'Democrats are as patriotic as us:' Adam Kinzinger sends conservatives message at DNC

Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY

Former Republican U.S. Representative from Illinois Adam Kinzinger spoke at the Democratic National Convention Thursday night, calling Democrats as patriotic as conservatives.

Kinzinger is a conservative who sat on House committee that investigated Donald Trump's role in the Jan. 6, 2021 riots. In a Democratic fundraising text sent Thursday, Kinzinger said he refuses to support Trump's "cult of personality." He had endorsed President Joe Biden before the June 27 debate.

In his convention address, Kinzinger said the Republican party is no longer conservative as it follows Trump. He also called Trump weak, small and faithless.

Thursday is the final night of the convention, when Presidential nominee Kamala Harris will formally accept the party's nomination.

DNC Day 4: Live coverage of speaker schedule, Kamala Harris to take the stage

Watch Adam Kinzinger's full Democratic National Convention speech:

What to know about Adam Kinzinger?

  • Who is he? Author, former U.S. House representative from Illinois

  • What role does he play? He sat on the House committee that investigated Trump's role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riots.

  • Key quotes: "As a conservative and a veteran, I believe true strength lies in defending the vulnerable. It's in protecting your family. It's in standing up for our Constitution and our democracy. That that is the soul of being a conservative," he said. "It used to be the soul of being a Republican, but Donald Trump has suffocated the soul of the Republican Party."

When and where is the DNC

The Democratic National Convention will take place from August 19-22 in Chicago, Illinois.

The United Center, home of the Chicago Bulls and Blackhawks, will be the main venue for the DNC.

Chicago has hosted the Democratic Convention 11 times, most recently in 1996 when the United Center saw President Bill Clinton was nominated for a second time.

How to watch and stream the 2024 DNC

The convention will air live on its website, from the United Center in Chicago between 6:15 p.m. and 11 p.m. Eastern (5:15 p.m. to 10 p.m Central) on Monday, and 7 p.m to 11 p.m. Eastern (6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Central) the other days.

USA TODAY will provide livestream coverage on YouTube each night of the DNC, Monday through Thursday.

What are the themes for each night of the DNC?

The DNC announced nightly themes for the convention. The title of the convention is "For the People, For Our Future."

Here are the themes for each night:

  • Monday: "For the People"

  • Tuesday: "A Bold Vision for America's Future"

  • Wednesday: "A Fight for our Freedoms"

  • Thursday: "For our Future"

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Watch as Adam Kinzinger bashes Donald Trump in DNC speech

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