Cheney says GOP must 'steer away from the dangerous and anti-democratic Trump cult of personality'

GOP Rep. Liz Cheney in an op-ed published Wednesday continued to push back against former President Trump's claim that the 2020 presidential election was tainted by fraud.

"Trump is seeking to unravel critical elements of our constitutional structure that make democracy work — confidence in the result of elections and the rule of law, wrote Cheney, the No. 3 House Republican. "No other American president has ever done this. The Republican Party is at a turning point, and Republicans must decide whether we are going to choose truth and fidelity to the Constitution."

Cheney, from Wyoming, was one of the 10 GOP House members to vote in favor of impeaching then-President Trump in the wake of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. 

She handily survived a vote to remove her as House Conference chairwoman, But her ongoing feud with Trump over the issue of election fraud has become a major distraction for the House Republican Conference, which is poise next week to take a second such vote that is expected to be successful. 

"Finally, we Republicans need to stand for genuinely conservative principles, and steer away from the dangerous and anti-democratic Trump cult of personality," Cheney also wrote in her op-ed.

Trump in a statement Wednesday endorsed New York GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik to serve as the House GOP Conference chairwoman. The former president made the statement after a public backing for Stefanik from the office of Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise, the House minority whip, the No. 2 chamber Republican.

"Liz Cheney is a warmongering fool who has no business in Republican Party Leadership," Trump said in the endorsement. "We want leaders who believe in the Make America Great Again movement, and prioritize the values of America First. Elise Stefanik is a far superior choice, and she has my COMPLETE and TOTAL endorsement for GOP Conference Chair. Elise is a tough and smart communicator!"