Former GOP Rep. Liz Cheney joins UVA as a professor
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Former Rep. Liz Cheney speaks during the Washington Post Global Women's Summit at the newspaper's D.C. headquarters in November. Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) has accepted the University of Virginia's offer to be a professor at the UVA's Center for Politics, the school announced Wednesday.
Driving the news: Center director Larry Sabato said in a statement on Cheney's appointment that with "democracy under fire" in the U.S. and elsewhere, the Trump critic who served as vice chair of the Jan. 6 House panel investigating the U.S. Capitol riot "serves as a model of political courage and leadership."
Context: Cheney became a pariah within her own Republican Party for her role on the select committee and was removed as the GOP's House No.3 following her repeated criticisms of former President Trump.
- Cheney maintained before her GOP primary loss to a Trump-endorsed challenger last August that protecting American democracy was a higher priority than keeping her seat — something Sabato noted in his statement.
What they're saying: "Liz will send a compelling message to students about integrity," Sabato said. "She's a true profile in courage, and she was willing to pay the price for her principles and democracy itself."
Meanwhile, Cheney said in a statement: "Preserving our constitutional republic is the most important work of our time, and our nation's young people will play a crucial role in this effort."
Details: "During her tenure at the center, Cheney will participate in University-wide lectures, serve as a guest lecturer in student seminars with Sabato and other center faculty, contribute to Center for Politics research, and participate in other University and community events," per a UVA statement.
- The appointment is effective immediately and will run through the end of the 2023 fall semester with an option to renew, according to the UVA.
Go deeper: Liz Cheney "thinking about" 2024 presidential run
