George W. Bush enters GOP civil war as Matt Gaetz stokes Wyoming revolt

Former Republican President George W. Bush entered the growing GOP civil war following the impeachment of Donald Trump on Friday, after Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz rallied to defeat Congressman Liz Cheney in his home state. origin, Wyoming.

As the Republican Party grapples with its future under President Joe Biden, the civil war has escalated after 10 House members voted to impeach Trump for allegedly inciting the deadly insurgency on January 6. Bush spoke out a day after Gaetz denounced Liz Cheney – the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney – the No. 3 Republican in the House who joined nine others in voting for impeachment.

Bush chief of staff Freddy Ford told CNN on Friday that the former Republican president “isn’t thinking about the next election cycle yet,” but said he “plans to call Vice President Cheney tomorrow for two reasons: to wish him a happy 80th birthday, birthday, and to thank him for his daughter’s service. “

The rally of support comes as Cheney faces growing criticism from the GOP over his ‘conscience vote’ to impeach, several Trump allies in the House calling on him to step down as leader for breaking with the Republican Party .

Gaetz campaigned against Cheney in Wyoming on Thursday, calling on voters to oust him in the next election cycle for voting to impeach Trump.

“We are in a battle for the soul of the Republican Party, and I intend to win it,” the Florida lawmaker told a crowd of Trump supporters and counter-protesters. “You can help me break down a corrupt system. You can send a representative who actually represents you, and you can send Liz Cheney home – to Washington, DC”

Cheney’s impeachment vote sparked backlash in his state, which saw nearly 70% voting for Trump in November. Republican Senator Anthony Bouchard, who will run against Cheney in 2022, has already started campaigning against his impeachment vote.

“There hasn’t been a time in our tenure where we’ve seen this type of outcry from our fellow Republicans, with the anger and frustration palpable in the comments we’ve received,” Bouchard said. January 13.

In addition, more than 55,000 Americans have supported a Change.org petition to “recall” Cheney.

“You’re a Republican, you’re supposed to support your party regardless,” Shelley Horn, a Wyoming resident who started the petition, told CNN. “You just can’t say, ‘Well, I need to vote with my conscience.’ No! Vote for what your people have made you do. “

Cheney rejected calls for his resignation. “I’m not going anywhere,” she told reporters on Capitol Hill. “It is a vote of conscience. It is a vote where the views of our conference are different.”

Other House Republicans who voted for impeachment have also faced retaliation for breaking with the party. On Saturday, the South Carolina Republican Party voted to formally censor Congressman Tom Rice for his impeachment vote.

“We clearly expressed our disappointment on the night of the impeachment vote. Trying to impeach a president, with a week left in his term, is never legitimate and is nothing more than a political kick on the way out the door, ”the South Carolina GOP said. President Drew McKissick in a statement.

Newsweek contacted Cheney’s office for comment.

Update 8:07 p.m. ET: To include comment from Drew McKissick.