Dear (soon to be former) Representative Cheney,
It is with deep regret that I must inform you that your loss to a Trump-backed election denier in your state's primary has marked the true beginning of the end of the modern day GOP. Donald Trump has permanently taken your party down with him, and there is no going back now. Your party has devolved into a Trump personality cult and gang of criminals that is hell-bent on seizing full and outright control of our country and turning it into a fascist autocratic regime similar to Vladimir Putin's Russia, Alexander Lukashenko's Belarus, and Viktor Orbán's Hungary. You may have exposed the truth (or much of it) about Trump's role in the January 6th Capitol riot, but real facts do not matter to the GOP or its cult of followers anymore. They are now living in a fantasy universe dominated by "alternative facts.” It should be clear to you and I now that they are not leaving it.
In about a generation or two, I expect the current Republican Party, particularly the Trump wing, to go the way of the Whigs. (That is, of course, assuming that my base turns out in record numbers to vote in this year's midterms and beyond and successfully prevents a GOP authoritarian takeover.) It no longer has a solid platform to run on. All it has now is hatred, cheating and stealing, conspiracy theories, and violence. Literally. No question about this.
Do not let the (potential) downfall of your party bother you, however. As the saying goes, once one door closes, another one always opens up. I have heard that you, Adam Kinzinger, and other truly faithful Republicans have threatened to break away from the GOP and start a "new" conservative party. I envision your party being a Lincoln or McCain-style one that is fiscally and economically conservative but socially liberal...one that values our country's democratic principles, favors free and fair elections, does not attack fundamental human rights or obstruct progress, and actually negotiates with Democrats to get things done. It has the potential to win over right-leaning Independent voters and perhaps even a handful of left-leaning ones as well. You already have a potential base of followers here, considering that more voters nowadays identify as Independents. Also, have you been paying attention to Congress's approval numbers? They have remained at all-time lows since Barack Obama took office nearly a decade and a half ago. The reason is because Americans are sick and tired of ultra right-wing Republican obstruction. Your party continues to hinder progress simply out of anger and hatred. People across the United States have had it with the GOP's old-fashioned tricks, schemes, and games. They want fresh new leadership in your party (as well as the current Democratic Party), and your version of conservative politics may finally be gaining momentum.
You have hinted at a 2024 presidential run. As much as I hate to say it, you have virtually zero chance of being the nominee. If you ask me, your overwhelming primary loss by a margin of more than 37 points already suggests this. I reluctantly expect Ron DeSantis to get the nomination. If Trump is not in prison by then (and there certainly is a chance that he will not considering the slippery snake that he is), he is guaranteed to run, and I would suspect that even he has a better chance of winning the primary than you do. The nominee will inevitably be the former dude or one of his hacks.
Running for the Oval Office in a couple of years will be of no use. Right now is not the time to do it. Things are just too risky and dangerous. You are simply too honest for your party. Filling out an application for a position in the GOP these days requires lying, dishonesty, and hatred to be qualifications. We have to focus on draining the real swamp first. That is, restoring our government to sanity by cleaning the Trump cult out of Washington as well as state and local offices. It is going to take a while to accomplish this, perhaps three or four more presidential and midterm election cycles, possibly more. Eventually, though, I can see "Trumpublicans" starting to lose enough elections to the point where it will force your party to completely repair itself. Maybe by that time, things will change for the better, and you will be working with a sane conservative party (note that I am not referring to this "new" party as the Republican Party). By then, you can consider a bid for the White House. But we will have to wait and see what happens.
In closing, I would just like to say that I cannot be more thankful for your service to our nation. I may not agree with everything that you stand for, but you have been a true warrior and a relentless hero, and history will forever remember you for your dedication to the January 6th Committee investigation. I do not want to sound rude, but you are what I would call a "lady with balls of steel." You have worked tirelessly to expose Trump for what he truly is: an insurrectionist, a habitual liar, and a sociopathic criminal. Your political career as a House representative may be coming to an end, but the battle for the survival of our democratic republic has only begun. You and I are in this fight together, and, like you, I will not back down nor will the rest of my friends at Daily Kos. We are going to continue to do whatever it takes to save our country from being fully hijacked by a criminal enterprise. We can win this battle if we work as a team and stay strong.
Best wishes to you, and thank you again for being a patriotic fighter.
Kind regards,
Miles Estrelle