Impeachment of Donald Trump: Wyoming Republicans tear themselves apart
Audio 01:32
Supporters of Donald Trump demonstrate against Representative Liz Cheney, who voted to hold the former US president's impeachment trial, January 28, 2021 in Cheyenne outside the Wyoming State Capitol.
AP - Michael Cummo
Text by: Eric de Salve Follow
7 min
Donald Trump's impeachment trial opens this Tuesday, February 9, before the Senate in Washington.
A trial that tears the Republican Party apart.
Example in Wyoming, the most republican state in the United States, which voted 70% for the incumbent president on November 3.
In this rural and mining state, the fervor for the billionaire beaten by Joe Biden is still intact, to the point that a fratricidal war is currently being played out within the party.
On the one hand, the radical and majority Trumpist wing and on the other, the more traditional moderates who wish to turn the page on Trumpism.
This weekend, the Republican Party voted a motion of censure against its MP Liz Cheney because she is one of the elected officials who voted for Donald Trump's impeachment in the House of Representatives.
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With our special correspondent in Gillette (Wyoming),
Éric de Salve
In the city of Gillette, 82% of voters voted Donald Trump.
So here, Liz Cheney's vote in the House in favor of her impeachment does not pass.
It is quite simply experienced as a betrayal.
And yet, Liz Cheney is not a leftist.
For four years, she faithfully voted and approved over 90% of Trump's decisions.
Liz Cheney is not just any chosen one either.
In the protocol of the House, she is the third most important figure.
Finally, here in Wyoming, Cheney's name particularly resonates.
Liz is indeed the daughter of
Dick Cheney
, the former vice-president of George W. Bush.
However, all this did not prevent her party from voting against her in a motion of censure, accusing her of not defending Trump and of being a fake Republican, a "
paper Republican
."
►
To read also: United States: Liz Cheney retains his post against a backdrop of internal war among the Republicans
"
She will not be re-elected
"
Sheley Horn voted for Liz Cheney last November.
But three months later, she has not forgiven him for voting against Trump.
So on the internet, she launched a
petition asking for her dismissal
.
His petition has already collected more than 60,000 signatures.
“
When she announced that she was going to vote against Trump, that she was going to vote her impeachment, I first found it completely ridiculous,”
says Shelley Horn.
Why remove a president who had finished his term anyway?
She tore the party apart.
She's the one tearing the party apart.
She is completely disconnected.
She's a fake Republican.
I think his career is screwed up.
I am sure.
Voters will vote against it.
It's certain.
There is still a small minority which still supports it but for the majority of the base it is already gone.
She will not be re-elected.
"
Shelley Horn, author of the online petition calling for the impeachment of Republican Representative from Wyoming Liz Cheney, after her vote in favor of the impeachment process against Donald Trump.
© RFI / Éric de Salve
These words are confirmed in the polls: Liz Cheney unscrews.
A fiercely Trumpist candidate is already campaigning against her here for the next election in two years.
A situation that sounds like a warning for Republican senators who would also be tempted to vote for the impeachment of Donald Trump.
Counterproductive lawsuit
Liz Cheney still has supporters in her state of Wyoming.
These elected officials claim to belong to a traditional Republican party, that of Reagan, George Bush.
They want to turn the page on the Trump years.
Conscious of being in the minority today, they accuse the former president of having allowed the most extreme fringe to take control of the Republican Party.
Yet many like Mark Christensen, a former local elected official close to Liz Cheney, fear that the trial is simply counterproductive.
“
For the Republican Party, either the trial will not be a good thing because Trump will come out stronger, or the party manages to come together to find him guilty,
judge Mark Christensen.
This will have the advantage of preventing it from showing up again.
This would allow the Republican Party to turn the Trump page.
But I don't think that will happen.
I think most senators and congressmen are like me: they don't like Trump.
Maybe they even hate him.
But they are afraid that they cannot be elected without its base of supporters.
"
►
To read also: Impeachment of Donald Trump: the impossible task of senators
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