‘Going Against Trump Is the Death Knell’
THE 10 REPUBLICAN MEMBERS OF CONGRESS who voted to impeach President Donald Trump for his role in instigating the mob that marauded through the Capitol on January 6 knew the riot would be a historic turning point for the country. What they didn’t realize: The events of that day might also mark the beginning of the end of their own political careers, and that their actions would give Trump and politicians loyal to him a rallying cry to help them retain control of the Republican Party.
Six months after the riot, the impeachers are the GOP’s most endangered incumbents. Nine of the 10 already face credible primary challengers ahead of next year’s midterm elections, and all have been the targets of relentless attacks from Trump and his supporters, as well as on social media from once-supportive constituents livid about their impeachment vote.
Wyoming Representative Liz Cheney, stripped of her leadership role in the House for her persistent criticism of the former president, has absorbed the most venom. But Trump seems bent on exacting revenge on the entire group, calling out the names of each of the GOP representatives who voted to impeach him one by one in a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference in February, telling the audience: “Get rid of them all.”
If that effort is largely successful, it would be the clearest sign yet that, even out of office, Trump retains control of the Republican Party and the future is doomed in the GOP for anyone who vigorously opposes the 45th president.
“If all or most of these guys lose, that’s a pretty ironclad case that going against Trump is the death knell,” says Jeff Timmer, co-founder of the Lincoln Project, an anti-Trump PAC. “You’re more likely to see a muddied result. Some might win, some might lose. But he’ll hang the losers around Cheney’s neck.”
Other Republicans believe the hand has already been dealt. “If any of the 10 are
