Wednesday vote on ousting Cheney from US Republican leadership

[WASHINGTON] US House Republicans vote on Wednesday on whether to boot congresswoman Liz Cheney from a leadership role for criticising Donald Trump over his election falsehoods, in what could be a defining moment for the party.

House of Representatives Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said in a letter Monday that the party needed to focus on next year's midterm elections rather than debate allegiance to Mr Trump.

"Each day spent relitigating the past is one day less we have to seize the future," Mr McCarthy wrote to Republican members.

"It's clear that we need to make a change. As such, you should anticipate a vote on recalling the conference chair this Wednesday."

Ms Cheney, a traditional conservative who voted to impeach Mr Trump in January, is almost certain to lose her position as chair of the House Republican conference.

Mr Trump, Mr McCarthy, and number two House Republican Steve Scalise have all endorsed congresswoman Elise Stefanik, a former moderate representing upstate New York who latched on to Mr Trump beginning in 2019, for the job.

While Ms Cheney has repeatedly warned against embracing Trump's "big lie" that the election was stolen, 36-year-old Stefanik has been reiterating the defeated president's position that his loss was due to fraud by Democrats.

"The House GOP has a massive opportunity to upgrade this week from warmonger Liz Cheney to gifted communicator Elise Stefanik," Mr Trump said on Monday in a statement.

Mr McCarthy hopes replacing Ms Cheney will smooth over party divisions heading into the midterms, but some believe the move will only deepen Republican discord.

"Expelling Liz Cheney from leadership won't gain the GOP one additional voter, but it will cost us quite a few," tweeted Republican Senator Mitt Romney, a Trump critic.

AFP