U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney lost her Wyoming House seat on August 16, 2022, in a primary election that turned on perceptions of former President Donald Trump. In her concession speech, Cheney mentioned Abraham Lincoln.
What specifically did Cheney say? Did she compare herself to Abraham Lincoln? You can see her remarks on video below.
Cheney was one of former President Donald Trump’s sharpest Republican critics on January 6 and impeachment. She lost the primary race to a Trump-backed opponent.
Here’s what you need to know:
Cheney Described How Lincoln ‘Saved Our Union’
Liz Cheney likens herself to Abraham Lincoln because he also lost elections.
When Cheney evoked Lincoln, it sparked a round of speculation that she was teasing a 2024 presidential bid.
“The great and original champion of our party, Abraham Lincoln, was defeated in elections for the Senate and the House before he won the most important election of them all,” she said.
“Lincoln ultimately prevailed, he saved our union, and he defined our obligated as Americans for all of history.”
Cheney then quoted the Gettsyburg Address, which Lincoln gave to honor Civil War dead.
She added, “Speaking at Gettysburg of the great task remaining before us, Lincoln said that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not perish from this earth.”
The Lincoln Comparison Sparked a Round of Debate on Twitter
Some people mocked Cheney for the comments about Abraham Lincoln.
“Talk about delusional people @RepLizCheney just compared herself to Abraham Lincoln. That’s a reach don’t ya think Liz? #LizCheney #LizLincoln,” wrote one man.
Lincoln quickly became a meme.
Liz Cheney you are no Abraham Lincoln.
#LIZCHENY #AbrahamLincoln
“So, no humility from Liz Cheney tonight, huh? She thinks she’s like Abraham Lincoln. Got it,” wrote another critic on Twitter.
However, others criticized the Cheney critics. “You are correct that the current version of the Republican Party is not anything like Liz Cheney,” tweeted one. “If you were honest, you are nothing like Abraham Lincoln yourself. In fact, I cannot think of any Republican these days who is. What’s happened to the Grand Old Party is a tragedy.”
Cheney Criticized Donald Trump After Her Loss
“Two years ago, I won this primary with 73% of the vote. I could easily have done the same again,” Rep. Liz Cheney says to supporters. “But it would have required that I go along with Pres. Trump’s lie about the 2020 election.”
“That was a path I could and would not take.”
In the speech after her defeat, Cheney doubled down.
“Today, our federal law enforcement is being threatened, a federal judge is being threatened. Fresh threats of violence are rising everywhere,” she said, according to CNN.
“And despite knowing all of this, Donald Trump recently released the names of the FBI agents involved in the search. That was purposeful and malicious. No patriotic American should excuse these threats or be intimidated by them,” Cheney said. “Our great nation, must not be ruled by a mob provoked over social media.”
She added, “Our duty as citizens of this republic is not only to defend the freedom that has been handed down to us. We also have an obligation to learn from the actions of those who came before. To know the stories of greats and perseverance.”
Cheney is the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney. She was defeated in the primary by Harriet Hageman. “One of the things, I think, we need to do is make the federal government largely irrelevant to our everyday lives,” Hageman said, according to CNN. Trump backed Hageman in the race.
For his part, Trump wrote on Truth Social that Cheney “should be ashamed of herself, the way she acted, and her spiteful, sanctimonious words and actions towards others. Now she can finally disappear into the depths of political oblivion.”
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