OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
When she was soundly defeated last August in the GOP primary in her state of Wyoming, then-Rep. Liz Cheney hinted that she was not done with politics despite losing badly to a Republican challenger who former President Donald Trump backed.
In the months since, there has been speculation — much of it fueled by her — that she would throw her hat in the ring to challenge Trump, who has always been and remains, the odds-on favorite to capture the party’s presidential nomination next year.
This week, the biggest hint yet that Cheney will run for the party’s nomination emerged in the form of a television ad targeting Trump in the early primary state of New Hampshire, NBC News reported.
The ad warns of a “risk” of a second Trump presidency, though by most measures, in comparison to President Joe Biden’s term, Trump’s was a resounding success in terms of Republican policy accomplishments.
“Donald Trump is a risk America can never take again,” Cheney says as she narrates the 60-second ad that was paid for by her organization, Great Task PAC.
Not surprisingly, the ad contains footage of the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, in which Cheney says: “Donald Trump is the only president in American history who has refused to guarantee the peaceful transfer of power … There has never been a greater dereliction of duty by any president.”
Cheney took a controversial position as vice chair on a Democrat-led Jan. 6 Committee that was portrayed strictly as a political weapon against her party and was opposed by the vast majority of Republicans in the House at the time. The only other GOP member who served on it, Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, retired in January after it became apparent he could not win reelection.
The advertisement is set to air in New Hampshire, the first state to hold Republican primaries, coinciding with the former president’s televised town hall on Wednesday at Saint Anselm College, located just outside of Manchester, NBC News reported.
Donald Trump has proven he is unfit for office. He is a risk America can never take again. pic.twitter.com/jAWQ6jsrzZ
— Liz Cheney (@Liz_Cheney) May 9, 2023
Musk sounded off after chilling new videos emerge.
Should Cheney and Schiff be punished for this??https://t.co/Q9f2Lj60iZ
— Conservative Brief (@ConservBrief) May 10, 2023
Liz Cheney is obsessed with President Trump.
It’s not healthy.
She should check herself into a mental health institution.
— Brigitte Gabriel (@ACTBrigitte) May 9, 2023
Biden's DOJ Makes Huge Move – House Republican Arrested, Facing Up To 20 Years In Prisonhttps://t.co/MgI2XIh2Hg
— Conservative Brief (@ConservBrief) May 10, 2023
Biden Hit With Massive Ultimatum – Stop 'Reckless' Behavior Before You Crash The Economyhttps://t.co/11K8oyXI7Q
— Conservative Brief (@ConservBrief) April 30, 2023
CNN is carrying the town hall, and it’s being moderated by morning show co-host Kaitlin Collins.
Cheney, formerly the No. 3 Republican in the House, was removed from her party leadership position in 2021 after consistently criticizing Trump, including her vote to impeach him in January of that year. In 2022, she lost her seat to a Trump-backed primary challenger, now-Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.).
Cheney outlined her continued efforts to prevent a potential political comeback by Trump in her concession speech after losing the primary in August.
“This fight is not over — it may take many years,” Cheney said. “For anyone wondering about my own future, let me say this: I will do everything in my power to make sure Donald Trump is never again near the Oval Office.”
Cheney announced last month that she will release a memoir in November called “Oath and Honor: A Memoir and a Warning.” In addition, she has taken a teaching position at the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics as a professor of practice.
In an interview with BC Heights published last week, Cheney immediately turned to attack Trump after bringing up the riot: “I believed he needed to be removed from office immediately.”
After calling Trump the “most dangerous domestic threat” and claiming Americans must “take great care in whom we entrust with power,” Cheney said “we’ll see what happens” when asked about possibly leaving the Republican Party.
Cheney’s comments come as a new poll found that her support has doubled in the wake of Trump’s indictment, creating a potential shake-up of the 2024 GOP race.
Cheney was at 5% before Trump was indicted and jumped to 10% after the news broke late last week. She’s now in third place behind Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has fallen from 32% to 22% in the latest Trafalgar Group survey of Republican voters.