Liz Cheney joins University of Virginia as professor

Washington — Former Rep. Liz Cheney, the Wyoming Republican who was ousted from House GOP leadership over her criticism of former President Donald Trump and lost a primary battle last year, is joining the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics as a “professor of practice,” the center announced Wednesday. 

“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,” Cheney said. “I hope my work with the Center for Politics and the broader community at the University of Virginia will contribute to finding lasting solutions that not only preserve, but strengthen our democracy.” 

Cheney was the third highest-ranking Republican in the House when she voted to impeach Trump one week after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Her colleagues voted to strip her of her position as conference chair several months later. She went on to serve as vice chair of the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot, becoming one of Trump’s most prominent and outspoken critics.

Cheney was defeated in a bitter primary battle with now-Rep. Harriet Hageman last August. In the weeks leading up to the 2022 midterm elections, she campaigned with some Democrats running against Republican candidates who denied the results of the 2020 election. 

“With democracy under fire in this country and elsewhere around the world, Liz Cheney serves as a model of political courage and leadership,” said Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics. “Liz will send a compelling message to students about integrity. She’s a true profile in courage, and she was willing to pay the price for her principles and democracy itself.”

Her appointment at the Center for Politics is effective immediately and will run through the end of the fall semester, with the option to renew. She will participate in university-wide lectures, be a guest lecturer in student seminars and contribute to the center’s research, the announcement said.