A local face joined the national discourse over this year’s heated presidential race this morning.
David Nierenberg, a Camas investor and former finance chair for Mitt Romney, appeared on CNBC and MSNBC this morning to formally endorse Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton for president over Republican Donald Trump.
Speaking to Craig Melvin on MSNBC this morning, Nierenberg said he does not think Trump will “ever be fit to be the president of the United States.”
“I want to have a president who is centered, stable, civil, decent, compassionate, inclusive, not divisive, not name calling, not scapegoating, and not verbally abusive,” he said.
It’s no secret that Nierenberg has been loath to support Trump. He told Willamette Week earlier this month he was planning to endorse Clinton.
But it is somewhat of a pivot for Nierenberg, who said he’s been voting for Republican presidential candidates since 1980. He has, however, financially backed both Democratic and Republican candidates and organizations over the years.
His most notable political activity at the local level was with Connecting Clark County, the political action committee he led this year to defeat Republican Councilor David Madore in his reelection effort.
There are a slew of notable Republicans who have decided to support Clinton over Trump, including Rosario Marin, the U.S. treasurer under Republican President George W. Bush, Frank Lavin, former political director under Republican President Ronald Reagan, and former Hewlett-Packard chief executive Meg Whitman.
