John,
When I was a young reporter covering John McCain’s 2000 presidential campaign, I wasn’t even allowed on his “Straight Talk Express” bus. McCain had a rocky relationship with my paper, so I followed along in a rental car while reporters from across the globe rode with him.
But I didn’t need a seat on the bus to learn from him.
What stood out to me then — and what still inspires me today — was McCain’s willingness to be a maverick. He took tough questions. He told the truth even when it cost him politically. He worked across the aisle on issues like climate change because he knew it was the right thing to do.
Years later, when I was running statewide in Arizona, Republican Party leaders tried to push McCain to endorse my opponent. Instead, McCain looked me in the eye and said: “I’m going to stay out of this race.” That simple act of fairness may have changed the course of my career — and it reminded me that courage often comes from choosing principle over politics.
That lesson shaped me. And it’s one of the reasons I ultimately left the GOP. As I wrote in my email earlier this month, today’s Republican Party has abandoned the courage, candor, and independence that leaders like John McCain once embodied.
But I believe we can carry those values forward.
That’s why I’m in this fight — and why I’m asking you to join me. If you believe in truth-telling, bipartisanship, and doing what’s right instead of what’s politically easy, I hope you’ll stand with me.
Can you pitch in $10 today to help us elect leaders who still believe in putting country over party?
John McCain taught me what it means to be a maverick. It’s up to us to keep that spirit alive.
With gratitude,
Kris
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