We are hearing from a growing number of GOP Senators who are defending Rep. Liz Cheney. With House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy set to hold a vote on whether to oust her from her leadership position on Wednesday, Senator Joni Ernst is among those raising a red flag. The Iowa Republican remarked:
“It’s OK to go ahead and express what you feel is right to express. And you know, cancel culture is cancel culture no matter how you look at it, and unfortunately I think there are those that are trying to silence others in the party.”
Ernst, the only other Republican woman in a leadership role in Congress, went on to remark, “I support President Trump and his policies, so I have a slightly different view on that. But I still think we shouldn’t be trying to cancel voices, but what we can do is come together and try and win seats, and [in] 2022, I think that’s what all of us should be focused on.”
Senator Susan Collins is also weighing in. The Maine Republican told reporters, “I believe Liz Cheney is an honorable leader with great strength and did what she felt was right, and our party should be big enough to accommodate people with a wide variety of views.”
Senator Mitt Romney is also echoing a lot of what is reportedly being whispered on Capitol Hill. This may please Donald Trump, but it doesn’t look like it will be popular with voters.
Meanwhile, grumblings have been heard from GOP members of the House who say Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy is gaming this out for his own political ambitions. From Politico’s Playbook:
Taking out Cheney (R-Wyo.) as conference chair was never going to be clean and easy for McCarthy. And this week, we’re starting to pick up on a bit of backlash against the minority leader behind the scenes. Some House Republicans are privately griping about how the California Republican has fed a colleague to the MAGA wolves in his quest to become speaker.
McCarthy has sought to cast doubt on Cheney’s leadership ability, arguing that it is essentially selfish to call out Trump instead of prioritizing GOP unity. But other House Republicans question his own leadership qualities.
One of them — a Republican long seen as an ally of leadership — told us Monday night he may oppose McCarthy for speaker because of all the recent drama. This person accused McCarthy of having no moral compass as he moves to punish Cheney while allowing members like Reps. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE (R-Ga.) and MATT GAETZ (R-Fla.) to run wild.
As for Cheney’s support in the in the House, we know Rep. Adam Kinzinger and a handful of other GOP representatives are in her corner, but we may never know who else votes to keep her in her current role. The vote will be taken by secret ballot tomorrow.
