Presidential nominating conventions are always chockablock with praise for the party's pick.
Clout is more interested in the defectors _ Republicans who spoke in favor of Democratic nominee Joe Biden last week and Democrats who spoke for President Donald Trump this week.
It wasn't a close contest. Biden's parade of GOP backers easily outpaced Trump's smattering of Democratic support.
Among the Republicans for Biden were former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, former U.S. Sen. and Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, former Ohio Gov. John Kasich, and former New Jersey Gov. and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christie Whitman.
Then, on the first day of the Republican National Convention on Monday, three former Republican U.S. House members from Pennsylvania _ Jim Greenwood, Charlie Dent, and Bill Clinger _ endorsed Biden, joining 24 other former Republican members of Congress from 18 states.
On Thursday, dozens of former staffers for the last three Republican presidential nominees _ U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney, the late U.S. Sen. John McCain, and former President George W. Bush _ endorsed Biden hours before Trump was set to deliver his speech to close the RNC.
How did Trump fare? State Rep. Vernon Jones, a Democrat from Georgia, told the RNC "the Democratic Party does not want Black people to leave their mental plantation." And Bob Vlaisavljevich, the Democratic mayor of Eveleth, Minn., thanked Trump for his economic and trade policies.
U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, a Democrat turned Republican from New Jersey, spoke Thursday evening. Van Drew pledged "undying support" to Trump in the Oval Office in December as he switched parties.
Pennsylvania GOP officials shrugged off "rogue" Republicans in a call with reporters Thursday.
"They went pretty way back in history to find a few Pennsylvania Republicans to come out," said state Republican Party Vice Chair Bernie Comfort. "These are folks not working in the field now, and most of them in 2016 were not with Trump and they're not in 2020. It's old news. And it's not going to move a voter. Not one voter."
Greenwood, who served six terms in his Bucks County-based district and helped recruit former Republican members of Congress to support Biden, said Trump's approach to politics and policy and his personal behavior drive away some Republicans.
"A lot of us are not only completely disgusted with his behavior and his personality, but we don't see him as a Republican," Greenwood said. "You may have some Democrats who are coming out for Trump, but it's not because they don't find Joe Biden to be a regular Democrat who adheres to the party."
