McCarthy won't say if he'll get involved in a primary race against Cheney

What he's saying: "Liz hasn't asked me," McCarthy said when a reporter asked whether he'd defend Cheney in a primary challenge.

Background: Cheney received intense scrutiny after voting to impeach former President Trump, including from state Sen. Anthony Bouchard, who announced he plans to run against Cheney in the 2022 primary.

• Cheney also faced backlash from her own conference. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) flew to Cheney's home state to rally against the third-ranking Republican House member.
• House Republicans lobbied to remove Cheney from her position, but the measure was defeated. Members voted 145-61 to keep Cheney as chair of the GOP conference.
• Former Trump aide Corey Lewandowski founded a political group to raise money to run a primary challenge against Cheney.

Of note: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) came to Cheney's defense after her impeachment vote, CNN reported.

• "Liz Cheney is a leader with deep convictions and the courage to act on them," McConnell said. "She is an important leader in our party and in our nation. I am grateful for her service and look forward to continuing to work with her on the crucial issues facing our nation."