'Federal prison': Liz Cheney trolled amid speculation about her next move and role in 2024 election

WASHINGTON, DC: Speculation is mounting surrounding the potential role of former Rep Liz Cheney (R-Wyo) in the upcoming 2024 election, as both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump edge towards a potential rematch.

With Cheney’s staunch opposition to Trump, coupled with her recent political maneuvers, pundits and strategists are dissecting her next move with keen interest.

From GOP star to MAGA pariah

Cheney, who has vowed to prevent Trump’s return to the White House, has kept the door ajar for various options. She has hinted at the possibility of an independent bid and recently unveiled her political action committee, The Great Task, following Nikki Haley’s withdrawal from the primary challenge against Trump.

Despite her unequivocal stance against Trump, Cheney has declared she won’t spoil the election as a third-party candidate, prompting speculation that she might publicly endorse Biden instead.

 Democratic strategist Jennifer Holdsworth expressed openness to such a scenario.

“If you had asked me 20 years ago, whether I thought it was a really good idea for Democrats to team up with a Cheney, I would have told you that you were drinking something,” Holdsworth told The Hill. “But in this day and age, I think the more democracy-focused folks we have working towards the same goal, the better.” 

Cheney's political trajectory underwent a seismic shift after the Jan 6, 2021, Capitol attack, transforming her from a rising GOP star to a pariah within her party due to her vocal opposition to Trump.

Despite her conservative credentials, she was ousted from her leadership position and faced a primary defeat to a Trump-backed candidate over her defiance of Trump’s election fraud claims and his role in the Capitol riot.

Emerging as a prominent figure in the anti-Trump movement, Cheney has chaired a bipartisan panel investigating the events of Jan 6 and used her platform to campaign against Trump-aligned candidates while endorsing select Democrats during the 2022 midterms.

Liz Cheney's presidential ambitions

With hints of presidential ambitions, Cheney has left the door open to a White House run.

“I haven’t made a decision about that,” the former congresswoman said on 'The View' in January.

“But I think it’s really important, I mean, what you said — this election cycle, everybody has to go vote. Everybody has to go vote, and you’ve got to be willing to say, ‘Look, I’m not necessarily going to vote for the candidate who belongs to the party that I belong to, I’m going to find the candidate who I know I can trust to defend the Constitution.’”  

However, Cheney’s reluctance to aid Trump directly has led to speculation about her potential impact on the 2024 election. Some Democrats advocate for her public endorsement of Biden to consolidate anti-Trump voters, fearing that an independent candidacy could split the opposition and inadvertently benefit Trump.

Florida-based Democratic pollster Fernand Amandi stressed the importance of Cheney’s endorsement in attracting anti-Trump conservatives away from third-party alternatives.

“The problem is that the specter of third-party candidates means that there could be off-ramps for anti-Trump conservatives swayed by Cheney … who might then vote third party, which would be a benefit for Trump, not Biden,” Amandi told The Hill.

As the 2024 election looms, Cheney remains coy about her intentions, navigating a delicate political landscape as a vocal Trump critic within a party whose ideologies she still largely shares. Her actions have the potential to sway voters in critical battleground states, underscoring her significance despite being part of a minority faction within the GOP.

President Biden has acknowledged Cheney’s stance against Trump while expressing admiration for her principled stand. “I don’t agree with anything that Liz Cheney believes about the substantive issues, but I admire the hell out of her," he said.

Social Media Reactions

Social media was inundated with reactions amid speculation about Cheney's next move.

"Federal prison," one quipped on X.

"Liz Cheney belongs in jail for hiding evidence that exonerated Trump. The entire J6 committee should go to prison," another posted.

"No one cares about what Cheney is doing," a comment read.

"She really only has two choices. 'Republican' talking head on CNN/ MSNBC. Or, working for the military-industrial complex as a lobbyist," someone else offered.

"Liz Cheney conservatives can't stand you...Go join the Democratic Party, take all the GOP RINOs with you," another wrote.