Pro-Trump Republicans mocked Representative Liz Cheney over the weekend who pledged to campaign for Democrats in order to prevent Republicans who denied the results of the 2020 presidential election from being elected.
Cheney, a Wyoming Republican, was one of 10 House Republicans to impeach former President Donald Trump and has emerged as one of his most vocal critics within the GOP. She is also one of two Republicans to sit on the House committee investigating January 6, 2021, when a mob of Trump supporters, motivated by his repeated claims of widespread voter fraud, rioted at the US Capitol to force Congress to block President Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory.
Her hardline stance against “election deniers” has left her at odds with many in her party, which still embraces Trump despite a growing list of investigations. In August, the Republican lawmaker lost her primary against Harriet Hageman, who received the ex-president’s endorsement.
Speaking at the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin, Texas, on Saturday, Cheney said she would do whatever she could to ensure Kari Lake, a Trump-aligned candidate in Arizona’s gubernatorial race, who backed his voter fraud claims, loses her election to Democratic Secretary of State Katie Hobbs in November. The race is seen as one of the most competitive, and one of the most consequential, of the midterms.
Drew Angerer/Getty Images
“I’m going to do everything I can to make sure that Kari Lake is not elected,” Cheney said.
Evan Smith, The Texas Tribune CEO, then asked the lawmaker if that means she, who had previously been seen as a conservative member of Congress, would campaign for Democrats. Cheney responded with a simple “yes.”
Cheney agreeing to campaign for Democrats drew criticism from other conservatives, including Lake, who said Cheney “probably should change her voter registration” during an appearance on Fox News on Sunday morning.
“That might be the biggest, best gift I’ve ever received. I mean, the people of Wyoming can’t stand her. I’m pretty much sure that the people of Arizona don’t like Liz Cheney,” Lake said.
Other pro-Trump Republicans also criticized Cheney. Christian Ziegler, the vice chair of the Florida GOP, said Cheney campaigning against members of his own party is a “Republican’s dream.”
“This clip should mobilize a lot of our voters to the polls and raise a solid amount of coin,” he tweeted.
Representative Matt Gaetz, who represents Florida’s 1st Congressional District that includes Pensacola, tweeted: “Liz Cheney gets crushed in her “home” Wyoming by 40+ points… But now we are supposed to believe she has the juice to take on @KariLake ?”
Liz Cheney gets crushed in her “home” Wyoming by 40+ points…
But now we are supposed to believe she has the juice to take on @KariLake?
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) September 25, 2022
Steve Bannon, a former Trump adviser, wrote in a Gettr post: “This almost certainly guarantees a Kari Lake blowout—Katie Hobbs should file immediate protest.”
Others Praise Cheney for Bucking Party
Others, however, praised Cheney for her willingness to buck her party to do what she believes is right.
“I disagree with Liz Cheney on a bunch of issues, but I really admire the stand she’s taken against MAGAs like trump and Kari Lake, that’s exactly how you do country before party,” tweeted the popular Twitter account @mmpadelan.
I disagree with Liz Cheney on a bunch of issues, but I really admire the stand she’s taken against MAGAs like trump and Kari Lake, that’s exactly how you do country before party.
— BrooklynDad_Defiant!☮️ (@mmpadellan) September 25, 2022
“Welcome to the club @Liz_Cheney,” tweeted former Representative Joe Walsh, an Illinois Republican. “Help us former R’s defend democracy by defeating not just Kari Lake, but also JD Vance, Doug Mastriano, Ron Johnson, Herschel Walker, Blake Masters, Ron DeSantis, etc, etc. Right now Liz, the entire party is a threat. They ALL must be defeated.”
welcome to the club @Liz_Cheney. Help us former R’s defend democracy by defeating not just Kari Lake, but also JD Vance, Doug Mastriano, Ron Johnson, Herschel Walker, Blake Masters, Ron DeSantis, etc, etc. Right now Liz, the entire party is a threat. They ALL must be defeated. https://t.co/7gewGurg9p
— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) September 25, 2022
Newsweek reached out to Cheney’s office for comment.
www.newsweek.com
George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism