You knew it was coming: Liz Cheney's next political move positively reeks of Principles™

GOP Rep. Liz Cheney knew when she became an outspoken critic of Donald Trump and a proud member of the January 6 committee that she was risking her political future, or at least her political future as a member of Congress. We suppose we can give her props for that. It does take some degree of boldness to be willing to go against the grain.

The problem is that Cheney didn’t really stop at going against the GOP grain. She kinda started going with the Democratic grain. We’re not suggesting that she’s secretly been a Democrat all this time, but she definitely seemed to take pride in the Left’s embrace of “the daughter of a former right-wing war criminal.” And that was her biggest mistake.

You can be as "principled" as you want to be. But if you end up spending a year doing the bidding of Dems over the most beltway issue imaginable, voters will respond.

Unlike Crenshaw and Kemp, Cheney forgot she had constituents. That has consequences. https://t.co/e1h440CHMc

— Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) August 17, 2022

And now, Cheney has apparently figured that her next move should be to get rid of any of Republicans and conservatives’ respect she had remaining after last night:

Liz Cheney already has her next move in mind following her defeat in yesterday's primary.

She'll be launching an org "to mobilize a unified effort to oppose any Donald Trump campaign for president,” her spokesperson told Playbook exclusively.https://t.co/10PBAMynlA

— POLITICO (@politico) August 17, 2022

New: Cheney's next step – her spokesman confirms she will launch new political org (1st reported by Politico) -says will "educate the American people about the ongoing threat to our Republic, and to mobilize a unified effort to oppose any Donald Trump campaign for president,”

— Deirdre Walsh (@deirdrekwalsh) August 17, 2022

Rep. LIZ CHENEY is wasting no time beginning the next phase of her bid to prevent DONALD TRUMP’s return to office.

“In coming weeks, Liz will be launching an organization to educate the American people about the ongoing threat to our Republic, and to mobilize a unified effort to oppose any Donald Trump campaign for president,” Cheney spokesperson JEREMY ADLER tells Playbook exclusively.

The new group, which will serve as Cheney’s primary political vehicle as she considers whether to run for president in 2024, does not have an official name yet. An informed guess: The Great Task, which was the name of Cheney’s final ad of the campaign. The phrase is from the last sentence of the Gettysburg Address, and Cheney also referenced it in her concession speech from Jackson, Wyo., last night.

This all sounds a little too familiar.

Good thing no one has tried that before. https://t.co/5tzZSwAZZR

— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) August 17, 2022

Definite shades of Evan McMullin, for sure. Definitely shady, period.

Ah, there it is. Cheney will now launch a scam PAC. How absolutely original and never done before.

But she's all about principle. Not making lots of money, going on cable news, and setting up a grift-tastic 2024 run. https://t.co/uql1Na5hPu

— Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) August 17, 2022

McMullin has been setting up a grift-tastic Senate run, so Cheney’s attempting to capitalize on going up the chain rather than down it. But otherwise, we’re getting some serious déjà vu here. Hopefully Liz Cheney will pay her vendors, at least.

So basically the Lincoln Project grift.

— Ed Edge (@EdEdgeMusic) August 17, 2022

Lincoln Project rebrand about to drop. The most overfunded and media-beloved fringe group in history. https://t.co/nPgoWSroo7

— Mollie (@MZHemingway) August 17, 2022

Wouldn’t it be something if Cheney’s group merged with the Lincoln Project? Think of all the liberal money they could rake in together …

"I'm going to stop Trump while making a lot of money trying to do it" feels like an overcrowded genre but hey have fun.

— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) August 17, 2022

Oh, don’t worry. She will.