Vilified by Trump, Liz Cheney explores her political future with

On Sep 29, 2021

The Wyoming congresswoman is clearly exploring her political options and power well beyond her congressional district, even if she’s not talking openly about a run for president.

“I’ve never had a conversation with her about 2024,” said Eric Edelman, a former ambassador, Pentagon official and adviser to former Vice President Dick Cheney. “If there was going to be a Never Trump candidate, I can’t think of anyone better.”

Eight months after she voted to impeach Donald Trump, Cheney continues to be one of the party’s most vocal critics of the former President and his hold on the Republican Party. The three-term House member has also said she would do “whatever it takes” to prevent Trump from becoming president again and has not closed the door on running for the White House herself.

Cheney’s immediate political goal, however, is to retain her House seat from Harriet Hageman, a Trump-backed primary challenger. To help, she is marshaling the forces of the pre-Trump GOP establishment.

On October 18, former President George W. Bush will attend a fundraiser for Cheney in Dallas, co-hosted by former US Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and top Bush campaign aides Karl Rove and Karen Hughes.

Former Republican House Speakers John Boehner and Paul Ryan also raised money for Cheney earlier this year. And on top of that, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Sens. Lindsey Graham and Mitt Romney have all donated to Cheney through their respective political action committees.

Her fundraising hauls have been impressive for the standards of Wyoming’s at-large district — more than $1.5 million in the first quarter of 2021 and nearly $1.9 million in the second, by far her two best fundraising performances ever.

Cheney’s political schedule is also drawing attention.

On November 9, she will travel to New Hampshire, the home of the first presidential primary, to speak at St. Anselm College’s Institute of Politics. The event is sponsored by the Loeb School of Communications, whose president, Joe McQuaid, is also the conservative publisher of the Manchester newspaper, the New Hampshire Union Leader, and a gatekeeper for Republican White House hopefuls.

All of this comes as Cheney continues to play a heightened role in the national conversation, despite her ouster from the House Republican leadership team earlier this year. She is the co-chair of the House select committee investigating the events of January 6, and is just one of two Republicans serving on the panel.

In an interview with CBS News’ “60 Minutes” this week, Cheney repeated her condemnations of Trump, calling his actions on January 6 “unforgivable.” She also criticized Republicans, like House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, for continuing to embrace Trump.

“What he’s done is embrace Donald Trump. And if I were doing what he’s doing, I would be deeply ashamed of myself,” Cheney said.

Winning reelection first

Trump has made taking out Cheney a top priority, setting up what the congresswoman told “60 Minutes” would be…