In a move that has sent shockwaves through the political landscape, former Republican Representative Liz Cheney has announced her support for Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris in the upcoming 2024 election. Speaking at Duke University on September 4, 2024, Cheney stated, “As a conservative and someone who believes in and cares about the Constitution… I will be voting for Kamala Harris.”
This endorsement underscores Cheney’s ongoing opposition to former President Donald Trump, whom she has consistently criticized for his actions surrounding the January 6 Capitol attack and his attempts to overturn the 2020 election results. Cheney’s father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, echoed her sentiments, labeling Trump a “threat to our republic” and expressing his support for Harris.
In response, Trump dismissed the Cheneys as “irrelevant RINOs” (Republicans In Name Only) and continued to attack Liz Cheney publicly. During an appearance in Glendale, Arizona, on October 31, 2024, Trump suggested that Cheney, whom he referred to as a “war hawk,” should be placed “with a rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her.” Cheney responded by highlighting the dangers of such rhetoric, stating, “This is how dictators destroy free nations. They threaten those who speak against them with death.”
These developments have intensified the already deep divisions within the Republican Party, with some members rallying behind Trump and others, like the Cheneys, breaking ranks to support Harris. The endorsements from prominent Republican figures signal a significant realignment in the political landscape as the nation approaches the 2024 election.