Seven out of the 10 Republican lawmakers who voted in favor of impeaching former President Donald Trump are already facing primary challenges for their congressional seats.
Newsweek indicates that the pro-impeachment GOPers have “been publicly scolded, pushed to resign and warned that local organizations will mount a strong push to oust them from office in the primary.”
The report profiles primary challenges already forming for Reps. David Valadao (CA), Liz Cheney (WY), Adam Kinzinger (IL), Dan Newhouse (WA), and Anthony Gonzalez (OH).
They add, “Another Republican has created an exploratory committee in a potential bid for Representative Tom Rice’s seat and local GOP organizations have vowed to recruit someone to go after Representative Jamie Herrera Buetler’s spot in Congress.”
10 Republicans voted to impeach Trump, 7 already facing challenges for their seats in Congress https://t.co/QCnmJA06dl
— Jason Miller (@JasonMillerinDC) January 30, 2021
Republicans Who Voted to Impeach Face Challenges
Two of the more high-profile of the Republicans facing challenges after voting to impeach former President Trump are Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger.
Kinzinger announced the formation of a new PAC he claims is fighting to “take back” the GOP from Trump.
“The party that always spoke about a brighter tomorrow no longer does,” he said. “It talks about a dark future instead. Hope has given way to fear. Outrage has replaced opportunity. And worst of all, our deep convictions are ignored.
“This is not the Republican road and now we know exactly where (that) new and dangerous road leads. It leads to insurrection and an armed attack on the Capitol,” he claimed.
Congressman Adam Kinzinger, who voted for impeachment, starts anti-Trump Republican PAC | Just The News https://t.co/I2nKPKLSKk
— John Solomon (@jsolomonReports) February 1, 2021
Kinzinger has a history of struggling to comprehend basic concepts, having once chastised Trump for sharing a story about a “civil-war like fracture” in the country.
Yet, here he is tearing the country apart with another impeachment witch hunt.
Kinzinger, it should be noted, along with an aide to former House Speaker Paul Ryan, was one of the first recipients of the infamous Steele dossier, according to court memos back in 2018.
Cheney, meanwhile, has had several GOP lawmakers call for her to resign from her leadership post following her vote to impeach the former President.
Rep. Andy Biggs calls on Liz Cheney to resign from Republican leadership post over her support for impeaching Trump. – Via @KerryPicket
— Josh Caplan (@joshdcaplan) January 13, 2021
“She is weakening our conference at a key moment for personal political gain and is unfit to lead,” Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-MT) said at the time. “She must step down as Conference Chair.”
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) eviscerated Cheney saying her legacy in Congress is simply to “frustrate the agenda of President [Donald] Trump and sell out to the forever war machine.”
Liz Cheney does not speak for Wyoming.
(via @OANN) pic.twitter.com/1ciOxpuF4g
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) February 1, 2021
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Voters Aren’t Siding With Anti-Trumpers
A recent poll from Axios-Ipsos shows Republicans are siding with President Trump over Republicans who supported the impeachment drive, signaling trouble for those facing primary challenges.
The results show a vast majority of Republicans do not hold Trump responsible for the Capitol riots, believe he had a right to challenge the election, and are even sticking with him as their preferred nominee in 2024.
Republicans across the U.S. are siding with President Trump over Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell — big time — according to a new Axios-Ipsos poll. https://t.co/jqkhRlfE6O pic.twitter.com/CgnV3xLttp
— Axios (@axios) January 14, 2021
What Trump does over the next 18 months will be key in how the Republican party moves forward. Those who voted to impeach will be tested.
