EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) 鈥� Republican Rep. Liz Cheney visited Michigan on Tuesday to support Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin, who the the Wyoming representative .
鈥淚f we want to ensure the survival of our republic, we have to walk away from politics as usual,鈥� Cheney said. 鈥淲e have to stand up, every one of us, and say we鈥檙e going to do what鈥檚 right for this country. We鈥檙e going to look beyond partisan politics.鈥�
Slotkin is a two-term House member competing against in Michigan's redrawn 7th Congressional District, which includes Lansing. The contest is among the most expensive House races in the country and is considered a toss-up.
Slotkin, who described herself as a Democrat representing a Trump-voting district, told reporters that Cheney approached her last month on the House floor about the possible endorsement. Slotkin acknowledged during her speech that the two differ on most policy issues, joking that the last time Cheney was in the area was to counter something the Lansing-area Democrat was doing.
鈥淏ut there is one really, really big thing we agree on and that is preserving the American democracy,鈥� Slotkin said.
Cheney鈥檚 visit to the battleground state comes as after losing her primary earlier this year. Cheney was one of eight House Republicans who lost primaries or chose not to seek reelection after voting to impeach former President Donald Trump in 2020.
In her endorsement last week, Cheney mentioned that she's become acquainted with Slotkin while serving together on the House Armed Services Committee. Slotkin also worked in U.S. intelligence, national security and defense during the Obama and Bush administrations.
Cheney said that this was the first time she has ever campaigned for a Democrat but that 鈥渋t was not a hard decision at all."
Both have been vocal critics of House Republicans the . Cheney is vice chair of the House Jan. 6 committee, which recently issued a subpoena for Trump to testify.
鈥淎s a nation today, we are facing an ongoing assault by the former president and by people that are spreading his lie," Cheney said Tuesday.
Following Cheney's endorsement last week, her primary opponent Harriet Hageman and former U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard both announced that they were supporting Barrett in the Lansing-area race.
Barrett criticized Cheney during an event Tuesday morning for having the 鈥渁udacity鈥� to endorse his opponent in a critical race that will 鈥渄ecide which party controls Congress.鈥�
鈥淓lissa Slotkin and Liz Cheney prove that the political establishment has an unquenchable thirst for military engagement abroad,鈥� Barrett said during the Howell event.
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Joey Cappelletti is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
Joey Cappelletti, The Associated Press
