McCarthy Abandons Liz Cheney and Backs Trumpist Stefanik to Replace Her: Report

The writing was on the wall for Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) earlier this week when House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy was caught on a Fox News hot-mic saying: “I’ve had it with her.” Now, according to PunchBowl, McCarthy has made his first moves to replace Cheney as House Republican Conference Chair—the third-ranking position in the House GOP leadership. The newsletter reports that McCarthy and Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA)—the two most senior House Republicans—have been meeting with colleagues to help a bid to install Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) in Cheney’s place. Stefanik is a loyal ally to former President Donald Trump, and was one of the lawmakers who voted to object to Pennsylvania’s Electoral College votes right after the U.S. Capitol was stormed by a MAGA mob. Cheney could be removed from her leadership position as early as next week, PunchBowl reports, after top Republicans turned on her for speaking out against Trump’s relentless lies about his election loss.