A Surprising Endorsement
In a recent turn of events, a Republican who once led NASA has decided to back Vice President Kamala Harris for president.
Sean O’Keefe, who served as NASA administrator under George W. Bush from 2001 to 2004, joined an online fundraising event on August 15 to show his support for Harris, mainly due to her work in space and the absence of a fitting Republican candidate.
“Months ago, it was apparent to me that there would not be a Republican in the 2024 race for the presidency, certainly not a candidate with the principles and policies I ever associated with Republicans,” O’Keefe stated, referring to former president Donald Trump as the Republican nominee. He added, “But no matter. Vice President Harris is a very active candidate for president who supports space objectives to the benefit of all humankind.”
O’Keefe praised Harris’s leadership as the chair of the National Space Council and her administration’s ongoing space policies, like the Artemis lunar exploration program. He linked these efforts to the Vision for Space Exploration launched during his time at NASA, which also aimed for a human return to the moon.
“All these objectives have largely been sustained by bipartisan support in Congress and by four different presidential administrations,” he said. “If ever we wanted to find evidence that space is nonpartisan, this is it.”
However, the path hasn’t always been straight. The Obama administration ended the previous moon plans but sped up commercial space projects. Then, Trump brought back a human moon mission, which Biden has continued.
We really hope our leaders continue to prioritize space exploration.
O’Keefe described Harris as an “enthusiastic leader” ready to keep pushing these goals forward, especially with international partners. “For her commitment and dedication to these larger goals,” he said, “I am very proud to support Vice President Kamala Harris to be president.”
Another former NASA administrator, Charles Bolden, also spoke at the “Space Cadets 4 Harris” event. He was the NASA head during Obama’s term and had a military and astronaut background, usually avoiding politics.
“But this is not an ordinary time,” Bolden mentioned, recalling his time with Harris in California politics and her leadership with the National Space Council. “She got us to the point where we’re all coordinated,” he said, adding it’s one reason he believes she’s the best choice for president.
The event featured many speakers, including ex-NASA and private astronauts, actors from Star Trek shows, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, and George Whitesides, a former NASA chief and Virgin Galactic executive now running for Congress.
Most speakers focused on broader election topics rather than just space policy. They stressed the bipartisan nature of space initiatives and the steady support across different administrations, rather than highlighting differences between Harris and Trump.
“Luckily, support for space exploration and funding for NASA is, for the most part, bipartisan,” said science communicator Emily Calandrelli near the end of the event. “So, whether or not we will explore is not really my concern for this election, but who will be doing the exploring is.”
