Republicans zero in on Liz Cheney as potential target in the midterm elections, citing her opposition to Trump and her leadership role in the January 6 committee.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has reportedly started secretly meeting with other high-ranking Republican lawmakers to discuss a potential primary challenge against Cheney, a member of the House Republican leadership, in the 2022 midterm elections.
Cheney, who has been a vocal critic of Trump and has publicly disagreed with him on numerous occasions, has been a thorn in the side of many Republicans who support the former president. Her leadership role on the January 6 committee, which is investigating the attack on the US Capitol, has also sparked further resentment towards her among some Republicans.
Some Republican strategists believe that attacking Cheney would be a way for the party to “draw a line in the sand” and show Trump supporters that they are taking action to address the concerns of their base. However, others argue that a primary challenge against Cheney could be seen as “silly and petty” and might ultimately backfire and energize Democrats.
It is unclear at this point whether there will be a serious attempt to primary Cheney, but some Republicans are already taking to social media to express their disapproval of her, with one prominent Trump ally tweeting that she “ought to be ashamed of herself” for serving on the January 6 committee. The situation is expected to become a major topic of discussion in the weeks to come as the midterm elections approach.