State party censures in response to Trump impeachment, 2021

Last updated: April 2021

Seventeen Republican members of Congress voted to impeach or convict President Donald Trump (R) for incitement of insurrection following the breach of the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021:

• Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.)
• Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.)
• Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine)
• Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska)
• Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah)
• Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.)
• Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.)
• Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.)
• Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (R-Ohio)
• Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-Wash.)
• Rep. John Katko (R-N.Y.)
• Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.)
• Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.)
• Rep. Peter Meijer (R-Mich.)
• Rep. Tom Rice (R-S.C.)
• Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.)
• Rep. David Valadao (R-Calif.)

This page details how Republican state parties responded to these votes, including whether they issued a censure, a formal statement of condemnation, or a rebuke, a less severe statement of disapproval.

On this page, you will find:

• Overview of Republican state party responses
• Responses from Republican state parties

Overview of Republican state party responses

The following table lists whether each Republican member of Congress who voted to impeach or convict Trump was rebuked or censured by his or her state party. It does not include censures from county parties.

As of April 16, 2021, five of the Republicans had been censured by their state parties and four had been rebuked. Nine of the 10 House members had Republican primary challengers.

Overview of party response to Republicans who voted to impeach or convict Trump, 2021
Official	State	Chamber of Congress	State party censure or rebuke
Richard Burr	North Carolina	Senate	Censure
Bill Cassidy	Louisiana	Senate	Censure
Susan Collins	Maine	Senate	None
Lisa Murkowski	Alaska	Senate	Censure
Mitt Romney	Utah	Senate	None
Ben Sasse	Nebraska	Senate	Rebuke
Pat Toomey	Pennsylvania	Senate	Rebuke
Liz Cheney	Wyoming	House	Censure
Anthony Gonzalez	Ohio	House	Censure
Jaime Herrera Beutler	Washington	House	Rebuke
John Katko	New York	House	None
Adam Kinzinger	Illlinois	House	None
Dan Newhouse	Washington	House	Rebuke
Peter Meijer	Michigan	House	None
Tom Rice	South Carolina	House	Censure
Fred Upton	Michigan	House	None
David Valadao	California	House	None

Responses from Republican state parties

This section includes an overview of rebukes and censures issued by Republican state parties in relation to the 2021 impeachment of Trump. It does not include the actions of county or other local party groups.

Alaska Republican Party

By a vote of 53-17, the Alaska Republican Party censured Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) in March 2021 for voting to convict Trump and supporting Debra Haaland's (D) nomination for interior secretary. According to former Alaska Republican Party Chairman Tuckerman Babcock, the censure directed the party to both recruit a primary challenger to Murkowski and attempt to prevent her from running as a Republican through whatever legal measures available.

Louisiana Republican Party

The Louisiana Republican Party unanimously voted to censure Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) on February 13, 2021.

When asked to respond to the censure, Cassidy said on February 14, 2021, "I'm attempting to hold President Trump accountable and that is the trust I have from the people that elected me and I'm very confident that as time passes people will move to that position."

Maine Republican Party

The Maine Republican Party decided against censuring Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) on March 27, 2021, by a vote of 19-41. The party's state director, Jason Savage, said, "Party leadership considers this matter settled now and the team is moving on to preparing to win elections in 2022."

Collins said that the vote was "a testament to the Republican Party's 'big tent' philosophy that respects different views but unites around core principles."

Nebraska Republican Party

The Nebraska Republican Party voted to rebuke rather than censure Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) on February 27, 2021. The resolution, which passed with nearly 63% support, criticized Sasse's overall tenure as a senator.

Sasse responded, "There are lots of good people involved in party activism, and I care about them. But most Nebraskans don’t think politics should be about the weird worship of one dude.”

North Carolina Republican Party

The North Carolina Republican Party unanimously voted to censure Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) in February 2021. The party said in a statement that the impeachment was not constitutional.

Burr responded, “It is truly a sad day for North Carolina Republicans. My party’s leadership has chosen loyalty to one man over the core principles of the Republican Party and the founders of our great nation.”

Ohio Republican Party

The Ohio Republican Party voted on May 7, 2021, to censure Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (R-Ohio). "This resolution addresses an unconstitutional, politically motivated process that served no purpose. Republicans and Democratic members alike have the right to vote in any way they so choose. This committee also has a right to stand on principle and conviction," state party Chairman Bob Paduchik said. The committee also called on Gonzalez to resign.

Pennsylvania Republican Party

The Pennsylvania Republican Party voted on March 1, 2021, to rebuke Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Penn.). The 128-124 vote was not a formal censure.

Toomey responded to the rebuke: "I understand a lot of Republicans disagree with my vote to convict President Trump in the impeachment trial. I get that. The Trump administration had many, many important accomplishments during the four years Donald Trump was President. We can disagree about his behavior after the election, but what we should focus on is how do we win elections next fall."

South Carolina Republican Party

The South Carolina Republican Party voted to censure Rep. Tom Rice (R-S.C.) in January 2021. "We made our disappointment clear the night of the impeachment vote. Trying to impeach a president with a week left in his term, is never legitimate and is nothing more than a political kick on the way out the door," state party Chairman Drew McKissick said.

Rice said in a statement, "My vote to impeach President Trump was no reflection on his policies, his effectiveness, his accomplishments, nor my conservative values and voting record. It was a vote to honor my oath of office. That oath was not to Chairman McKissick, nor to the S.C. Republican Party, nor to President Trump. That oath, sworn to on the Bible, was to protect and defend our Constitution."

Utah Republican Party

In February 2021, the Republican Party of Utah issued a statement in support of both Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), who voted to convict, and Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), who voted to acquit. The party said, "Our senators have both been criticized for their vote. The differences between our own Utah Republicans showcase a diversity of thought, in contrast to the danger of a party fixated on 'unanimity of thought.' There is power in our differences as a political party, and we look forward to each senator explaining their votes to the people of Utah."

Washington Republican Party

The Washington Republican Party rebuked Reps. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-Wash.) and Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.) in January 2021 by a vote of 111-2.

Wyoming Republican Party

The Wyoming Republican Party censured Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) in February 2021. The committee also called for Cheney to resign and return donations from the party to her 2020 congressional campaign.

“Foremost among these is the defense of our Constitution and the freedoms it guarantees. My vote to impeach was compelled by the oath I swore to the Constitution,” Cheney responded. She said she would not resign.

See also

• Impeachment of Donald Trump, 2021
• Counting of electoral votes (January 6-7, 2021)
• Breach of U.S. Capitol during electoral vote count (January 6, 2021)
• Reactions to U.S. Capitol breach during electoral vote count (January 6, 2021)

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