Ten House Republicans voted to impeach President Donald Trump in January of 2021 following protests that took place at the United States Capitol.
What has been the political fate of those Republicans?
All-in-all, four republicans who voted to impeach Trump have announced their retirement, three have already lost their primary bids, one more is expected to lose her primary election, and the remaining two have won.
To the dismay of his detractors, President Trump still appears to wield power as a kingmaker and no one knows this better than those within the Republican Party who have drawn his ire.
Rep. Tom Rice – South Carolina
South Carolina’s Tom Rice has served as a congressman since 2013 in a district Trump carried by a 19-point margin.
After voting to impeach Trump over the Jan. 6 protests, Trump called him a “coward who abandoned his constituents by caving to Nancy Pelosi and the Radical Left.”
Rice, a five-term incumbent, lost in the 2022 primary election to Russell Fry who is currently representing District 106 in South Carolina’s state legislature.
Fry, elected to the state’s House of Representatives in 2015, and endorsed by Trump in 2022, carried more than 51 percent of the vote, getting roughly double the number of votes Rice received.
Rep. Dan Newhouse – Washington
Congressman Dan Newhouse has represented Washington’s 4th district since 2015.
Newhouse issued scathing remarks after the Jan. 6 protests, calling the protestors a “violent mob” of “hateful and un-American extremists” who engaged in a “brutal assault on our Republic.”
In an official statement, he blamed Trump, stating the president “failed to fulfill his oath of office.”
Washington’s 4th district is R+13, which Trump easily won 58 percent to 40 percent and onlookers were curious as to how voters would respond at the ballot box in 2022.
Washington has a “top-two” primary election system, which puts all candidates — irrespective of party — on a single ballot and advances the top two vote-getters to the general election in the fall.
Newhouse received the most votes (36,555), but barely squeaked by Democrat Doug White, who received 36,098 votes. The third contender was a republican who received 30,552 votes.
Newhouse and White will square off in November during the general election.
Rep. Adam Kinzinger – Illinois
Rep. Adam Kinzinger served in Illinois District 16.
Often criticized by conservatives and Republicans for frequently voting with Democrats, Kinzinger has often been derided by critics using the term RINO, which stands for Republican In Name Only.
Kinzinger voted against impeaching Trump during his first impeachment hearing, but supported impeachment after Jan. 6.
In fall of 2021, Democrats redrew district maps and eliminated a congressional district, combining two republican districts. After the re-draw, Kinzinger would have faced the unfavorable prospect of going up against primary challenger Darin LaHood, a conservative favorite who would later garner Trump’s endorsement.
Kinzinger dropped out, but posted a video alleging he did so because of “radicalism” in the Republican Party under Trump.
LaHood won the 2022 primary election, taking more than 66 percent of the vote.
Rep. Anthony Gonzalez – Ohio
Rep. Anthony Gonzalez served in Ohio’s 16th congressional district since 2019.
The former wide receiver, top NFL draft pick and Trump critic faced a primary challenge from former Trump aide Max Miller.
Within months of Trump coming to Ohio to campaign for Miller, Gonzalez announced he would not seek re-election, blaming a toxic political environment.
Trump responded to the announcement saying, “1 down, 9 to go” in a clear reference to the 10 House republicans who voted for his impeachment.
Rep. Fred Upton – Michigan
Rep. Fred Upton took office in 1993 representing Michigan’s 6th congressional district.
Upton’s district is only R+5, which made him more willing to work across the aisle with Democrats.
He openly criticized Trump after the 2020 election, as well as republicans who he claimed were downplaying the Jan. 6 protests.
Upton announced his retirement in spring 2022 after redistricting changed the math for his ability to hold his seat.
Trump responded in a statement, “UPTON QUITS! 4 down and 6 to go. Others losing badly, who’s next?”
Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler – Washington
Washington’s Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler was elected to the state’s 3rd congressional district in 2010.
She spoke out on the Capitol riots saying, “January 6th left the realm of legitimate political discourse when it became a violent riot at the U.S. Capitol.”
Herrera Beutler, who aired $1.7 million in television ads, lost the August 2022 primary election to Trump-endorsed challenger Joe Kent.
Kent received 47,623 votes. Herrera received only 46,663.
Kent will face Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Pérez in the general election this fall.
Rep. Peter Meijer – Michigan
Rep. Peter Meijer, representing Michigan’s 3rd district, who won his 2020 election vowing to work with Trump to “make sure that we advance policies and an agenda that is in the best interest of West Michigan.”
Meijer made history in 2021 when he became the first freshman lawmaker to vote to impeach a president of their own political party.
Meijer said he had no regrets about his decision to vote to impeach Trump following the events of Jan. 6.
Trump-backed challenger John Gibbs defeated Meijer the 2022 primary on Aug. 2.
Gibbs earned 48,199 votes, while Meijer only received 45,094.
Rep. John Katko – New York
Rep. John Katko has served as the U.S. representative for New York’s 24th congressional district since 2015.
As a republican elected in a D+2 district, Katko’s electoral prospects were always contingent upon him being considered moderate.
Katko’s penchant for supporting policy priorities of Democrats also earned him the moniker “RINO.”
The former trial attorney called the Jan. 6 protests “shameful and completely unacceptable” and in an official statement said, “It cannot be ignored that President Trump encouraged this insurrection — both on social media ahead of January 6th, and in his speech that day.”
Katko voted to impeach Trump in January 2021.
Shortly thereafter, he announced he would not seek re-election, citing the need to spend more time with his family.
Rep. David Valadao – California
Rep. David Valadao has served as the representative for California’s 21st congressional district, having previously held the seat from 2013 to 2019.
After redistricting, he would seek a win in the 2022 primary election for a seat in the state’s 22nd congressional district (R+6).
Valadao voted for the establishment of the Jan. 6 Commission, as well as the impeachment of Trump, saying the president’s “inciting rhetoric was un-American, abhorrent, and absolutely an impeachable offense.”
Valado survived his 2022 bid placing second California’s open primary, beating his Republican challenger by only 1,310 votes.
Rep. Liz Cheney – Wyoming
Rep. Liz Cheney has served as the U.S. representative for Wyoming’s at-large congressional district since 2017.
Cheney, who has never been a Trump supporter, sharpened her attacks after the events of Jan. 6, saying, “President Trump summoned the mob, assembled the mob and lit the flame of this attack.”
She also sits as the Vice Chair of the House’s Jan. 6 Committee.
Cheney currently trails her challenger, Trump-endorsed Harriet Hageman, by 26-points and is widely expected to lose her primary bid when the election is held on Aug. 16.
Cheney brushed off her expected loss during an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, saying, “If I have to choose between maintaining a seat in the House of Representatives or protecting the constitutional republic and ensuring the American people know the truth about Donald Trump, I’m going to choose the Constitution and the truth every single day.”
