Liz Cheney Might Be in Trouble

House conservatives angry at her vote for impeachment aim to oust her from No. 3 position
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 22, 2021 8:20 AM CST
Updated Jan 24, 2021 1:10 PM CST
Liz Cheney Might Be in Trouble
Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., is currently the No. 3 Republican in the House.   (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

Liz Cheney is the No. 3 Republican in the House and has long been expected to rise even higher. However, the 54-year-old Wyoming congresswoman is now in political peril, reports Politico. She risks not only losing her leadership position as chairwoman of the House Republican Conference but her very seat because of her vote in favor of impeaching Donald Trump earlier this month. Cheney not only was one of 10 Republicans to vote in favor, but she announced her position the day before the vote, which her GOP critics say gave Democrats political ammunition, per the Hill. As a result, pro-Trump Republicans such as Reps. Jim Jordan and Jeff Van Drew and are moving to oust Cheney from her leadership post, though Axios sees it as an "uphill campaign" at the moment given that it would eventually require a two-thirds vote.

Stories about the friction are reading much into the battle. "Some say the Cheney fight has already become a proxy battle for the heart and soul of the splintered GOP," according to Politico. If she loses the No. 3 post, the site sees it as a sign that the "Trumpification" of the party remains intact. Axios, meanwhile, sees it as a crucial test of House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, who has asked Cheney's critics to back off while pledging to hear them out in a closed-door conference meeting next week. Meanwhile, Cheney already has gotten a serious primary challenger in the wake of her impeachment vote, reports CBS News. State Sen. Anthony Bouchard announced his campaign this week. Cheney's vote to impeach shows "just how out of touch she is with Wyoming," he says. (More Liz Cheney stories.)

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