Before this afternoon’s meeting, some Republicans want Cheney to express remorse for his comments on his impeachment vote.
“If she apologizes, not for her votes, but for the words she used and the way she handled it, then she is fine,” said a leading Republican member of the House who asked not to be named. “If she is angry and defiant, half the conference will be against her. How does she stay at that point?”
House Republicans are at a major crossroads as tensions simmer over Cheney and Greene and the conference faces pressure to chart a way forward after Trump’s presidency.
Cheney is expected to comment on her vote and her decision to release a statement on former President Donald Trump’s actions, but his allies do not expect her to apologize.
The Wyoming congresswoman has moved backstage to gain support in the face of criticism – and her supporters are confident she will have the support she needs to avoid any challenge to her leadership role as president of the Republican conference in the House.
A member of the Republican Party leadership said he expected the leadership team to close behind Cheney on Wednesday, including minority leader in the House, Kevin McCarthy.
Several Republican Party members said it was unclear whether McCarthy would allow the conference to vote on Wednesday afternoon to keep Cheney in the lead.
Before the meeting where his leadership position is expected to be a subject of contentious debate, Cheney left McCarthy’s office. Asked if she thinks there would be a vote on Wednesday afternoon to move her out of place, Cheney declined to comment to CNN and said she would speak later.
It is not yet known whether there will be a vote on Wednesday afternoon to remove Cheney from office. McCarthy has the power to schedule a vote – something he can do simply to get the subject off the table. Otherwise, Cheney’s detractors could try to force a vote on their own – and that process will take much longer to happen.
“The House must do what it decides to do,” new senator Cynthia Lummis told reporters, refusing to offer any support to fellow Republican Cheney from Wyoming.
John Barrasso, the other Republican senator from Wyoming, supports Cheney.
New York Rep. Tom Reed said he spoke to Cheney and noted that he is willing to defend her during the conference meeting.
“So I told her that I’ll be a voice to say, ‘Hey, guys, you know we don’t purge our comrades. This is not something we do. We are, as Republicans, we are a family, we are our differences, we resolve in the chamber conference, just like I do with my dear older brothers and sisters, and we came out of it together, ”” he said.
Cheney told CNN on the Wednesday before the meeting that he is ready to have an internal discussion about the future of his leadership position with the party.
“We will have the discussion internally at the conference,” said Cheney.
This story was updated with further developments on Wednesday.
Annie Grayer of CNN contributed to this report.