RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Republican Rep. Liz Cheney crossed the political aisle once more this election 12 months and counseled a Democratic colleague in a aggressive Area race, backing former CIA officer Abigail Spanberger on Saturday as she seeks a 3rd time period in a newly redrawn district in northern Virginia.
Cheney, vice chair of the Area committee investigating the Capitol insurrection and an unsparing critic of former President Donald Trump who misplaced to a Trump-backed challenger in her Wyoming number one in August, mentioned in a observation that Spanberger was once fascinated by discovering answers and “devoted to serving this nation and her constituents and protecting our Charter.”
The GOP nominee in Virginia’s seventh Congressional District, which is targeted across the Interstate 95 hall in exurban Washington and rural communities to the east and west, is Yesli Vega, a county reputable and previous police officer just lately counseled through Trump.
Within the observation supplied through Spanberger’s marketing campaign, Cheney mentioned Vega “is selling conspiracy theories, denying election results she disagrees with, and protecting the indefensible.” Cheney added: “We’d like our elected leaders to be fair, critical, and accountable, which is why I might urge electorate in Virginia’s seventh District to make stronger Abigail Spanberger.”
Right through her number one marketing campaign, Vega mentioned she believed there was once proof that “signifies that the election of 2020 was once interfered with.” However she mentioned she didn’t consider the election was once stolen. Vega has additionally confronted chronic complaint from Spanberger and different Democrats over remarks — now not in particular discussed in Cheney’s endorsement — during which Vega indulged the perception that being pregnant might be much less most likely in instances of rape.
Spanberger, a centrist, mentioned that Cheney “understands that my paintings for Virginia is grounded in the main of striking our nation first — over birthday celebration — all the time.”
Vega’s marketing campaign replied through announcing that Virginians don’t agree with the “lies” from Cheney or Spanberger and “know Yesli goes to Washington to struggle for them, now not a political birthday celebration.”
In October, Cheney counseled Rep. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, the primary time that Cheney had officially supported a Democrat. She additionally just lately visited Michigan to marketing campaign with Slotkin.
On Saturday, Cheney significantly didn’t endorse Virginia Rep. Elaine Luria, a fellow Jan. 6 committee member and any other centrist Democrat in a tricky race. Luria faces state Sen. Jen Kiggans in Virginia’s coastal second Congressional District.
A spokesman for Luria, Jayce Genco, would say best that there are not any present plans for Cheney to become involved within the race. A spokesman for Cheney, Jeremy Adler, declined remark past the written observation.
Cheney, who misplaced her GOP number one in August to a Trump-backed challenger, has up to now mentioned she is thinking about a 2024 presidential marketing campaign, which the previous president could also be anticipated to salary.
There is not any proof of common fraud, dishonest or manipulation of vote casting machines within the 2020 election. Exhaustive evaluations within the states disputed through Trump upheld Democrat Joe Biden’s win, and felony demanding situations pursued through the previous president and his allies have been rejected through a lot of judges, together with ones appointed through Republicans.
Cheney’s endorsement of Spanberger was once first reported through The Washington Submit.