Washington GOP Rep. Herrera Beutler expected to vote against removing Liz Cheney

Washington Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler was one of just a handful of Republicans in Congress who voted to impeach then-President Donald Trump. Soon, she may very well see herself breaking from the party line again, having voiced her intention to not vote in favor of removing Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney from her leadership post.

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Cheney — who serves as the Republican conference chair in Congress — has come under fire in recent months for her vocal opposition to Trump, having levied frequent criticism against the former president’s claims of election fraud, and his role in sparking the ensuing riot at the U.S. Capitol on January 6.

Now, she faces removal from her post as the third highest leadership position in the U.S. House for Republicans, spearheaded by Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy.

While many Congressional Republicans have thrown their support behind Cheney’s removal, Rep. Herrera Beutler indicated through a spokesperson that she will vote in favor of retaining Cheney when GOP representatives convene on Wednesday.

No further details were offered by the southwest Washington Congresswoman, with this again putting her at odds with her party’s leadership.

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Herrera Beutler’s criticism of Trump after the Jan. 6 riot saw her censured by the Clark County GOP last February. Fellow Washington Rep. Dan Newhouse also joined her in voting to impeach Trump, and will soon face a pair of Republican challengers in the August primary in his bid for reelection.

Neither Newhouse nor Washington Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers — who voted against Trump’s impeachment — have indicated how they plan to vote on Cheney’s removal from her conference chair position.

It’s widely believed that most Republicans will support Cheney’s ouster, with New York Rep. Elise Stefanik expected to replace her. Stefanik has the support of Trump, who’s repeatedly called for her to fill the seat in favor of Cheney.

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