* Greg Hinz…
Tomorrow’s showdown vote on whether U.S. House Republicans will dump Rep. Liz Cheney as their No. 3 leader may well tell us a lot about the future of Illinois Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, and whether he’s seriously eyeing a race against Gov. J.B. Pritzker next year.
A vote to remove the Wyoming Republican will be taken as a sign that Davis, who has been rising fast in the GOP ranks and is considered a close ally of House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy, wants to stay in the House, where some consider him a committee chairman-in-waiting if the GOP takes control of that chamber next year. […]
(W)hat might be popular downstate or in pro-Trump areas tends to be the opposite in the rest of now- heavily blue Illinois. Says one top state Republican, speaking privately, “If he’s going to run for governor, he can’t vote to get rid of Cheney.”
Davis has a long voting history, so I doubt it’ll come down to that one vote in an actual gubernatorial election. But it will be watched closely by people who follow this sort of thing - a sort of “pundit moment” for Davis.
* The vote will take place behind closed doors, however. So there’s no guarantee we’ll know for sure what happened with individual members. From the DCCC…
Just days after GOP Congresswoman Liz Cheney did the bare minimum and refused to promote the Big Lie that the 2020 presidential election was stolen, House Republicans shamelessly began their effort to replace her as the Number 3 Republican in the caucus. In her place, Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has propped up Elise Stefanik, a Trump loyalist who peddles dangerous conspiracies about the results of the election.
Evidently, McCarthy’s concern about the silencing of conservative voices doesn’t apply if it’s a woman in his caucus who refuses to lie. If Republicans believe this vote is fair, why are they choosing to hide behind a secret ballot? Rep. Rodney Davis has refused to tell the Chicago Sun Times and Illinois Playbook where he stands — voters deserve to know whether he will punish Rep. Cheney for voicing the truth.
It’s clear that in order to succeed in the House GOP, members must promote dangerous conspiracies like the ones that caused the deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
“It’s increasingly obvious that there’s only room in the House Republican caucus for people who will continue to promote Trump’s Big Lie and put our democracy at risk. This vote tells the American people that McCarthy and Republicans would rather punish Rep. Cheney for telling the truth about our elections than denounce Marjorie Taylor Greene’s racist white supremacist caucus or Matt Gaetz’s credibly alleged sex trafficking crimes. Rep. Rodney Davis owes it to his voters to let them know which side he stands on,” said DCCC Spokesperson Elena Kuhn.
- Dotnonymousq - Tuesday, May 11, 21 @ 3:08 pm:
Is Rodney Davis for Trump or Democracy… is a question soon answered.
- Chicago Cynic - Tuesday, May 11, 21 @ 3:18 pm:
Knowing Rodney, he’ll vote to remove her if for no other reason than to keep speculation alive around his plans. He likes being talked about.
- Jibba - Tuesday, May 11, 21 @ 3:21 pm:
Davis doesn’t have a history of taking principled stands, so she’s toast.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 11, 21 @ 3:21 pm:
Rodney Davis twice voted not to impeach Donald Trump, the second time not voting to impeach a sitting president who incited an insurrection of the government.
- Chuck Button - Tuesday, May 11, 21 @ 3:29 pm:
In his long history in elected and appointed office, what has Mr. Davis accomplished? Any substantial wins for people across Illinois? Asking for a friend.
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, May 11, 21 @ 3:29 pm:
One good vote isn’t going to cleanse the stink from his otherwise pro-Trump voting record.
- Kind Critic - Tuesday, May 11, 21 @ 3:34 pm:
The vote will be by secret ballot. Not sure what the point of this “story” is. Do Democrats suddenly think Liz Cheney is now the paragon of virtue? Silly partisan nonsense.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 11, 21 @ 3:36 pm:
=== Do Democrats suddenly think Liz Cheney is now the paragon of virtue?===
Either the election was stolen, or the truth is that it’s a big lie and should be seen as such.
- Candy Dogood - Tuesday, May 11, 21 @ 3:40 pm:
Hey now, lets not set ourselves up for disappointment by having any kind of expectation related to Congressman Davis.
- Manchester - Tuesday, May 11, 21 @ 3:57 pm:
Rodney Davis, an unprincipled empty suit no matter which way he votes on this one item.
- truthteller - Tuesday, May 11, 21 @ 3:57 pm:
Davis will lose easily to Priztker, so I do hope he does run.
- 13thRes - Tuesday, May 11, 21 @ 4:14 pm:
Is there actually possible path for a Davis victory against Pritzker? His voting record in the house is super conservative and he has said he enjoyed working with President Trump during 2020. Idk how that’d factor in. How popular is Pritzker in Chicago, Cook suburbs, or the collars?
- 13thRes - Tuesday, May 11, 21 @ 4:16 pm:
Also wanted to ask if Schimpf or Bailey would drop out if Davis does run.
- SAP - Tuesday, May 11, 21 @ 4:19 pm:
This was before the Electoral College met, but I think Davis is open to the concept that Joe Biden won legitimately.
Davis: Well, he has every right to make sure that every legal challenge that he and his team want to mount is made. He has every right to to wait until the Electoral College, which is the process our Constitution lays out, that chooses the president, meets and chooses the president. And I fully anticipate based upon the results, the Electoral College will choose Joe Biden as the next president.
But you know, this is an issue that the president is going to continue to pursue all legal options to make sure every vote that was cast was legally cast and counted.
- SpiDem - Tuesday, May 11, 21 @ 4:25 pm:
It’s a secret ballot. We’ll never know how he really voted, just what he says for political expediency
- Jason - Tuesday, May 11, 21 @ 4:28 pm:
Democrats would not want someone in their leadership who is like Cheney. She was not thrown out a few months ago. She deserves to lose her leadership post.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 11, 21 @ 4:31 pm:
=== Democrats would not want someone in their leadership who is like Cheney. She was not thrown out a few months ago. She deserves to lose her leadership post.===
I don’t understand this gibberish
- thoughts matter - Tuesday, May 11, 21 @ 5:14 pm:
Besides the heavily blue part of the state, there are plenty of us that can be described as registered Republican but not planning on voting Republican any time soon. Or former Republican but now independent. I’m done - or over it as they say. I’m not voting for any GOP candidate that makes the trip to Maralago or who can’t find the moral principles to disavow Trump.
So Davis, Butler, Lahood, whomever, can just continue to ignore us since we don’t matter to them. I’d love Kinzinger to to run for state-wide office,
- Bruce( no not him) - Tuesday, May 11, 21 @ 5:40 pm:
Wasn’t it just a like a week ago he was the most bi-partisan member of congress?
- Unconventionalwisdom - Tuesday, May 11, 21 @ 5:46 pm:
Pritzker will win easily in this state no matter who the Republicans run against him. Only some scandal would prevent it and I don’t see or sense any scandal with Pritzker.
- Radio Frequency - Tuesday, May 11, 21 @ 5:49 pm:
Either way he votes and if it comes out, he will claim that it was a bipartisan move. /s
Because he is one of the most bipartisan members of Congress, as he is wont to constantly tell everyone.
- Unconventionalwisdom - Tuesday, May 11, 21 @ 5:53 pm:
Cheney is gone no matter how Davis votes. Even many who wish Trump would have kept his mouth shut more I tired of the old political elites of the GOP and Cheney, like her dad, represents them.
The GOP in her state have cast her off and she would not survive a primary challenge.
Destined for a gig as a political pundit at some level. Maybe CNN will pick her up.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 11, 21 @ 6:18 pm:
===tired of the old political elites of the GOP and Cheney, like her dad, represents them.===
“Trump is new, fresh, ‘different’, and wants to drain the swamp. Anyone who isn’t with him is the enemy of the people”
Cults sound like this, this is what Cheney, Kinzinger, anyone willing to tell truth that might hurt the cult leader faces, even today.
In reality, it’s not that these folks are against Cheney, the Bushes, Romney… they want their cult to be legitimized by owning a brand that was a legitimate party, and if that means trashing the party and its stalwarts because the cult leader needs complete power…
- Nick - Tuesday, May 11, 21 @ 7:18 pm:
This is, I think, a bit too inside the beltway to matter or indicate much of anything
But is exactly what reporters love to pay attention to
- Al - Tuesday, May 11, 21 @ 8:08 pm:
Be nice; he could be Governor come January 2023.
- Manchester - Tuesday, May 11, 21 @ 9:02 pm:
Dream on Al.
- Asteroid of Caution - Tuesday, May 11, 21 @ 9:23 pm:
– The vote will take place behind closed doors, –
I trust Mr. Maxwell won’t let this rest. Where is this secret vote?