One of ten House Republicans who voted to impeach former President Donald Trump will no longer seek reelection next fall. These Republicans voted to impeach Trump on a charge that incited the insurrection on the Jan. 6 incident when Trump supporters breached the Capitol. The Trump supporters did such during the electoral vote count that certified the results of the 2020 elections, and now-President Joe Biden won over Trump.
The House Republican Not Seeking Reelection
The House Republican not seeking reelection next fall is Ohio Representative Anthony Gonzalez. According to AOL, Gonzalez said that the current state of politics and the toxic dynamics of the Republican Party influenced his decision not to run next fall.
After Gonzalez announced such, Trump took to his website to say, “1 down, 9 to go,” seemingly talking about the nine other House Republicans who voted to impeach him. It also seems that Trump stuck to his promise when he vowed revenge on those who voted to impeach him as the former president endorsed Gonzalez’s opponent, Max Miller.
AOL reports that the success or failure of the nine House Republicans, who voted to impeach Trump, in the 2022 midterms could be indicators of whether the Republican Party moved on from the issue or if Trump still has the power to end their political careers.
Other House Republicans Who Voted To Impeach Trump
The other House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump are Representatives John Katko, New York; Fred Upton, Michigan; Jaime Herrera Beutler, Washington; Adam Kinzinger, Illinois; Dan Newhouse, Washington; Tom Rice, South Carolina; Peter Meijer, Michigan; David Valadao, California; and Liz Cheney, Wyoming.
After Katko voted to impeach Trump, members of the Republican Party in Onondaga County, within Katko’s district, revoked their support for him. AOL reported that Trump wrote a handwritten letter to Conservative Party President Bernard Ment regarding the withdrawal of support for Katko. He noted it was a great move and ensured Katko would never win again. As for Upton, Trump endorsed Steve Carra in their bid to unseat Upton.
Beutler has faced backlash for the impeachment vote. She revealed reports about a phone call between Trump and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy on Jan. 6 where Trump allegedly seemed unconcerned about the riot. Trump has since endorsed another candidate for Beutler’s seat.
Kinzinger has been a strong and consistent critic of Trump, and he even called the former president a snowflake and one of the weakest men he has ever seen. Another candidate for Kinzinger’s seat, Catalina Lauf, was endorsed by Representative Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina.
Six Republican county leaders in Newhouse’s district called for him to resign after he voted to impeach Trump. Newhouse said, however, that voting against the impeachment is a vote to validate the unacceptable violence people witnessed in the country’s capital. Trump did not back any challengers of Newhouse yet.
Rice already accepted he might unsuccessfully maintain his seat because he voted against Trump. There are many challengers for Rice’s seat. On the other hand, Meijer said that voting to impeach Trump is political suicide, but he said he felt it was necessary for the country’s good. Trump has not backed any challenger for Meijer’s seat. Valadao also has many challengers, but Trump has not endorsed any of them yet.
Cheney Faces The Most Backlash
Cheney is the House Republican who received the most backlash for voting to impeach Trump. AOL quoted Cheney saying, “There has never been a greater betrayal by a president of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution.” Seven other Republicans are challenging Cheney for her seat, and Trump endorsed attorney Harriet Hageman to unseat Cheney.
