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GRAND FORKS GOP 鈥� House Conference Chairwoman Liz Cheney was removed from her leadership position on Wednesday, May 12, after months of criticizing Donald Trump 鈥� a move that consolidates the party鈥檚 continued loyalty to the former president.

The removal came by voice vote 鈥� not by ballot 鈥� in a closed-door Republican meeting. Following the vote, Rep. Michelle Fischbach, R-Minn., said she鈥檚 ready to look to the future.

鈥淥ur top priority, as Republicans, must be pushing back against the liberal overreach of President (Joe) Biden and Speaker (Nancy) Pelosi,鈥� Fischbach said. 鈥淎s evidenced by today鈥檚 vote, our conference has lost faith in Congresswoman Cheney鈥檚 ability to look to the future and advance our collective priorities.鈥�

That language echoes House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy 鈥� and much of the rest of the party 鈥� who have found Cheney鈥檚 repeated criticism of the former president, and his unsubstantiated claim that he won re-election, a distraction.

鈥淓ach day spent relitigating the past is one day less we have to seize the future,鈥� McCarthy wrote. 鈥淭his is no time to take our eye off the ball. If we are to succeed in stopping the radical Democrat agenda from destroying our country, these internal conflicts need to be resolved so as to not detract from the efforts of our collective team.鈥�

Cheney, who represents Wyoming, previously survived a leadership challenge in February, but pressure against her mounted as she has continued to criticize Trump. Rep. Kelly Armstrong, R-N.D., told a reporter last week that he planned to vote against her as well.

鈥淚 really respect her, and she has absolutely every right to have this opinion. In fact, she鈥檚 not the only one in our conference that does,鈥� Armstrong said. 鈥淲hat she can't do is be the conference chair when she is not willing, on these types of issues, to go where the conference wants to be.鈥�

Though reduced in number, Cheney still has supporters within the party. Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., said in a statement before the vote that he would continue to back her.

鈥淚鈥檝e had my disagreements with Liz, but she鈥檚 a strong, conservative and independent voice,鈥� Johnson said. 鈥淲e need those qualities in leadership, and I鈥檒l vote against her removal.鈥�

RELATED: South Dakota's Rep. Dusty Johnson votes in support of Liz Cheney U.S. Rep Johnson called Cheney, the formerly No. 3 ranking Republican in the House of Representatives, a "strong, conservative, independent voice."