Congressional Political Drama Unfolds in Orlando

  Although best known as the home of Mickey Mouse, Orlando gained a new reputation as of late for being a hub of political drama: from the CPAC conference to the Joel Greenberg drama and now the house GOP retreat.

  Tensions between Republican congressional leaders were on full display in Orlando this week during a GOP House retreat at the Champion's Gate Omni resort, where Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy reprimanded his third in command, Representative Liz Cheney, in a press conference on Tuesday. McCarthy stated that Cheney's teasing of a presidential run in 2024, possibly against former President Donald Trump, distracts from the GOP‘s policy goals.

  “I think from a perspective if you’re sitting here at a retreat that’s focused on policy, focused on the future of making America the next century and you’re talking about something else, you’re not being productive,” he told reporters at a press conference Tuesday. McCarthy added that it’s “a question for the conference” on whether she remains a good fit for their leadership team.

  Although the California Republican instructed members to support Cheney during a conference wide vote in February, some share concerns that her role as a leader maybe placed in jeopardy given her diverging views. 

  “People can have differences of opinion. … Liz has a right to vote her conscience. And at the end of the day, we’ll be united,” he said earlier this year about her vote to impeach Trump.

  The former Vice President's daughter succeeded in a 145-61 vote to keep her position.

  Both McCarthy and Cheney have ratcheted up the rhetoric in recent weeks and the relationship between the two House Republican leaders has become much more volatile, evidenced by the fact that McCarthy no longer chooses to attend their weekly leadership press conferences since a February brouhaha about former President Donald Trump's role as a speaker at the Conservative Political Action Conference, also held in Orlando.

  The establishment-aligned Cheney does not feel Trump should play a role in the party’s future. This position contravenes many of her colleagues who accuse Cheney of lending Democrats fodder for their ambitions.

  Cheney even went as far as calling for senators who voted to challenge election results to be disqualified from running in 2024's presidential election, a race she has recently expressed interest in.

  “I think we have a huge number of interesting candidates, but I think that we’re going to be in a good position to be able to take the White House. I do think that some of our candidates who led the charge, particularly the senators who led the unconstitutional charge, not to certify the election, you know, in my view, that’s disqualifying,” she said.

  The icy nature of McCarthy‘s relationship with Cheney re-emerged on again Tuesday after the Congressman refused to commit to backing Cheney in the event of a primary challenge. 

  “I haven’t talked to her about it,” he said. 

  Despite the party leaders' divisions, both claim the mantra of unity, pointing to their common ground on issues such as energy policy, the border and China.