In the immediate aftermath of domestic terrorists attacking the Capitol on Jan. 6, Kevin McCarthy, Mitch McConnell, Lindsey Graham, and others spoke up and told the truth about Trump’s culpability in inciting the insurrection. But it didn’t take long for courage to retreat and for most to decide that honesty was not the best policy if they wanted to remain in office. While the momentarily honest men decided to shut their mouths, bend their knees, and prostrate themselves before a demagogue to avoid his wrath, Liz Cheney chose to put her oath to the Constitution first and suffer the consequences. She paid the political price in order to do the right thing. Regardless of what you think about Liz Cheney on policies, you have to respect her fidelity to America and to democracy. As others withered and broke, Liz Cheney didn’t bend.

When I ran for Congress in 2020, I said no one should be in public office who isn’t willing to lose if that’s what it takes to do the right thing. Platitudes like that are easily spoken, but they’re hard to live. I salute Liz Cheney for taking the hard road and paying the price to do what’s right. She put America first in the very best sense of the term.