The effort to actually oust Cheney continues to be viewed as a long shot by GOP aides watching the process. While it is expected the conference may have to hold a special meeting on the topic, actually ousting Cheney is much harder. The conference would have to vote on a resolution asking her to step down and a majority would have to back it, something that aides don’t expect is possible right now.
“There is angst, but I don’t think they get there,” one Republican aide told CNN on the condition of background to freely discuss the issue…
Behind the scenes, frustration with Cheney has grown not simply over the fact that she voted to impeach President Donald Trump, but in how she went about it. The scathing statement against Trump was delivered the day before the vote giving Democrats a chance to use it over and over again in their calls to impeach Trump on the floor. Still, aides argue McCarthy is focused on keeping intra-party fights at bay as House Republicans recalibrate and set their sights on winning back the House in 2022. One former senior GOP official told CNN that ousting Cheney would be a massive step backward for the party.
