The Republican party's civil war (with Barbara Comstock)

Skullduggery

With a vote taking place on Friday morning, the Republican party officially ousted Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) and elected 36-year-old Elise Stefanik (R-NY) to be its new Conference chair. The dramatic leadership change reveals fault lines in a party where a significant — and evidently predominant — portion of its elected federal officials places fealty to Donald Trump above all else. Former Congresswoman Barbara Comstock (R-VA) joins Michael Isikoff, Daniel Klaidman and Victoria Bassetti on this episode to discuss this internecine struggle in the GOP, as well as to give her take on the ostracization of Cheney and coronation of Stefanik, based on her personal relationships with both women. She details her vision for a reformed, policy-driven post-Trump Republican party. But is that what Republican voters want?

GUEST:

• Barbara Comstock (@BarbaraComstock), former Congresswoman (R-VA)

HOSTS:

• Michael Isikoff (@Isikoff), Chief Investigative Correspondent, Yahoo News
• Daniel Klaidman (@dklaidman), Editor in Chief, Yahoo News
• Victoria Bassetti (@VBass), fellow, Brennan Center for Justice (contributing co-host)

RESOURCES:

• “Elise Stefanik speaks to the press after replacing Liz Cheney on House GOP leadership” (The Hill, May 14)
• “New Yahoo/YouGov poll: Cheney has few supporters in GOP” by Jon Ward (Yahoo News, May 14)
• “Influential Republicans detail call to reform party, threaten to form new one” by Tal Axelrod (The Hill, May 13)

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