Liz Cheney Is Right, But May Need to Go

Much of the debate over whether Representative Liz Cheney should remain in Republican leadership has divided those who agree with her statements about the 2020 election and those who see them as tantamount to betrayal. But there’s also a third position — which is that she’s right, but is now too unrepresentative of her party to help lead it. That, in itself, is a sad reflection of the state of the Republican Party.

It’s increasingly looking as though, having survived one attempt to oust her as conference chair, Cheney will have a difficult time remaining in leadership. Her repeated statements affirming the legitimacy of the 2020 election and assailing Donald Trump’s role in the January 6 Capitol riot have been a thorn in the side of House minority leader Kevin McCarthy. The tension became public today, when McCarthy went on Fox and said, “I have heard from members concerned about her ability to carry out the job as conference chair to carry out the message.”

About the Author

Philip Klein

Philip Klein is the editor of National Review Online.

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Much of the debate over whether Representative Liz Cheney should remain in Republican leadership has divided those who agree with her statements about the 2020 election and those who see them as tantamount to betrayal. But there’s also a third position — which is that she’s right, but is now too unrepresentative of her party to help lead it. That, in itself, is a sad reflection of the state of the Republican Party.

It’s increasingly looking as though, having survived one attempt to oust her as conference chair, Cheney will have a difficult time remaining in leadership. Her repeated statements affirming the legitimacy of the 2020 election and assailing Donald Trump’s role in the January 6 Capitol riot have been a thorn in the side of House minority leader Kevin McCarthy. The tension became public today, when McCarthy went on Fox and said, “I have heard from members concerned about her ability to carry out the job as conference chair to carry out the message.”