The Hillary Clinton campaign announced 40 new endorsements by Republicans and independents on Thursday.
In a conference call with reporters, campaign chairman John Podesta said, "The growing group of Republicans and independents who are backing Hillary is a testament to how important the choice is in this election," The Hill reported.
"It's really not about Republicans or Democrats. It's about what country we will be, it's about our children's future and which candidate can bring people together to get things done, which candidate is fit to serve the office of president and commander in chief," he said.
The endorsements were the latest results from the group Together for America, which brought in 50 endorsements in August.
Former GOP Sen. John Warner announced he was supporting Clinton over GOP nominee Donald Trump on Wednesday, and several newspapers that normally endorse Republicans have endorsed either Clinton or Libertarian Gary Johnson.
"I am thrilled about the amount of Republican voter support I have gotten," Clinton told reporters on her campaign plane Thursday. "From people who understand the stakes in this election and are real thought leaders with a lot of experience, to the 50 national security professionals who came out and said they could not support Donald Trump, some months ago, I think spoke volumes about his lack of fitness and qualifications for the job."
Many of the Republicans on the conference call said they have disagreements with Clinton, but said Clinton has the better temperament and background to do the job, Politico reported.
"I have to tell you, it is very offensive to me that we have the first candidate ever running for president who routinely disparages half of our population, and to me that’s absolutely unthinkable for the Oval Office," former Rhode Island Rep. Claudine Schneider said in announcing her backing of Clinton.
"In my view, Donald Trump may well be the least qualified, least intelligent and least stable person ever nominated by a major party to be president," Jim Cicconi, former deputy chief of staff for President George H.W. Bush, said. "I have to wonder if he can’t control himself at a campaign lectern, how he could control himself in a genuine crisis? In my personal view, he's a man dangerously unsuited for the office, and I think he's a man who should never be entrusted with real power over the lives of others."
Among those adding their names to the list of Clinton endorsers are:
- Former Rhode Island Rep. Claudine Schneider
- Former New York Rep. Sherwood Boehlert
- Former White House Situation Room director Deborah Loewer
- Nicholas Rostow, who worked for the Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush’s administrations
- Former New York Rep. Sherwood Boehlert
- Former Michigan Rep. John Schwarz