Liz Cheney facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Liz Cheney
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Official portrait, 2018
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| Vice Chair of the House January 6 Committee | |
| In office September 2, 2021 – January 3, 2023 |
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| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| Chair of the House Republican Conference | |
| In office January 3, 2019 – May 12, 2021 |
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| Leader | Kevin McCarthy |
| Vice Chair | Mark Walker Mike Johnson |
| Preceded by | Cathy McMorris Rodgers |
| Succeeded by | Elise Stefanik |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wyoming's at-large district |
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| In office January 3, 2017 – January 3, 2023 |
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| Preceded by | Cynthia Lummis |
| Succeeded by | Harriet Hageman |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Elizabeth Lynne Cheney
July 28, 1966 Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Philip Perry
(m. 1993) |
| Children | 5 |
| Parents | |
| Relatives | Mary Cheney (sister) |
| Alma mater | Colorado College (BA) University of Chicago (JD) |
| Awards | Presidential Citizens Medal (2025) |
| Signature |  |
Elizabeth Lynne Cheney (born July 28, 1966) is an American lawyer and politician. She represented the state of Wyoming in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2017 to 2023. She also held a high leadership position as the chair of the House Republican Conference from 2019 to 2021.
Liz Cheney is well-known for disagreeing with former President Donald Trump. After leaving Congress, she became a professor at the University of Virginia Center for Politics.
Cheney is the older daughter of Dick Cheney, who was a former Vice President of the United States. Her mother is Lynne Cheney. Before becoming a representative, Liz Cheney worked in the U.S. State Department during the George W. Bush administration. She also helped start a group called Keep America Safe, which focused on national security. In 2014, she tried to run for the U.S. Senate in Wyoming but later withdrew. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2016, holding the same seat her father once had.
Cheney is known for her conservative views and her strong opinions on foreign policy. She supported the second impeachment of Donald Trump after the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol. Because of her criticism of Trump, she was removed from her leadership role in the Republican Party in May 2021. Later, she was appointed to the United States House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack, where she served as vice chair. In 2022, she lost her re-election bid in Wyoming to Harriet Hageman.
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Early Life and Education
Elizabeth Lynne Cheney was born on July 28, 1966, in Madison, Wisconsin. She is the older of two daughters of Dick Cheney and Lynne Cheney. At the time, her parents were students at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Her younger sister, Mary Cheney, was also born in Madison.
Liz Cheney spent part of her childhood in Casper, Wyoming. This was when her father was campaigning for Congress. Her family split their time between Wyoming and Washington, D.C., after her father was elected. In 1984, Cheney graduated from McLean High School in suburban Washington, D.C.
She earned her first degree from Colorado College, which was also her mother's college. She later earned a law degree from the University of Chicago Law School in 1996. While studying law, she also took classes in Middle Eastern history.
Early Career and Government Work
Before going to law school, Cheney worked for the U.S. State Department for five years. She also worked for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) from 1989 to 1993. USAID is an agency that helps other countries. After 1993, she worked for a consulting firm.
After law school, Cheney worked as a lawyer. She also worked as an international law consultant for the International Finance Corporation. This group is part of the World Bank Group. She was also a special assistant for aid to the former Soviet Union. She served as a USAID officer in U.S. embassies in Budapest and Warsaw.
State Department Roles
In 2002, Cheney was appointed deputy assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs. This role focused on promoting investment in the Middle East. She was in charge of the Middle East Partnership Initiative. This program aimed to encourage democracy and economic growth in the region.
After two years, Cheney left her State Department job in 2003. She then worked for the George W. Bush 2004 presidential campaign. She helped with an effort to reach female voters.
In 2005, she returned to the U.S. State Department. She became the principal deputy assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs. In this role, she helped promote democracy and expand education in the Middle East and North Africa. She also oversaw the launch of two foundations to help small businesses and promote free press.
Cheney also led the Iran Syria Policy and Operations Group (ISOG). This group was created in 2006 within the State Department.
Post-Government Career
After her time at the State Department, Liz Cheney continued to be involved in politics. In 2007, she became a national co-chair for Fred Thompson's 2008 presidential campaign. Later, she joined Mitt Romney's presidential campaign as a foreign policy advisor.
In 2009, Cheney, along with William Kristol and Deborah Burlingame, started a group called Keep America Safe. This group focused on national security issues.
In 2012, Cheney began working as a contributor for Fox News. She would sometimes host shows like Hannity. Fox News ended her contract in 2013 when she decided to run for the Senate.
2014 U.S. Senate Campaign
On July 16, 2013, Liz Cheney announced she would run for the U.S. Senate in Wyoming. She challenged the Republican senator at the time, Mike Enzi. Some people questioned her strong ties to Wyoming, as she had lived there only briefly as a child. She bought a home there in 2012.
During her campaign, Cheney said that stopping President Obama's policies was "patriotism." She also claimed that Obama was attacking important parts of the U.S. Constitution. Her campaign faced challenges, and she withdrew from the race on January 6, 2014. She said it was due to family health issues.
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections to Congress
2016 Election
After Wyoming's congresswoman Cynthia Lummis decided to retire, Liz Cheney announced her campaign for the House seat in February 2016. She was seen as a strong candidate. She won the Republican primary election with 38% of the votes. She then won the general election to become a U.S. Representative.
2018 Election
In the November 2018 election, Cheney was reelected to the House. She received 127,951 votes. She defeated her Democratic opponent, Greg Hunter. After this election, she was chosen by other Republicans to be the chair of the House Republican Conference. This made her the third-highest-ranking Republican in the House.
2020 Election
Cheney won her Republican primary election in 2020 with 73% of the vote. She then won the general election against Democrat Lynnette Grey Bull with 69% of the vote.
2022 Election
In the August 2022 Republican primary, Cheney lost her bid for re-election. She received 28.9% of the vote, while Harriet Hageman, who was supported by Donald Trump, won with 66.3%. This was a significant defeat for an incumbent House member.
Time in Office
Cheney began her term in office on January 3, 2017. During Donald Trump's presidency, Cheney supported his positions in House votes about 93% of the time.
She supported laws to remove protections for gray wolves. In 2019, she criticized Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for comparing migrant holding centers to "concentration camps." Cheney said this showed "disrespect" for victims of the Holocaust.
Cheney also spoke out against the Turkish invasion of Kurdish areas in Syria. She said this action was made possible by Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. forces. She believed it helped America's enemies like Russia, Iran, and Turkey.
In September 2020, Cheney asked the Justice Department to investigate environmental groups. She suggested they might be influenced by foreign countries like China and Russia.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, Cheney voted against some major relief bills. However, she did vote for the PPP Extension Act.
Donald Trump Impeachments
Cheney voted against impeaching Donald Trump during his first impeachment in December 2019. However, after the January 6 United States Capitol attack in 2021, she changed her stance. On January 12, 2021, she announced she would vote to impeach Trump for his role in the attack.
Cheney stated that Trump "lit the flame" of the riot and did nothing to stop it. She called it "a greater betrayal by a President of the United States of his office and his oath." Nine other Republicans joined her in voting for impeachment.
Many Trump supporters were angry about her vote. On February 3, 2021, House Republicans held a vote to decide if she should be removed from her leadership position. She kept her position with a vote of 145 to 61. However, on February 6, the Wyoming Republican Party officially criticized Cheney for her impeachment vote.
Cheney continued to speak out against Trump. She said he "does not have a role as a leader of our party going forward." She also stated she would not vote for him if he ran for president in 2024.
Removal as Conference Chair
Because of her continued criticism of Donald Trump, many House Republicans called for Cheney to be removed from her leadership role. She wrote an article in The Washington Post on May 5, 2021. In it, she repeated her belief in following the U.S. Constitution and defending democracy.
On May 12, 2021, Cheney was formally removed from her position as House Republican Conference chair. She was replaced by Elise Stefanik.
January 6 Committee Work
On July 1, 2021, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi appointed Liz Cheney to the United States House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack. Cheney served as the vice chair of this committee.
While working on the committee, Cheney gave a strong message to her Republican colleagues. She said, "There will come a day when Donald Trump is gone, but your dishonor will remain." This was a warning to those who continued to support Trump and downplay the events of January 6.
For her work on the committee and her public service, President Joe Biden awarded Cheney the Presidential Citizens Medal on January 2, 2025.
Removal from Wyoming Republican Party
On November 13, 2021, the Wyoming Republican Party Central Committee voted to no longer recognize Cheney as a member of the party. They said she had not provided enough evidence for her impeachment vote.
Censure by Republican National Committee
On February 4, 2022, the Republican National Committee (RNC) voted to officially criticize Cheney and Representative Adam Kinzinger. This was because they took part in the House investigation of the Capitol attack. The RNC called the events of January 6, 2021, "legitimate political discourse."
Committee Assignments
- Committee on Armed Services
- Subcommittee on Intelligence and Special Operations
- Subcommittee on Strategic Forces
- United States House Select Committee on the January 6 Attack (Vice Chair)
Caucus Memberships
- Congressional Western Caucus
Political Views
Liz Cheney describes herself as a conservative Republican. Experts have called her an "arch-conservative" who supports small government and lower taxes. She is also a strong voice on national defense.
Some have called her "Republican royalty" because of her family's history in politics. The Brookings Institution suggested that Cheney has a long-term plan to lead the Republican Party after the Trump era. They noted that she is a true conservative.
2022 Election Support
During the 2022 midterm elections, Cheney said she would campaign against candidates who questioned the results of the 2020 United States presidential election. In October 2022, she supported Democratic Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin. This was her first time endorsing a Democrat. She also expressed support for Democrat Tim Ryan in his Ohio Senate campaign.
Foreign Policy Views
Cheney is a neoconservative. This means she believes in a strong American role in global affairs. She has criticized what she calls the "Putin wing" of the Republican Party.
When she worked in the State Department, Cheney supported the Iraq War. She is a strong supporter of Israel. She has also expressed support for Israeli plans to expand into parts of the West Bank.
In 2015, Cheney and her father opposed a nuclear deal with Iran. They believed it would lead to Iran having nuclear weapons. In 2019, she called for a military response against Iran after attacks on oil bases in Saudi Arabia.
Military Views
Cheney does not support a "no-first-use" nuclear policy. This policy means a country would promise not to use nuclear weapons first in a conflict. She also voted to include provisions to draft women into the military in 2022.
January 6 Commission
Cheney was one of 35 Republicans who voted to create the January 6 commission. This commission was set up to investigate the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol. She openly supported the commission before the vote.
In October 2021, Cheney was one of nine House Republicans who voted to hold Steve Bannon in contempt of Congress.
Same-Sex Marriage
In 2013, during her Senate campaign, Cheney stated her opposition to same-sex marriage. However, in September 2021, she expressed regret for her past views. She was one of 47 Republicans who voted for the Respect for Marriage Act of 2022. This law would protect same-sex marriage under federal law.
Conspiracy Theories
Cheney has spoken out against the far-right conspiracy theory QAnon. She called it "dangerous lunacy that should have no place in American politics."
Awards and Recognition
In 2021, Liz Cheney was named to Forbes 50 Over 50 list. She was also included in the 2021 Time 100, which lists the 100 most influential people in the world.
On April 22, 2022, the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation gave Cheney a Profile in Courage Award. This award recognized her for "defending democracy." The foundation praised her for being a "consistent and courageous voice" and for not taking the easy political path.
On January 2, 2025, President Joe Biden awarded Cheney the Presidential Citizens Medal. He described her as an official who served with "honor, decency, and ensure our democracy delivers."
Personal Life
Cheney is a United Methodist. She is married to Philip Perry, a lawyer. They were married in Wyoming in 1993 and have five children. In 2012, Cheney moved to Wyoming.
Images for kids
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Official portrait, 2018
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Liz Cheney's signature
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Cheney at the 2005 presidential inauguration
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Cheney at Fiddleback Ranch, near Douglas, Wyoming, on July 31, 2019
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