Under normal circumstances, I would not be a fan of Liz Cheney’s (R-WY).
Her voting record is pretty much 180 degrees from policies I support. Pick an issue - LGBTQ rights, abortion, tax policy, guns, foreign policy - and she and I have opposite positions.
I would not vote for her on a bet.
And yet …
Liz Cheney is allowed to vote as she sees fit, even if I find her choices reprehensible. That is the way the system works. She is allowed to make decisions as her constituents desire - and as her conscience dictates.
And that is why I find myself in the strange position of admiring Liz Cheney - especially after her masterful performance at last night’s public hearing of the House Select Committee on January 6.
While I object to the majority of Cheney’s votes, I cannot object to the fact that she followed the rules. But when confronted with a president who refused to follow the rules, she did the right thing. She stood by her oath to the Constitution. She stood by the rule of law.
And she is paying a very high price for that decision. According to the latest polls, Cheney is nearly 30 points behind her (Trump-endorsed) opponent. She will likely lose her seat in Congress. Her future political career is in doubt.
What she is showing is called political courage. It is tragically rare in this country. The vast majority of elected officials - at all levels and in all parties - seem to care more about staying in office and maintaining power.
Going forward, Liz Cheney will influence how I vote - not regarding policy, but regarding honor. I will do my best to select candidates who will risk their office to do the right thing.
Isn’t that’s the way it’s supposed to be?