Republican Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney announced Thursday that she is endorsing Democratic Michigan Rep. Elissa Slotkin, who is running in one of the most competitive House districts in the country.
“I have come to know Elissa as a good and honorable public servant,” Cheney said in a statement to The Associated Press. “While Elissa and I have our policy disagreements, at a time when our nation is facing threats at home and abroad, we need serious, responsible, substantive members like Elissa in Congress.”
Interesting: GOP Rep. Liz Cheney endorsing SLOTKIN and doing a campaign event w/ her Tuesdayhttps://t.co/l6o24xatfd
— Heather Caygle (@heatherscope) October 27, 2022
Cheney, who lost her primary to Harriet Hageman in August, said in early October she would vote for Democrats Katie Hobbs and Adrian Fontes in Arizona’s gubernatorial and secretary of state races if she was eligible to do so. She did not, however, formally endorse either candidate. (RELATED: POLL: If Liz Cheney Ran As An Independent, She’d Take More Votes From Biden Than From Trump)
Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger, the other Republican on the Jan. 6 Select Committee, has endorsed several Democrats through his Country First PAC. He is supporting Democratic secretary of state candidates Steve Simon in Minnesota, Jocelyn Benson in Michigan, Cisco Aguilar in Nevada, and Fontes. Kinzinger has also endorsed Hobbs and Democratic Pennsylvania gubernatorial nominee Josh Shapiro.
Cheney previously praised Slotkin to the New York Times, saying, “I would much rather serve with Mikie Sherrill and Chrissy Houlahan and Elissa Slotkin than Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert, even though on substance certainly I have big disagreements with the Democratic women I just mentioned.”
In a notable contrast with Slotkin, who has refused to outline any restrictions on abortion that she would accept, Cheney has described herself as “strongly pro-life.” Slotkin holds a 0% score from the pro-abortion organization NARAL, while Slotkin has a 100% mark.
Slotkin, a two-term representative, has faced questions throughout her campaign about her place of residence. The congresswoman moved into the home of a lobbyist in May so she could live in Michigan’s Seventh District, where she is running for reelection. The lobbyist, Jerry Hollister, has donated $2,900 to Slotkin’s campaigns since 2018, and Slotkin promoted a program to the Department of Energy through which his company received $28 million.
Although polling in Slotkin’s race against Republican state Sen. Tom Barrett is sparse, the Seventh District leans four points toward the GOP, according to FiveThirtyEight. The Cook Political Report and Politico consider the race a toss-up.