close
close

George W. Bush's Daughter Barbara Pierce Bush Endorses Kamala Harris: Exclusive

Barbara Pierce Bush, the daughter of former President George W. Bush and granddaughter of former President George HW Bush, spent part of her weekend in Pennsylvania campaigning for Vice President Kamala Harris just days before the 2024 presidential election.

“It was inspiring to catch up with friends and meet Harris-Walz campaign voters in Pennsylvania this weekend,” Barbara, 42, shares in an exclusive statement to PEOPLE on Tuesday, October 29. “I hope they postpone our campaign to move the country forward and protect women’s rights.”

Barbara's Republican father was president from 2001 to 2009. Her mother, former first lady Laura Bush, 77, broke with the party's stance in 2010 by saying she supported same-sex marriage and abortion. At the time, Laura said abortion “should remain legal because I think it's important to people, for medical reasons and for other reasons.”

Barbara Pierce Bush (center), accompanied by friends, campaigns for Kamala Harris in Pennsylvania.

Courtesy of Barbara Bush


In March 2017, Barbara demonstrated for Planned Parenthood and spoke at a fundraiser for the nonprofit women's health organization.

“I am proud to support Planned Parenthood not only because women, regardless of their background, deserve a dignified and healthy life. [but] … because it’s a really good investment,” she said at the event, according to the event The Texas Tribune. “We know that when women are healthy, their families and children are also healthier.”

Barbara, now a mother of two, told PEOPLE in 2010 that she does not identify with any of the major political parties and has since been described as an independent.

Barbara Bush (left); Kamala Harris (right).

Ben Gabbe/Getty; Andrew Harnik/Getty


While Laura and George, 78, have not commented on the 2024 presidential election, George's Vice President Dick Cheney stunned the nation by announcing that he plans to vote for Harris. Cheney's daughter, former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney, also supported Harris, 60, and has campaigned with the vice president.

Never miss a story again — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Harris also received the support of Susan Ford Bales, the daughter of another former Republican president – the late Gerald Ford. Bales' father took office after Richard Nixon resigned after Watergate in 1974.

“America cannot fall back into a divisive paradigm of mutual hatred and disregard for our Constitution,” Bales wrote on Oct. 21. “We witnessed the horror of what this looks like on January 6th and we can never allow this tragedy to happen again.”

Barbara Pierce Bush and Jenna Bush Hager.

Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty


Barbara is a nonprofit leader and author with a master's degree in public administration from Harvard University. In 2009, she co-founded the Global Health Corps, an organization that aims to develop new generations of leaders who can address global health issues.

The former first daughter co-wrote a memoir about her life in the spotlight with her fraternal twin sister Jenna Bush Hager in 2017.

In September Jenna – the hostess Today with Hoda & Jenna on NBC told PEOPLE that Barbara inspired her to take leaps she might not have taken otherwise.

“I don’t think I would have this job. I don't know [that] I would have started this book club. She makes me feel brave and empowered because she was my first audience,” Jenna said. “She was the first hand I held. And so I always felt supported, even when we were teenagers and we were throwing shoes at each other.”