CNN correspondent Jamie Gangel said Monday on CNN’s “The Lead” that this was just the beginning for Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) after she is expected to be ousted from Republican leadership.
Anchor Jake Tapper said, “It’s a big tent unless you’re willing to tell the truth and stand up for the truth about the election.”
Gangel said, “Correct. So I think what people need to know about Liz Cheney and this vote on Wednesday is that she does not see it as a personal vote. She sees this as principle over politics. She is forcing her Republican colleagues to either vote for what she sees as democracy, truth, the rule of law, or to vote for Donald Trump. She could have pivoted. She didn’t have to make all of these statements. She certainly orchestrated this vote. She wanted it to come to a head, and I believe this is just the beginning of what will be a campaign against Donald Trump. She does not think that Donald Trump will fade away, and she thinks that democracy is in danger and this is what she has to do.”
She continued, “Every time the Republican party does something or Donald Trump says something, we’re going to all go to Liz Cheney and say, ‘What do you think about that?’ And she’s not alone. It’s true it’s a pretty lonely club — Mitt Romney, Larry Hogan from Maryland, Adam Kinzinger. But keep in mind there are all of these Republicans who either left Congress because they retired or they resigned. Republicans who gave up their party registration who may be interested in another direction, and I think that’s the direction Liz Cheney is going to lead.”
Tapper asked, “Forming a third party?”
Gangel said, “I don’t think that they are near forming a third party yet, but they do not think that Donald Trump is going away, and they think the Republican Party, if possible, needs to be brought away from him.”
Follow Pam Key on Twitter @pamkeyNEN
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