Liz Cheney Responds to Kamala Harris Cabinet Rumor

Former Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney has addressed speculation regarding a potential appointment to Vice President Kamala Harris' cabinet, should Harris win the presidency in November.

On August 29, Vice President Harris mentioned on CNN her willingness to consider appointing a Republican to her cabinet if elected. She stated, "I believe it’s crucial to invite a diversity of opinions. It’s important to have a range of perspectives and experiences at the decision-making table. I think it would benefit the American public to include a Republican in my Cabinet."

In a recent interview with Texas station WFAA, Cheney, who has endorsed Colin Allred, the Democrat running against incumbent Ted Cruz for the Texas Senate seat, was asked about any discussions she might have had with Harris regarding a cabinet position. Cheney responded, "I have not had any such discussions. My focus is on the upcoming November election and supporting strong candidates like Colin Allred."

Appointments of opposition party members to a cabinet are uncommon. Notable exceptions include Chuck Hagel, a Republican Senator from Nebraska who served as Secretary of Defense under President Barack Obama, and Norman Mineta, a Democrat who was Secretary of Transportation during President George W. Bush’s administration.

Cheney, a prominent critic of Donald Trump who lost her Wyoming seat after supporting Trump’s second impeachment and serving as vice chair of the January 6 Select Committee, along with her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, has endorsed Kamala Harris in the presidential race. Cheney emphasized, "The choice in Texas is clear. Colin Allred is a candidate of competence and character, and it's important to support him."

Cheney also criticized Cruz, saying, "I have known Ted Cruz for over 20 years and am aware that he will say anything to further his own political agenda. We need public servants of goodwill who will act with integrity."

Despite Texas being a Republican stronghold with Cruz holding his Senate seat since 2012 and the state backing the Republican presidential nominee in every election since 1976, recent polling indicates a competitive race. A survey of 800 voters by Texas Public Opinion Research, released Friday, showed Allred trailing Cruz by 4 percentage points (47% to 43%), with a margin of error of 3.5%.

Though Trump mocked Cruz and his wife during the 2016 Republican primary, Cruz has become one of Trump's staunch allies in Congress. Prior to Congress certifying the 2020 election results, Cruz announced plans to object to electors from certain states amid voter fraud allegations. He continued to support this stance on January 6, 2021, and objected to certifying Arizona's electoral votes before the U.S. Capitol was stormed by Trump supporters in an attempt to disrupt the certification process.