WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former President Donald Trump has endorsed challengers to six congressional Republicans, part of his effort to assert dominance over the party after losing his re-election bid last year to Democrat Joe Biden.
Trump's fire has been focused on the handful of Republican lawmakers who voted to impeach him on a charge of inciting the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot, or to convict him on that charge in a Senate trial that ultimately ended in his acquittal.
Below are notable Republicans whom Trump has targeted through his endorsements.
REPRESENTATIVE PETER MEIJER
Meijer, a first-term member of Congress from Grand Rapids, Michigan, said he voted for impeachment with a "heavy heart."
Trump on Nov. 15 endorsed John Gibbs' primary challenge of Meijer, calling him "a fabulous talent who loves the State, our Military, and our Vets." Gibbs served in Trump's administration.
REPRESENTATIVE ANTHONY GONZALEZ
Gonzalez, a two-term U.S. representative from Ohio who voted to impeach Trump for inciting supporters to launch a deadly assault on the Capitol, in September became the first of Trump's targets to withdraw https://www.reuters.com/world/us/republican-congressman-who-voted-impeach-trump-wont-seek-re-election-2021-09-17 from a re-election bid after the former president endorsed a Republican challenger.
Gonzalez' impeachment vote had drawn rebuke from the Ohio Republican Party, which in May called on him to resign his seat in Congress. In a statement, Gonzalez said "the toxic dynamics inside our own party" played a role in his withdrawal. Trump has endorsed former White House aide Max Miller for Gonzalez's seat.
REPRESENTATIVE LIZ CHENEY
Cheney was the highest-profile lawmaker of the 10 Republicans in the House of Representatives who voted to impeach Trump. A U.S. representative for Wyoming since 2017, she was ousted from her role as the No. 3 House Republican following the impeachment vote. A scion of a storied Republican family, Cheney's father Dick Cheney served as U.S. vice president from 2001 to 2009. In a Sept. 9 statement endorsing Wyoming attorney Harriet Hageman https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-endorses-challenger-republican-cheney-wyoming-house-race-2021-09-09, who is challenging Cheney, Trump called Cheney "disloyal."
SENATOR LISA MURKOWSKI
The U.S. senator for Alaska was one of seven Republican Senators who voted to convict Trump and remove him from office. The vote failed and Trump was acquitted. Murkowski, known for her long independent streak, is the only one of the seven Republicans up for re-election this year. Trump has endorsed Kelly Tshibaka, a former state administration commissioner, to challenge Murkowski for her seat.
REPRESENTATIVE JAIME HERRERA BEUTLER
The U.S. representative from Washington state not only voted to impeach Trump, she submitted evidence in his Senate trial against the former president. Herrera Beutler said in a statement that the top House Republican, Kevin McCarthy, had told her about a call he had with Trump on Jan. 6, during the riot when hundreds of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol, in which Trump said, "Well, Kevin, I guess these people are more upset about the election than you are." Trump has endorsed Army veteran Joe Kent's bid to unseat Herrera Beutler, who has been in Congress since 2011.
REPRESENTATIVE FRED UPTON
Upton, who has represented Michigan in the House since 1987, was an early critic of Trump's false claims that he lost the November presidential election due to widespread fraud. Upton said in January his vote for impeachment was to "send a clear message" that the country will not tolerate a president impeding the peaceful transfer of power. Trump has endorsed Michigan state lawmaker Steve Carra's bid to challenge Upton.