Democrats raise concerns as Liz Cheney hints at possible presidential run
The 'Big Sunday Show' panelists weigh in on the aftermath of Harriet Hageman defeating Rep. Liz Cheney in Wyoming's Republican primary on Tuesday.
Conservatives torched Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., after she announced her first-ever endorsement of a Democrat, Rep. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan.
Cheney, a vocal critic of former President Donald Trump, announced the endorsement in a press release Thursday, claiming she is "proud" to support Slotkin. The press release also announced that Cheney will attend an "Evening for Patriotism and Bipartisanship" event in Michigan next week to campaign with the Democratic lawmaker.
In making her endorsement, Cheney said Slotkin is an "honorable public servant" who "wants what's best for the country and is in this for the right reasons."
Fox News' "Life, Liberty & Levin" host Mark Levin characterized Cheney as a surreptitious Democrat and said she "failed" to divide the Republican Party.
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Vice Chair Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., gives her opening remarks as Jan. 6 Committee Chairman Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., left, looks on. (AP Images)
He compared Cheney to the erstwhile Confederacy's President Jefferson Davis, saying on his radio program she has more in common with the man who led the short-lived U.S. breakaway than with his Union counterpart, President Abraham Lincoln.
"If there’s a new civil war, I would say that Liz Cheney is on the wrong side of it-- More Jefferson Davis than Abraham Lincoln; just saying," Levin said.
NewsBusters editor Tim Graham remarked that Cheney cannot truly consider herself a conservative, pointing to Slotkin's 7% score from the American Conservative Union, the organization that hosts CPAC.
"When you do this, you're not really conservative or Republican," he tweeted.
National Review Online contributor Pradheep Shanker somewhat echoed that analysis, remarking, "At this point, Cheney is a Democrat. That is fine, but she should declare as one."
Conservative podcaster Wayne DuPree quipped a "congratulations" to the Democratic Party on "their newest member."
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Rep. Elissa Slotkin greets President Biden upon arrival at Capital Region International Airport in Lansing, Michigan. (NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP via Getty Images)
In addition, Mollie Hemingway, editor-in-chief of the Federalist and Fox News contributor, cited the fact the Wyoming Republican Party censured Cheney over her vote to impeach former President Trump. She added that those removed from state party membership and supplanted from House leadership are "many things – ‘GOP’ is not one of them."
Columnist and former Las Vegas Review-Journal White House reporter Debra Saunders went on to lament how Cheney appears to be sullying her "once sterling GOP cred," while former Michigan state Rep. Tim Kelly, R-Saginaw, requested the public "stop calling Cheney a Republican."
Slotkin's opponent, state Sen. Tom Barrett, appeared to approve of Cheney's endorsement of his opponent.
"It’s no surprise the Cheney family is joining [Slotkin] and it exposes the permanent Washington establishment's War-First, America-Last agenda," Barrett tweeted.
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"Elissa Slotkin can keep Liz Cheney while I work to keep America out of senseless wars," he continued.
"Slotkin/Cheney = War First/America Last," Barrett later claimed.
Republican Michigan state Sen. Tom Barrett speaks to supporters. (Tom Barrett For Congress)
In turn, Slotkin welcomed the endorsement of the sitting Republican, saying she and Cheney don't agree on every issue but that the House January 6 Committee member has been an "indispensible" defender of a "democracy [that is] being challenged."
Slotkin also appeared to confirm reports Cheney will be "welcome[d] to MI-07 next week."
Prior to her endorsement, Cheney praised the vulnerable Democrat, saying that she would rather serve alongside Slotkin, fellow swing-district Democrats Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey and Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania than with Republicans like Georgia's Marjorie Taylor Greene and Colorado's Lauren Boebert.
Cheney lost in the Republican primary in August when attorney Harriet Hageman defeated her by more than 37 points.
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