President Ford’s daughter pledges support for Harris in presidential race

Susan Ford Bales, the daughter of former President Gerald Ford, has joined the ranks of high-profile Republicans who have dissented from their party and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president.

Ford Bales released a statement on Oct. 21 saying that, while she may disagree with Harris on policy matters, Harris shares the same guiding principles as her father.

“She recognizes the goodness and the greatness in our country,” Ford Bales said. “I know she will defend the rule of law and our Constitution. And I know she will work to bring all Americans together to move us beyond partisanship. That is what America deserves from our President, and that is why I am proud to endorse Vice President Harris for President of the United States.”

Ford Bales, an author and photojournalist, is the youngest child and only daughter of former President Ford and his wife, Betty. Gerald Ford grew up in Grand Rapids and went on to serve Michigan in the U.S. House of Representatives for 25 years, including eight years as House minority leader. 

His ascent to the White House was unprecedented: In 1973, he became the first vice president whose appointment was confirmed under the 25th Amendment following the resignation of Vice President Spiro Agnew amid corruption investigations. In the midst of the Watergate scandal, Ford succeeded Richard Nixon, the first president to resign, in 1974.

Ford Bales said that when her father was sworn in as the country’s 38th president, the country was in need of a leader who “had the courage to do what was right and always to defend our Constitution.”

“His dedication to those values helped bring our country through a turbulent time and restored Americans’ trust in our democracy,” Ford Bales said. “We face a similar dynamic today. America cannot regress back to a divisive paradigm of loathing toward one another and disdain for our Constitution.”

Republicans from all over the country have come out in support of Harris’ presidential campaign over fears that another Donald Trump presidency could threaten American democracy. Earlier this month, former U.S. Rep. Dave Trott, longtime Republican consultant Bill Nowling, and former Republican aide Jim Murray launched the Republicans for Harris-Walz campaign in Michigan. The Harris campaign created the national Republicans for Harris initiative in August in an effort to court moderate Republican voters who don’t support a second Trump term. It includes over a dozen Republican former members of Congress and Trump administration officials.

In her message, Ford Bales pointed to the events of Jan. 6, 2021, in which Trump supporters rioted in the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to delay or prevent the certification of the results of the 2020 election and Joe Biden’s victory over Trump. She said it was an example of what disdain for the Constitution can lead to.

“We witnessed on January 6 the horrors of what that looks like, and we can never allow a repeat of that tragedy. The forces that incited it must be held accountable. They can never be in a position to ever do it again,” Ford Bales said.