Smith said he received “hundreds and hundreds” of emails, text messages and phone calls from within and outside the county, “expressing frustration” at Kinzinger’s attitude and actions.
The results of the county vote were announced the same day that Kinzinger and Wyoming MP Liz Cheney defended their support for the impeachment of the former president amid criticism from Republican colleagues in the House. Both lawmakers, who were among the 10 Republicans who voted with Democrats against Trump, have become a symbol of the Republican Party’s national schism over the party’s leadership.
At least one Republican says lawmakers will pay for their votes at home.
“Tonight Liz Cheney was fighting on her own territory – Washington DC And if Washington doesn’t hold it accountable for its failed leadership, Wyoming will,” said Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) In a statement, according to the Playbook .
Kinzinger did not shy away from his vote – and recently said he would have liked to have voted for Trump’s impeachment for the first time as well.
During the long meeting of the Republican parliament on Wednesday, Kinzinger told House minority leader Kevin McCarthy that it was “embarrassing” for the party to spend more time defending MP Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) Than Cheney , according to a source familiar with the discussion. Greene is facing calls from Democrats for her to be removed from her duties on the House’s education and work committees and plans to hold a vote to remove them on Thursday.
Cheney was in danger of losing her leadership role in the impeachment vote, but McCarthy went on to “give her a full defense” and the bench voted to let her maintain her leadership position with a 2-1 margin.
Kinzinger issued a statement on Thursday morning, saying he “voted with pride” to support Cheney as president of the conference and that he is “committed to restoring our party”.
Although the vote by the Republican Party of LaSalle to censor is symbolic, it also signals that Kinzinger does not have the full support of the Republicans who re-elected him in November. It can also fuel speculation about how Kinzinger, who had been cited in Republican circles as a potential candidate for the Senate or governor, is calculating his political future.
Some of Kinzinger’s critics gathered in Ottawa, Illinois, the LaSalle County seat and the site of a Lincoln-Douglas debate, a few days before the vote to call the congressman, the media and others, while falsely claiming that Trump won the 2020 presidential election.
LaSalle County is south and west of Chicago and is one of nine counties in the 16th Congressional District of Kinzinger. It also represents parts of five other counties. LaSalle is not seen as a key organization of the Republican Party in the state. It is historically another county in the union that has tended to red in recent years – supporting Kinzinger and Trump – overwhelmingly. But he also elected a Democratic state representative.
In a statement, Kinzinger spokeswoman Maura Gillespie responded to the censorship vote, saying: “As a Capitol Policeman [Brian] Sicknick was being honored in the state for his final sacrifice – defending our democracy – the LaSalle County GOP was condemning Congressman Kinzinger for trying to hold the president accountable for the actions that led to his death. “
The Republican Party of Illinois has made no clear move to censor Kinzinger, but that could change depending on who is elected its new president on Saturday.
Lake County Republican President Mark Shaw and the former Illinois Gaming Board executive and former vice presidential candidate Don Tracy of Springfield are the top candidates among the three candidates. Although Tracy has said he disagrees with Kinzinger’s actions, he is opposed to censorship. Shaw says he did not take a position, although he discussed censorship with Republicans across the state.
Republicans have long been outnumbered by Democrats in the blue state of Illinois and are already divided between urban and rural issues. The Trump and censorship debate is further exacerbating this divide.