Yes, Liz Cheney was defeated in August. No, that does not mean she still couldn’t be Speaker of the House — even if she’s not a member of Congress.
That scenario is worrying Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene.
How To Become Speaker
A person doesn’t have to be a member of Congress to be speaker. All they have to do is get the majority of the votes in the House.
So the theory is, if Republicans are fractured between Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and others vying for the position, Democrats could nominate Cheney.
And because Democrats won’t like whoever the Republicans nominate, they could all line up behind Cheney thinking that she’s better than anyone else on the GOP’s side. Plus, it gives them a chance to infuriate the Republicans.
RINOs
But there would need to be a few from the Republican Party who switchover. That’s the key. And that’s what Taylor-Greene is worried about.
Appearing on former Trump advisor Steve Bannon’s podcast on Monday, she voiced her very real concerns over Republicans who might just broker a deal.
“We cannot open the door to what the Democrats are doing right now, and that is scurrying all the way around looking for any weak RINO (Republican In Name Only) sellout Republicans that will join them,” Greene said on the podcast. “That is what’s happening right now, and I find that terrifying.”
“It’s very, very risky right now to produce a leadership challenge, especially for Speaker of the House, when they are going to open the door and allow Liz Cheney, possibly, to become Speaker,” she said.
“Here’s the harsh reality,” she continued. “There are Republicans in our conference right now that would make a deal with the Democrats and cross over.”
Late last week, she vowed she wouldn’t let it happen. “There will NOT be a Liz Cheney Speakership. She’s looking for a job, but she won’t get that one,” she tweeted.
But there’s only so much she can do.
Hageman
So, she’ll be busy working with her colleagues to rally support behind McCarthy, she said. And it appears she’s already met with incoming Rep. Harriet Hageman.
“I just want to thank Harriet Hageman for kicking your ass,” she tweeted to Cheney. “I’m really enjoying getting to know her this week.”
