From left: Liz Cheney, Tim Ryan, J.D. Vance.Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty; Scott Olson/Getty; Drew Angerer/Getty
Ryan is facing Republican newcomer J.D. Vance, the 38-year-old author of the bookHillbilly Elegyand a former venture capitalist who has in recent months molded himself after former PresidentDonald Trump(despite earlier harshly criticizing Trump).
Speaking on aPBS NewsHourpanel in Cleveland this week, Cheney said she would not vote for Vance if she were an Ohio voter. Asked if she would vote for Ryan,Politico reports, she said, “I would.”
Vance won the Republican primary in Ohiolargely due to an endorsementfrom former president Trump, and Trump himself has taken note, saying in a September rally: “J.D. is kissing my a–, he wants my support so much. I think he’s running, J.D., on an ‘I love Donald Trump’ policy. Yeah, he said some bad things about me, but that’s before he knew me, and then he fell in love.”
In an October debate with Vance, 49-year-old Ryan seized on that comment, saying, “Just a few weeks ago in Youngstown, onstage, Donald Trump said to J.D. Vance: ‘All you do is kiss my a– to get my support.'”
Tim Ryan (left), J.D. Vance.SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty; Drew Angerer/Getty
Later in the debate, Ryan returned again to Trump’s comment, saying, “I’m for Ohio. I don’t kiss anyone’s a– like him. Ohio needs an a–kicker not an a–kisser.”
Cheney once chaired the House Republican Conference, the third-highest position in the House GOP leadership, from 2019 to 2021, but Republicans in Wyomingvoted to strip her of her party affiliationlast November.
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Cheney endorsed a Democrat for the first time last month,throwing her support behind Rep. Elissa Slotkinin the race for representative of Michigan’s 7th Congressional District — a race that appears to be a toss-up at this point.
Asked on the PBS panel whether she might endorse other Democrats in coming weeks, Cheney said only “possibly.”
Check your voter registration, locate your polling place, and make a voting plan atVote.orgto ensure that your voice is heard this election season.
source: people.com
