Liz Cheney Says Conservatives Need to Take Drastic Step Since GOP Has 'Been So Corrupted' By Trump

Liz Cheney, a former Republican representative, believes the Republican Party is beyond savings, at least with the current status quo. She believes Donald Trump has damaged it for the past nine years. Cheney expressed her opinions during an interview with Peter Baker of The New York Times at an event in Wisconsin. Cheney didn't hold back her criticism of her former party: "It's hard for me to see how the Republican Party survives because it's been so corrupted." 

Cheney thinks America needs two strong political parties and with that, she feels the Republican Party might not be a good home for traditional conservatives anymore. She was worried about how much the party changed because of Trump. Cheney wasn't optimistic when asked if the party could get rid of Trump's influence. She explained, "We need our political system to reflect the goodness of the American people." Then, she suggested that starting a new party might be the need of the hour.

For what it's worth, it seems as though Cheney truly believes the damage to the Republican Party is severe. "I don't think it will just simply be, 'Well, the Republican Party is gonna put up a new slate of candidates and off to the races,'" she said. "I think far too much has happened. It's too damaging," as per the Independent.

The idea of forming a new party isn't new in American politics. Baker reminded Cheney that the Republican Party itself was born from the ashes of the Whig Party in the 1850s. Cheney agreed something similar might be necessary now. She explained, "It may well be because again, so much of the Republican Party today has allowed itself to become a tool for this really unstable man."

Cheney's criticism of Trump and the current Republican Party isn't just talk. She and her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, plan to vote for Democrat Kamala Harris in the forthcoming election; this is a big deal for two lifelong Republicans. But she isn't alone in her concerns. Over 100 former Republican officials have publicly supported Harris. They signed a letter saying Trump is 'unfit to serve again as President, or indeed in any office of public trust.' These officials include former defense secretaries and CIA directors. 

The letter was very critical of Trump's time as president. It said, "As President, he promoted daily chaos in government, praised our enemies and undermined our allies, politicized the military and disparaged our veterans, prioritized his personal interest above American interests, and betrayed our values, democracy, and this country's founding documents."

Cheney wanted people to vote for 'serious, responsible' candidates while encouraging more people to get involved in politics. She stated, "And so I think making sure that on an individual basis, we’re casting votes for serious, responsible people – that we’re encouraging people to get involved and run. There is certainly going to be a big shift I think in how our politics work. I don't know exactly what that will look like." as per Mediaite.