As someone who aligns with liberal values, I never thought I would find myself appreciating the rationale of former Republican Vice President Dick Cheney.

Yet, here we are. In an election cycle filled with unexpected events, the most startling occurred recently when former Wyoming congresswoman Liz Cheney revealed that her father—a revered conservative figure—plans to vote for Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris.

The elder Cheney later confirmed his intention in a statement, saying, “As citizens, we each have a responsibility to prioritize our country over party politics to uphold our Constitution. This is why I will be supporting Vice President Kamala Harris.”

Prior to this, Liz Cheney had expressed her support for Harris. Together, their decisions provide a solid rationale for other Republican voters to support Harris and, more importantly, to remove Donald J. Trump from their party.

Dick Cheney anticipates the consequences of a Trump victory and chooses to align with Democrats

Let’s be clear: the Cheneys haven’t shifted their political beliefs leftward. They are not advocating for things like student loan forgiveness or becoming friends with politicians like Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Instead, they have made a reasonable and patriotic decision that Trump is entirely unsuitable for office. They perceive that he has transformed their party into a personality-driven cult, a governing body that disregards facts and is veering towards authoritarianism.

If backing Harris and the Democratic ticket is the necessary action to keep Trump’s self-serving ambitions away from the United States, the Cheneys, along with a rising number of Republicans who refuse to support the chaos from Mar-a-Lago, will do just that.

They have witnessed the Republican Party—once led by figures like Ronald Reagan, the Bush family, and Sen. John McCain, along with Dick Cheney—be overtaken by a mix of self-absorbed charlatans and anti-democratic extremists. They are eager to reclaim it and marginalize the likes of Trump, Ted Cruz, and Marjorie Taylor Greene back to the extreme fringes where they belong.

Cheney’s endorsement of Harris is politically unprecedented

“Dick Cheney will be voting for Kamala Harris,” Liz Cheney stated on Friday during an event in Austin.

It’s a remarkable and historic endorsement. Many of Trump’s former Cabinet members have already declared they won’t support him. Even his past vice president, Mike Pence, has refrained from endorsing Trump.

Additionally, Liz Cheney and former Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., have both voiced their endorsement for Harris and clearly outlined their stance against Trump.

Yet, Dick Cheney—historically unpopular with Democrats—has brought Republican support for Harris into a new, acceptable territory.

The Cheneys firmly believe Trump is entirely unfit for office—and they’re correct.

Cheney’s daughter remarked, “Considering the critical moment we’re in, and how severe the situation is, my dad believes—and has articulated publicly—that there has never been a person in our country who poses as serious a threat to our democracy as Donald Trump, and that is the reality we are confronting.”

In his statement on Friday, the former vice president reiterated his disapproval of Trump: “He attempted to undermine the last election through deceit and violence in order to remain in power after the voters had rejected him. He should never be trusted with authority again.”

By transforming the GOP into his personal cash cow for self-promotion, Trump has made significant efforts to undermine our democracy. He constantly questions the legitimacy of our elections, criticizes NATO, and supports authoritarian leaders from adversarial countries.

Democrats and the Cheneys share a common goal: halting this man’s agenda. For pragmatic conservatives, stopping Trump is also the sole path to reclaiming and revitalizing their party.

While this may be a strategic alliance, it is also rooted in principles and a genuine love for our country. I believe it presents the last chance for traditional Republicans like the Cheneys to put an end to the MAGA movement.

To rebuild the GOP, Trump must be deprived of political influence

Trump has demonstrated to opportunistic right-wing figures that there are profits to be made by adopting his unique political style. (Trump’s ideology is nebulous; he doesn’t fit neatly into conservative or liberal categories. His positions revolve solely around what benefits him and what keeps his supporters agitated.)

If prudent conservatives – and I genuinely believe many still exist – fail to follow the Cheneys’ lead, they will need to accept that removing Trump from the political landscape may require them to reluctantly vote for a Democrat. Otherwise, their party will forever slip away.

If Trump wins or even narrowly loses, the MAGA movement will have renewed energy to persist. In that scenario, the Cheneys will be overlooked, and the party that once championed conservative values will be irretrievably lost.

Dick Cheney has a clear vision of this impending outcome. To his credit, he’s supporting a Democrat.

Follow YSL News columnist Rex Huppke on X, previously Twitter, @RexHuppke and on Facebook at facebook.com/RexIsAJerk