The Wyoming Republican party voted to censure Rep. Liz Cheney.
Background: In recent months Republican Rep. Liz Cheney’s reputation among conservatives has taken a nosedive. After she voted to impeach former President Trump following the January 6th Capitol riot many conservatives labeled her as a “RINO.” A popular term meaning “Republican In Name Only” has cost her considerable support among the base.
Then Rep. Cheney’s repeated public remarks criticizing the former president began to cost her support among her own Republican colleagues in Congress. Lawmakers began to cast doubt that her priorities weren’t aligned with the party’s goal to win back the House in 2022. Eventually, after she refused to stop making remarks about Trump this led to the GOP to vote on her removal as House Republican Conference Chair.
What Happened: On Saturday, the Wyoming GOP Central Committee voted 31-29 to no longer recognize Cheney as a member of the Republican Party.
“[Cheney] cast her vote in favor of impeachment without any quantifiable evidence of High Crimes or Misdemeanors,” the resolution said. “As to date, no quantifiable and or undisputed evidence has been offered Representative Liz Cheney to defend her questionable decision.”
Context: While the move is largely symbolic, it underscores the influence former President Trump still has over the Republican Party.
What Rep. Cheney Says: A spokesperson for Rep. Cheney brushed off the move calling it “laughable.”
“It’s laughable to suggest Liz is anything but a committed conservative Republican,” a Cheney spokesman told the Casper Star-Tribune. “She is bound by her oath to the Constitution. Sadly, a portion of the Wyoming GOP leadership has abandoned that fundamental principle, and instead allowed themselves to be held hostage to the lies of a dangerous and irrational man.”
What Happens Next: Rep. Cheney is up for re-election next year and her district is still widely considered to be “Trump territory.” The former president has repeatedly bashed her and called for voters to support Republican candidate Harriet Hageman.
