House Republican Conference Chair Liz Cheney (R-WY) prevailed in the vote over whether to strip her of her leadership role on Wednesday night, effectively surviving the intra-party backlash over her decision to impeach former President Donald Trump.
The conference voted 145-61 by secret ballot in favor of keeping Cheney in her position as third-ranking House GOP leader. One lawmaker voted “present.”
Prior to the vote, Cheney told the conference that she stood by her support for impeaching Trump, according to CNN.
“I won’t apologize for the vote,” she reportedly said.
After Cheney voted with nine other Republicans to impeach Trump for inciting a violent insurrection at the Capitol last month, the members of the conference who remain steadfastly loyal to the ex-president instantly became furious with her.
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-WY) went as far as to travel to Cheney’s home state to urge her constituents to kick her out of office. Earlier on Wednesday, he claimed the conference had the votes to remove the Republican leader from her position.
Trump himself has reportedly been pushing his foot soldiers in the GOP to get Cheney thrown out and smear her in public.
Several Senate Republicans, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), backed Cheney as most House GOP lawmakers who weren’t already calling for her resignation kept quiet amid the outrage.
