Why Did Cheney Have to Go?

             Today, Congresswoman Liz Cheney (R-Wyoming) was voted out of her third-ranking leadership position in the Republican minority in the House of Representatives. The reason given is that she was not a team player. Former President Donald Trump may be out of office, but he is still the head of the Republican Party. This is a fact that Cheney could not accept, and she often spoke against Trump and his Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement.

            Republican members in the House gave Cheney a chance to play for the Republican team when the majority of the GOP members in the House voted in February to retain her in the leadership position. However, she continued to fight against the MAGA movement and lost her support in the House.

            House Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-California) is the highest-ranking Republican in the House, and GOP Whip Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana) is the second-highest ranking Republican in the House. Cheney was the third-highest ranking Republican member. McCarthy and Scalise grew tired of Cheney not supporting the direction that the GOP is moving. The people of Wyoming are also tired of her non-support of the MAGA movement, so she may not be re-elected to Congress.

            It sounds like Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-New York) will be voted to take the leadership spot vacated by Cheney. However, conservatives in the House are not pleased with the choice. Stefanik does not have a stellar record for supporting conservative causes. She has a lifetime record of voting nearly 44% conservative, compared to Cheney’s lifetime record of 78.3% conservative.

Stefanik may not have voted conservative as often as Cheney, but she represents a completely different type of constituency. Cheney represents Wyoming, where more than 70% of the residents support Trump. Stefanik represents New York, which is mostly liberal. Stefanik was outstanding in her support for Trump during both impeachment trials.

Time will tell if Stefanik is suitable for the position. If she is not a good fit for conservatives, she will not last. The freedom caucus in the House got rid of both John Boehner and Paul Ryan as the Republican leader in the House. Now they have ousted Cheney. Boehner, Ryan, and Cheney were all members of the “Establishment” in Washington politics – meaning that they are part of the “Swamp.” Cheney’s father was Vice President in the George W. Bush administration, so she has deep roots in the swamp of Washington.

The people who are elected to represent Americans in the federal government are supposed to work for the people who elect them. Cheney was not working for the people of Wyoming or for the Republican Party. This is the reason why she had to go. The next election will determine if the residents of Wyoming want her to continue as their representative.