WASHINGTON — House Republicans are expected to elect Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., as their conference chair Friday morning, replacing Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., who was removed from that position on Wednesday.
Members will meet behind closed doors at the Capitol at 8:30 a.m. to hold the vote, which could be taken by voice vote or a secret ballot, depending on what lawmakers demand.
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Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, is challenging Stefanik, saying he has been frustrated by her “coronation” and thinks the conference should have a choice. Roy, a member of the ultra-conservative Freedom Caucus, is expected to be easily defeated.
After delivering a speech at a Republican candidate forum Thursday, Stefanik tweeted, “Thank you to my colleagues in the Republican Conference for the opportunity to participate in today’s forum. Great questions from all Members and great discussion with Chip. A productive forum for the House GOP team!”
Over the last week, House GOP leaders have expressed support for Stefanik, who also received an endorsement from former President Donald Trump.
House Republicans ousted Cheney from the No. 3 position in leadership Wednesday during a closed-door meeting after she voted to impeach Trump for his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol and rebuked him for what she called his “big lie” that the 2020 presidential election was stolen.
Following her removal, Cheney said she remained committed to helping restore her party, calling the GOP’s embrace of Trump’s election falsehoods “an ongoing threat” and adding that “silence is not an option.”
“Right now I am very focused on making sure that our party becomes again a party that stands for truth and stands for fundamental principles that are conservative,” Cheney said in an interview with NBC’s “TODAY” show, adding that Trump “must not ever again be anywhere close to the Oval Office.”
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
