Kinzinger: GOP ‘certainly not united’ on ‘vision for the future’

Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), one of the GOP’s most vocal critics of former President Trump, said Sunday that the Republican party is “certainly not united” on its path forward.

“We may be united in some areas… we don’t have to agree with everything the Biden administration is doing and so we’ll be opposition… but I think in terms of what is our vision for the future — certainly not united,” Kinzinger said on CBS’ “Face the Nation” Sunday. “I think we are a party that’s been, for too long, peddling in fear, using fear as a compelling way to get votes.”

Asked about Trump’s upcoming remarks at the Conservative Political Action Conference, his first public speech since leaving office, Kinzinger said “I think what you’re going to hear from the president at CPAC today is self-congratulations, no ability to recognize the fact that we have lost the House, the Senate and the presidency because of Donald Trump, and you’re going to see a lot of fear.”

Is the @GOP united as Pres. Trump is slated to say in his upcoming #CPAC speech?

“We may be united in some areas…but I think in terms of what is our vision for the future — certainly not united,” @RepKinzinger tells @margbrennan pic.twitter.com/CN771bgz2o

— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) February 28, 2021

CBS’ Margaret Brennan asked Kinzinger about the political action committee Kinzinger founded and whether he had identified any candidates it would back.

“There are a few I really appreciate in the Senate… those who voted to remove the president in particular because I think they did it at great personal cost,” Kinzinger said, naming Sens. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska).

House GOP Conference Chair Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), he added, “with her strength and her ability to stand up in front of a tough crowd and tell the truth, that’s what America needs more of.”