It's Time to Party

Liz Cheney’s ouster from Republican leadership makes a third political party more likely

- DAVID H. FREEDMAN

IN A VOICE VOTE IN MAY, REPUBLICANS stripped the important role of House Republican Conference leader from Wyoming Representative Liz Cheney, following her outspoken repudiation of former President Donald Trump’s baseless claims of election fraud. In so doing, the GOP continues to make it abundantly clear for the foreseeable future it is the party of Trump.

Which raises a question: Might Cheney, along with other prominent Republicans on the outs with the party because they have withheld fealty to the former president, mount their next election bids as independents—or even form a third party?

The conventional wisdom says no, given the poor showings most independent candidates have historically turned in against the combined might of the two major parties. On the other hand, these are unconventional times in politics, and for the first time in decades the prospects for a third party may be better than poor.

At the moment, those prospects largely depend on Joe Biden. He’s popular right now, at least by recent presidential standards. And it’s no wonder: The swift vaccine rollout is taming the pandemic, a big stimulus package has provided economic help, and a massive infrastructure program that could further prop up the economy is in the works.

What about 2024? In his first press conference on March 25, Biden said it was his “expectation” to run but conceded there was some uncertainty. He’ll be 82 years old, nine years older than Ronald Reagan was when reelected. Before then, Biden will have to navigate the midterm elections and, perhaps, two years of a hostile Congress. By then, Democrats may well be clamoring to give Vice President Kamala Harris or another more progressive and youthful candidate a shot at leading the party and the country.