Former Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney, once a leading figure within the GOP ranks and now a vocal critic of former President Donald Trump, has launched a political action committee (PAC) aimed squarely at preventing Trump from reclaiming the Oval Office. Cheney, who played a significant role in the investigation into the January 6 Capitol attack, has been unwavering in her opposition to Trump, warning of the risks she believes he poses to American democracy.
The PAC, named “The Great Task” in reference to Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, marks Cheney’s latest endeavor to uphold what she sees as the fundamental tenets of the Republic. In a resolute tweet, Cheney declared, “The GOP has chosen. They will nominate a man who attempted to overturn an election and seize power. We have eight months to save our republic and ensure Donald Trump is never anywhere near the Oval Office again. Join me in the fight for our nation’s freedom.”
Cheney’s PAC has released an advertisement in New Hampshire that pulls no punches in its attack on Trump, leveraging her profile and political expertise to sway public opinion. Cheney’s voiceover in the ad describes Trump as unfit for office, accusing him of a “greater dereliction of duty” than any other president in U.S. history for his actions surrounding the 2020 election and the events of January 6. The timing of the ad, titled “Risk,” coincided with Trump’s planned on-air town hall, aiming to counterbalance his message with her stark warning.
This bold move by Cheney comes amid a backdrop where the Republican Party’s efforts to distance itself from Trump have floundered. Despite his legal troubles and the fragmented nature of the anti-Trump factions within the party, Trump continues to hold sway over GOP voters, with significant leads in the polls. Cheney’s PAC represents a direct challenge to this status quo, standing as one of the few organized and well-funded operations willing to criticize Trump explicitly for his past conduct and ongoing influence.
Cheney, whose tenure in Congress included significant roles on several key committees, has not shied away from her stance even after her ousting from the House Republican leadership and a defeat in her Wyoming primary at the hands of a Trump-endorsed candidate. Instead, she has doubled down on her criticism of Trump’s influence over the GOP, calling for a united front of Republicans, Democrats, and independents to counteract what she perceives as a continued threat to the nation’s democratic principles.
Though Cheney has not officially announced a bid for the presidency herself, her actions and words, especially as outlined in her memoir “Oath and Honor,” seem to suggest a potential third-party candidacy aimed at providing an alternative to Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign. In the book, Cheney makes a case for her vision of a conservative Republican Party, free from the grips of what she calls the “cult of personality” around Trump.
The formation of “The Great Task” PAC and the subsequent advertisements underline Cheney’s commitment to this cause. The PAC’s mission, inspired by Lincoln’s call to protect a government “of the people, by the people, for the people,” is to marshal resources and public support against Trump’s candidacy in the upcoming election cycle.
“At some point, a genuinely conservative Republican Party—a party that stands for limited government, a strong national defense, and the rule of law—can reemerge and win the presidency,” she writes. “But if Donald Trump is the Republican nominee in 2024, we must do everything we can to defeat him. If Trump is on the ballot, the 2024 presidential election will not just be about inflation, or budget deficits, or national security, or any of the many critical issues we Americans normally face. We will be voting on whether to preserve our republic.”
Relevant articles:
– Liz Cheney announces her latest plan to keep Trump out of White House
– How Liz Cheney’s Book Makes the Case for a Potential Presidential Run TIME, Tue, 05 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT
– Republicans’ anti-Trump effort flounders as the former president cruises ahead NBC News, Mon, 25 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT
– Liz Cheney launches new ad in New Hampshire attacking Trump The Hill, Tue, 09 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT