House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) on Tuesday would not state whether or not he believes House Republican Chairwoman Liz Cheney (R-WY) is a “good fit” for the House GOP leadership team as Cheney continues to attack former President Donald Trump and divide the party.
McCarthy was asked by a reporter if Cheney was a “good fit” for the team as House GOP members wrap up a policy retreat in Orlando, Florida.
“That’s a question for the conference,” McCarthy replied.
When asked to elaborate, McCarthy appeared to take a veiled shot at Cheney, saying: “I think from a perspective if you’re sitting here at a retreat that’s focused on policy, focused on the future of making America’s next century, and you’re talking about something else, you’re not being productive.”
McCarthy’s remarks come as Cheney has begun ramping up criticism of Trump.
Since voting in favor of Trump’s second impeachment in February, the Wyoming Republican has repeatedly called for the Republican Party to shun the former president despite his popularity with conservative voters.
Cheney has ruled out supporting a potential 2024 bid by Trump, seemingly blaming the former president for the deadly January 6 riot on Capitol Hill.
“I’ve been clear about my views about what happened on January 6th, about my views of the president’s culpability. I obviously voted to impeach him. I think that it was the gravest violation of an oath of office by any president in American history,” the lawmaker recently told Fox News Channel’s Your World. “For us as a party, we have to be the party of hope and aspirations, and we cannot embrace insurrection and can’t minimize what happened January 6. I think all of us, regardless of partisanship, have an obligation and a duty to the Constitution, a duty to the peaceful transition of power.”
Cheney has used her attacks on Trump to boost her own public image, even teasing that she may launch a White House bid of her own in 2024.
“I’m not ruling anything in or out — I’ve been here a long time,” Cheney said in an interview with The New York Post when asked about a possible run.
“I think we have a huge number of interesting candidates, but I think that we’re going to be in a good position to be able to take the White House,” she continued. “I do think that some of our candidates who led the charge, particularly the senators who led the unconstitutional charge, not to certify the election, you know, in my view that’s disqualifying.”
“I think that adherence to the Constitution, adherence to your oath has got to be at the top of the list. So, I think, you know that certainly will be a factor that I’m looking at and I think a number of voters will be looking at as they decide about ’24,” she added.