And at least two members have expressed interest in replacing Cheney as the third Republican, sources say: MPs Elise Stefanik and Lee Zeldin, two New Yorkers who gained popularity in the party after fiercely defending Trump during his first impeachment.
If Cheney loses his post, it will be the latest sign that the Republican Party’s trombification will not stop anytime soon, even after the former president flew to Mar-a-Lago with a disgraced legacy in Washington. Some say that Cheney’s fight has already become a proxy battle for the heart and soul of the divided GOP.
“She has proved that she is out of step with the vast majority of our conference and with Republicans across the country,” said new deputy Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.), Who is leading the resolution calling for Cheney’s resignation. “Many people at our conference have problems with this.”
“There are other people who are absolutely interested in filling that gap, I will tell you,” he added of Cheney’s potential substitutes. “And they would have broad support.”
Long-standing frustrations with Cheney – who was once a rapidly rising star in the GOP – have escalated within the GOP, especially on his right flank, according to interviews with more than a dozen lawmakers and advisers. Members are not only irritated by their impeachment vote, but also by the fact that Cheney announced his position the day before – giving Democrats enough time to use his statement at all of their talking points, as well as providing coverage for nine other Republicans who supported the impeachment.
A multiple-time compilation video that Democrats and news media cited Cheney’s statement on impeachment has even circulated in some Republican circles. As president of the conference, Cheney is responsible for the party’s messaging efforts.
But several other senior Republicans feel that Cheney ultimately holds his ground, arguing that most Republicans will have little appetite for creating more chaos at the conference at a time when the party is desperate to join.
And behind the scenes, Cheney has done a little damage control: she has been making calls to all corners of the conference to listen to lawmakers and ensure that the party is unified in the future, according to a source familiar with the discussions.
“Removing Liz as chairman of the conference when she did exactly what the leader told all of us to do – vote on her conscience – sends a bad message,” Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), the main Republican on the Relations Committee Exteriors of the Chamber, said in a statement. “And I spoke to many members of our Conference who expressed their support for Liz and her leadership. I am confident that she will remain in her position and has my support ”.
Although Republican Party leader Kevin McCarthy (California) and Republican Whip Steve Scalise (Louisiana) have said they want Cheney to remain in office, McCarthy also told reporters on Thursday that “questions need to be answered”, such as the “style in which things were delivered.” Members will have the opportunity to voice those complaints at next week’s closed-door conference meeting, McCarthy added.
The GOP is far from unified when it comes to Cheney’s future. She has her share of ardent, high-profile advocates in the House, including several members of the committee and her home state, Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Who said her “strong voice and leadership will make a difference in the next four years. . than ever. ”
Cheney’s allies argue that removing her from the leadership – and thus aligning the party even more closely with Trump – could backfire before 2022. It could also help Cheney create a unique path if she decides to launch an offer for the White House in 2024, they say.
“I think it would be a disaster,” said Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) Of Cheney’s possible expulsion. “We need to keep an eye on the ball. We have a great chance of getting the majority. “
“And if we continue to give the American people a vision of the Republicans’ internal fratricide,” he added, “it does nothing to convince them that we are better able to lead the Chamber of Deputies, halfway through the Presidency. from Joe Biden. ”
Even though Cheney manages to hold on to her leadership position, she still faces serious questions about her long-term future in the Republican Party, which is still overwhelmingly pro-Trump. Some lawmakers think she will never be able to run for leadership again.
Meanwhile, his political problems at home have started to accumulate: State Senator Anthony Bouchard has already announced a challenge in the primaries, although it can be difficult to overthrow someone with a national profile as big as Cheney’s. AN Local County Republican Party in Wyoming unanimously agreed to censor Cheney last week because of his impeachment vote unanimously agreed to censor Cheney last week because of his impeachment vote.
It is a notable change for Cheney, who won a seat at the leadership table only in his second term in Congress. Cheney, 54, passed a Senate proposal last year to seek fortune in the House, leaving some wondering if she would face McCarthy or Scalise for first place one day.
Still, Cheney – who has clashed with colleagues before – has so far refused calls to stay away. She also did not apologize for her impeachment stance, framing it as a vote of conscience and telling her colleagues in particular that she wanted to be on the right side of history, damn the political consequences.
“We are going to have these discussions within the conference. We have differences of opinion on a number of issues, including this one, ”Cheney told Fox News on Thursday. “I look forward to it and I am confident that we will be united as a conference going forward.”
Cheney’s critics began circulating a petition last week demanding a special conference meeting to debate and vote on the resolution calling for Cheney’s resignation. Only 20 percent, or 43 members, of the House GOP Party are required to sign the petition to force the meeting.
But two-thirds support from the conference is needed to have an immediate vote on the resolution. Otherwise, it goes to a special panel, which includes some members of the leadership. And only if that committee reports a favorable recommendation will the resolution go before the full conference for a vote, which will be conducted by secret ballot.
So far, the anti-Cheney team has yet to submit the petition for a special meeting, although members have expressed confidence that they have the numbers at their side.
The group is also conducting a temperature check within the GOP to assess whether the majority supports his resignation as president of the conference. Rosendale said that several members fear retaliation if they publicly request Cheney’s removal, which is why they are more willing to vote in a secret ballot than sign a petition.
“It is an extremely sensitive issue whenever you are going to challenge leadership,” said Rosendale. “Most members are concerned with how this vote can impact their committee assignments.”
Many of the same Republicans who supported the president’s unfounded allegations of electoral fraud, such as Freedom Caucus president Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), Now lead the charge against Cheney.
This is not Cheney’s first fight with the GOP right wing. Last summer, members of the ultra-conservative Freedom Caucus criticized Cheney for criticizing the way Trump handled the coronavirus, as well as for supporting Congressman Thomas Massie’s main challenger (R-Ky.).
At the time, some hardliners even discussed recruiting someone to challenge Cheney to chair the conference – Stefanik and Zeldin were both taken away – but no one came forward. Cheney was then unanimously chosen in November to serve another two-year term in leadership.
Some lawmakers doubt whether Stefanik or Zeldin would mount an offer this time, too. Stefanik, who gave Cheney’s nominating speech in November, told at least some of his colleagues that he does not want the job. Other GOP sources, however, told POLITICO that she is calling lawmakers to feel their support.
And then there is Zeldin, who would face the challenging prospect of expelling the only woman from the leadership of the Republican Party, shortly after a record number of Republican women were elected to Congress. In addition, large corporations froze donations to lawmakers who contested election results – which include Zeldin and Stefanik – giving Cheney an advantage.
In a sign of how intense the problem has become, offices that are choosing to support Cheney are receiving hundreds, if not thousands, of anti-Cheney spam emails, according to lawmakers / advisers.
However, this did not stop some members from expressing their support for Cheney.
“While we find out where Republicans are going from here, we need Liz’s leadership,” said Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.), Who serves with Cheney on the Armed Services Committee. “We must be having a big camping party or we must condemn ourselves to irrelevance.”
Said another House Republican: “If I didn’t vote to impeach the most foolish Republican in DC, why would I vote to remove the most serious Republican in DC?”
Burgess Everett contributed to this report.