On Monday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell was the latest Republican to give her impetus, saying in a statement to CNN that she had “confidence” to execute her convictions after her impeachment vote on Trump last month on a charge sparked the deadly uprising that attacked Capitol Hill on Jan. 6.
“Liz Cheney is a leader with deep convictions and courage to implement them,” McConnell said. “She is an important leader in our party and in our country. I am grateful for her service and look forward to working with her on the urgent issues facing our country. “
The statement comes as a cross-section of GOP lawmakers – from leading Republicans in the Senate leadership to the Wyoming Republican Senate coalition. John Barrasso to some House Freedom Caucus custodial members as Rep. Chip Roy of Texas – has publicly defended Cheney against the onslaught of Trump defenders who are keen to defeat her. Last week, Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, who was close to Trump, traveled to Wyoming to rally against Cheney, with the President’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., calling into the event and demanding that she would be defeated in next year’s primary school.
The former President is focusing his political energy on targeting Cheney. According to one source, Trump has been questioning his Republican allies again about attempts to oust Cheney from his leadership position and run a primary candidate against him. He has also been showing an opinion poll to those friends commissioned by his Save America PAC who say Cheney’s impeachment vote has damaged his position in Wyoming, even persuade them to talk about the televised poll.
On Capitol Hill, some Trump defenders are trying to oust her from her presidency, though it is far from clear that a majority of them in the House Republican conference to succeed in her that question. Cheney’s vote to impeach Trump, along with the votes of nine other House Republicans, is expected to be a topic of conversation when the GOP House meets behind closed doors Wednesday. Already, some Republicans who supported Trump’s impeachment have been the subject of intense back-and-home backlash, including a South Carolina representative. Tom Rice, who was criticized by his state party over the weekend.
McConnell, who voted last week along with 44 of his GOP Senate colleagues to keep alive an attempt to overturn the Senate lawsuit on constitutional grounds, has told him in private allies believe that Trump committed accessible crimes, according to sources familiar with the talks.
When asked by CNN last week whether he thought Trump’s actions ahead of the riot were going to be an accessible behavior, McConnell sided with the question – and later said that he was a jury and would evaluate the arguments. But unlike House Republicans, most Senate Republicans are separating themselves from what Trump did, even though they appear to vote to get out because they believe they don’t the Senate should try to vice president.
Cheney has also received support from outside Capitol Hill. Former President George W. Bush has made it clear that he supports her, with his chief of staff, Freddy Ford, telling CNN on Friday that Bush intended to praise her during Saturday’s call. with its vice president, her father, Dick Cheney.
McConnell’s statement defends Cheney more of a full-fledged defense than that of House Republican leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California, who said he would support Cheney but said she would have to respond to their conference for his vote.
“Look, I support her, but I have concerns too,” McCarthy said last month, days before he made his way down to South Florida to visit the former president and said e that the two were united in wanting to restore the house next year.
McConnell has spoken to Trump since Dec. 15.
This story has been updated with more information.
Caroline Kelly and Michael Warren from CNN contributed to this report.
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