WASHINGTON — Key Republicans continue to signal their support for dumping House GOP Conference Chair Liz Cheney from her leadership post, with momentum building as Cheney has held former President Donald Trump to account for his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol and stood firm that the 2020 election was not stolen.
Cheney, a staunch Wyoming conservative and daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, has lost key support from her House GOP leadership colleagues. GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy said Tuesday that members are concerned about Cheney’s ability to lead. And House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, the No. 2 in leadership, announced his support for New York Republican Elise Stefanik to replace Cheney. Stefanik is a Trump loyalist who is defined less by her previous votes against Trump policies than by her ardent defense of Trump, notably during his first impeachment.
Data compiled by CQ Vote Watch shows Cheney voted the same way other Republicans did far more often than Stefanik did during Trump’s presidency, especially after Democrats took control of the House in 2019.
