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- Sen. Jodi Ernst, an Iowa Republican, said some in her party “are trying to silence others.”
- Her comments came as House Republicans seek to purge Rep. Liz Cheney from leadership.
- Cheney has angered some Republicans by recognizing the legitimacy of President Joe Biden’s election.
- See more stories on Insider’s business page.
A Republican senator is speaking against “cancel culture” – not on the left, this time, but within her own party.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Sen. Jodi Ernst accused some in the GOP of seeking to purge dissent, with party members on the verge of removing Rep. Liz Cheney from her leadership in the position in the House.
Cheney, a Wyoming Republican and otherwise staunch conservative, has repeatedly condemned former President Donald Trump’s incitement of a riot on January 6 and acknowledged the legitimacy of President Joe Biden’s election. That has angered Republicans, a majority of whom believe false claims of voter fraud, according to a recent poll.
On Monday, House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy announced his caucus would vote this week on whether to eject Cheney from her position as GOP conference chair.
Ernst, an Iowa Republican, said that sends a bad message about the party’s openness to dissenting views. “Cancel culture is cancel culture, no matter how you look at it,” she said. “And, unfortunately, I think there are those that are trying to silence others in the party.”
Still, Ernst clarified that while she agrees with Cheney when it comes to the last election’s results, she remains loyal to the man who lost. “I support President Trump and his policies, so I have a slightly different view on that,” she said.
“But I still think we shouldn’t be trying to cancel voices,” Ernst said.
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