“Dick Cheney will be voting for Kamala Harris,” Liz Cheney said, as Leibovich responded with a simple, “Wow.”
Dick Cheney’s endorsement of Harris marks a historic break from his party and a firm stance against Donald Trump, who has become a polarizing figure within the GOP.Cheney, once a staunch supporter of conservative values, has been a vocal critic of Trump, particularly since his daughter’s failed re-election campaign in 2022. In a campaign ad for Liz Cheney during her bid for a fourth term in Wyoming, the elder Cheney called Trump a “coward” for attempting to “steal the last election using lies and violence.”
The ad did little to sway voters in the deeply pro-Trump state, where Liz Cheney lost her primary by a 2-to-1 margin to Trump-backed candidate Harriet Hageman.
Though absent from Friday’s event, Dick Cheney, now 83 and dealing with ongoing health issues, later confirmed his endorsement of Harris in a statement, echoing sentiments from his 2022 ad. “He can never be trusted with power again,” Cheney wrote, referring to Trump. “As citizens, we each have a duty to put country above partisanship to defend our Constitution. That is why I will be casting my vote for Vice President Kamala Harris.”
Despite his long-standing ties with Republicans and previous friendships with Democrats, Cheney has never supported a Democrat for president. Both he and his daughter initially backed Trump in 2016 but began distancing themselves after Trump criticized the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq—conflicts that were central to Cheney’s tenure as vice president under George W. Bush.
Meanwhile, Trump’s camp remained dismissive of Cheney’s endorsement. When asked for comment, Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung replied, “Who is Liz Cheney?” — a sarcastic jab underscoring the former president’s longstanding feud with the Cheneys.
Several other Republicans have also distanced themselves from Trump. Sen. Mitt Romney and former Vice President Mike Pence have both made clear they will not be voting for Trump in the upcoming election, though neither has endorsed Harris. Romney, who is retiring from the Senate, has also been one of the few within the GOP still holding office to voice open criticism of Trump.
As the 2024 election approaches, the Cheney family’s rift with the Republican Party underscores the deep divides within the GOP over Trump’s influence, as high-profile figures continue to break ranks ahead of a contentious presidential race.