with Donald Trump,” said the Republican mayor of Mesa. Outspoken by KTAR News 92.3 FM last month.
Giles is one of several Republicans who will speak during the party’s convention, which began Monday at the United Center and runs through Thursday.
Senator Mark Kelly and other Arizonans will appear at Congress
Two more convention speakers with Arizona ties were announced Tuesday, but it is unclear what day they will appear.
U.S. Senator Mark Kelly, one of the finalists for Harris’ vice presidential nomination, is part of a group of “trusted ambassadors” from swing states, as her campaign team calls it, who will be on stage for the remaining three days of the convention.
“My hope is that after this convention, the American people will rally behind our next president, who will be Kamala Harris, and our vice president, Tim Walz, and we can lead this country into the future,” Kelly said. Arizona Morning News from KTAR News on Monday.
Former Trump employee with ties to Arizona warns about former boss
Another Arizona-affiliated convention speaker announced Tuesday is Stephanie Grisham, a former Trump staffer who is supporting Harris against her old boss.
Grisham’s professional experience in the Grand Canyon State includes a stint as communications director for Tom Horne, who was then Arizona’s attorney general. She also worked as a spokesperson for Rep. David Gowan when he was speaker of the House in 2015-16.
Grisham was part of Trump’s transition team after his election in 2016 and later served as White House communications director and press secretary.
In April 2020, she became chief of staff to First Lady Melania Trump, but resigned from the post after Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, while Congress was certifying Joe Biden’s election victory.
“I never thought I would be speaking at a Democratic National Convention,” Grisham said in a statement. “But after seeing firsthand who Donald Trump really is and the threat he poses to our country, I feel strongly about speaking out.”
Grand Canyon State made its presence felt on the first day
Arizona was strongly represented at the opening of Congress on Monday.
Tucson Mayor Regina Romero gave a brief address as co-chair of the DNC Platform Committee.
Another Tucson woman, 23-year-old social media activist and strategist Deja Foxx, was behind the microphone on the convention floor. She is one of more than 200 influencers who were given access to the event as part of an outreach effort by the Harris campaign.
In addition, union members Ryan Ahern and Dutch Martinez from Arizona were livestreamed on the arena’s video screen to talk about the Biden-Harris administration’s investments in manufacturing.
“Donald Trump said he would bring back American manufacturing, but Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have actually done it,” Ahern said. “Thanks to them, plumbers and pipefitters like us are building the factories, semiconductor plants and data centers of the future. We’re working hard in Phoenix, Mesa, Goodyear, Chandler and other cities.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
