Former U.S. representative Liz Cheney, one of the most prominent critics of former President Donald Trump, announced in an interview that she is considering a third-party presidential campaign.
Cheney, who is the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, said that she would decide within the coming months, stating that she would run as either a third-party conservative candidate or on a bipartisan ticket that includes both parties, according to Reuters.
The remarks from Cheney concerning a presidential run came during interviews for her new book, Oath and Honor: A Memoir and a Warning. In the book, Cheney states that Trump was “the most dangerous man ever to inhabit the Oval Office,” as reported by ABC News.
Cheney has previously warned that the U.S. would be “sleepwalking into dictatorship” if Trump were to be elected, which is a major reason why she is considering a presidential campaign, as reported by CBS Sunday Morning.
Cheney’s decision would shift from her previous outlook, noting, “[s]everal years ago, I would not have contemplated a third-party run.”
“I happen to think democracy is at risk at home, obviously, as a result of Donald Trump’s continued grip on the Republican Party, and I think democracy is at risk internationally as well,” she added in an interview with The Washington Post.
However, some may be concerned that Trump would actually benefit if Cheney chose to run, as voters could be pulled away from President Joe Biden.
These concerns were addressed by Cheney, who told the Post those criticisms “will all be part of my calculation as we go into the early months of 2024.”
Cheney also said everyone should consider working together to get the best candidate in office, which “may well be a third-party option.”
“I think that the situation that we’re in is so grave, and the politics of the moment require independents and Republicans and Democrats coming together in a way that can help form a new coalition,” Cheney said to USA Today.
During an appearance on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, Cheney stated that the U.S. “may need to build a new party.”
“I don’t know if our party can be saved,” she added. “But I think those issues have to come after this 2024 cycle because the focus right now has to be on making sure we don’t return Donald Trump to the White House.”
Although voters will not cast their ballots until November 2024, many candidates have already announced their intentions to run for president.
For Republicans, the field includes Trump, along with former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.
Trump is currently leading the way for Republican candidates, as FiveThirtyEight states that he is polling at an average of 59.6% among Republicans.
The second-highest polling average belongs to Desantis, with an average of 12.7%, and the third belongs to Haley, at 10.6%.
Ramaswamy and Christie follow these candidates with polling averages of 4.9% and 2.7%, respectively.
Among Democratic presidential candidates, Biden is currently leading the way, with FiveThirtyEight stating that he is polling at an average of 66.8%.
Biden is followed by author Marianne Williamson with a polling average of 8.4% and Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) with an average of 5.8%.
