A House Republican who supported House Republican Conference Chair Liz Cheney in the last vote to remove her from her leadership role now says the Wyoming congresswoman may not survive a vote to keep her in her position this time around, a vote that some say is “inevitable”.
In February, Cheney survived a vote to remain the number 3 Republican in the House in a secret ballot vote,145-61 — but GOP sources tell CNN “there is irritation and a lack of patience that she continues to so publicly attack members in the party and keeps going head-to-head with McCarthy.”
Two House Republicans who supported Cheney staying in her leadership post believe that the conference could vote again to oust her, and that was due to the fallout from her comments about Trump at the party’s retreat last week, so before her Monday morning tweet slamming those who spread the false claim that the election was stolen saying that they are “poisoning our democratic system.”
A senior House Republican who backed Cheney in the past, predicted to CNN that she could be “in very big trouble” and stands on shaky ground. Another Republican lawmaker told the network that Cheney has “less support than she thinks.”
Another lawmaker said the frustration with Cheney is even more palpable now. “It’s real and much more widespread than before and completely of her own making,” the lawmaker said. “At this point, it has zero to do with her vote and everything to do with her words and actions.”
“The only thing she has going for her are reasonable members like me who have lost confidence in her but fear the bad press and disruption this will cause,” another lawmaker said.
But, Cheney is getting some support from certain members of the Republican conference, even though they are facing the possibility that she could be removed from leadership.
“If a prerequisite for leading our conference is lying to our voters, then Liz is not the best fit,” said Rep. Anthony Gonzalez, an Ohio Republican who also voted to impeach Trump. “Liz is going to be honest, straight up and going to stand her own ground.”
