Washington Republican who backed Trump impeachment faces backlash back home
Clark County Republican Women vowed to back primary challenge to Herrera Beutler over vote
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Wash., one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach President Trump on charges of "incitement of an insurrection," is facing criticism from her district's conservative base.
"On behalf of our entire membership, the [Clark County Republican Women] Executive Board is unified in condemning your actions to betray a sitting Republican President. And this vote will never be forgotten, as your action is a personal affront to the 70 million plus Americans who voted for our President," Clark County Republican Women wrote in a letter to Herrera Beutler.
THESE ARE THE 10 REPUBLICANS WHO VOTED TO IMPEACH TRUMP
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Herrera Beutler represents Washington's Clark County, near the Washington-Oregon border.
With 10 Republican votes, Trump's second impeachment was the most bipartisan one in history. By comparison, five Democrats voted to impeach Bill Clinton in 1998. Herrera Beutler was not the only Washington state Republican to vote for impeachment; Rep. Dan Newhouse also did.
In this Thursday, Jan. 7, 2021 photo image taken from video, Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Wash., speaks as the House debates the objection to confirm the Electoral College vote from Pennsylvania, at the U.S. Capitol. (House Television via AP)
Joel Mattila, chair of Clark County Republicans, said Herrera Beutler's vote sparked "anger in the ranks."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I can tell you that from old-time party regulars — people that traditionally and typically support Congresswoman Herrera Beutler — all the way down to your average ordinary everyday Republican voter, I can report to you that there is a lot of anger in the ranks because of her impeachment vote," Mattila told The Columbian.
Clark County Republican Women vowed to back a primary challenge to Herrera Beutler over the impeachment vote.
TRUMP IMPEACHMENT SUPPORTED BY ONLY 8% OF REPUBLICANS: POLL
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"If you cast this vote to impeach, you will never receive our support or votes again at any time in the future," the group said in the letter to Herrera Beutler. "Additionally, we will do everything in our power as the largest Republican Women's organization in Washington State to recruit and elect a conservative candidate who will represent our values."
David Gellatly, head of Activate Republicans Clark County, told The Columbian that Herrera Beutler's seat could be in jeopardy.
"This was probably the one single vote that Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler could make that basically would almost eliminate her chances of making her way through the primary," he told The Columbian. "People want somebody else immediately to start stepping up. ... There's a pool of names that are very likely."
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Fox News' inquiry to Beutler's office was not immediatey returned.
"The counting of electoral votes IS the Constitution in process," she wrote on Twitter, explaining her vote. "And a ruthless mob (joined by would be assassins) stopping the counting of electoral votes by force is the epitome of attacking the Constitution.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"The president either wanted the mob he helped mobilize to take these steps, or he didn't care enough about his job responsibilities to try to stop them," she said. "Either way, it's impeachable."