Liz Cheney vs. The GOP Base

Representative Liz Cheney of Wyoming unwaveringly sides with traditionally “conservative” (small c) values when voting on legislation and resolutions in the House of Representatives. Her record reflects more consistency than some in House leadership, including Rep. Elise Stefanik who replaced Cheney as Chair of the House Republican Conference.

Stefanik ran for office as and voted as a moderate Republican until the rise of Donald Trump. Once she saw the Trump Show was the future of the Republican Party, Stefanik became a Trump enabler, then cheerleader, and finally, a sycophant.

Cheney, a consistent voice for limited government, strong defense, a robust foreign policy, and tax reforms, found herself at odds with GOP voters nationally and in her state. The base is all about Trump. The twice-impeached former president defines the Republic Party. The loyal base demands support for Trump.

Cheney understood that joining the January 6 Select Committee might doom her politically. She still did the right thing. I admire that.

Unlike Democrats praising Cheney, I agree with her on many issues. She embodies the GOP leaders for whom I have voted over the years. Now, I am nearly lost to the GOP. I voted for Pres. Joe Biden because of Donald Trump.

The traditional GOP played with fire, though, and has been burnt to ashes. The moderate conservatives, the libertarian-leaning Republicans, the defense hawks, and others could have joined against the grievance-based populism of Trump. They chould have held him accountanble throughout his term. They did not.

Forcing Cheney out of leadership, the state party censuring her, and Trump-aligned media berrating her, are all more evidence that I should not support Republicans.

Liz Cheney versus the GOP is an easy choice for me. Cheney wins. Sadly, those Republicans brave enough to stand up to Donald Trump and his shenanigans will retire or lose primaries. Conservatism and classical liberalism have no home in the GOP.

I’ll keep voting for libertarians, moderates, and center-right candidates when those individuals stand against Trump’s cult of personality. I will only vote for candidates willing to say the 2020 election was fair and that Trump lacks character.

Liz Cheney should have been the future of the Republican Party. That path, however, ceased to exist during the Clinton and Bush years. The Southern Strategy of Nixon slowly led to a GOP dominated by Southern voters and their contradictory values.

Cheney is unlikely to win reelection. The nation is worse off for that.