The Cheney-McCarthy rift busts open

Liz Cheney and Kevin McCarthy are making two very different bets on Donald Trump — and the one who guesses right may find themselves with a future leading the GOP.

The decision by Cheney, the No. 3 House Republican, to split with the minority leader and embrace Trump’s impeachment marks the most dramatic rift in the upper rungs of GOP leadership since Trump took office. It caps a years-long tussle between the party leaders over how closely the GOP should align itself with Trump and where the party should go after he leaves office.

And the impeachment divide is only going to fuel speculation in the Capitol and beyond about whether Cheney — who passed on a Senate bid to seek her fortunes in the House — will try to take on McCarthy one day. McCarthy, who built his political brand around his ties to Trump and impressive fundraising, is sure to face questions about whether he can lead his party back to the majority after he stood by Trump’s efforts to overturn the election and a bloody insurrection followed.

https://www.politico.com/news/2021/01/12/liz-cheney-kevin-mccarthy-rift-busts-open-458614