Sen. Burr faces censure vote in NC as GOP civil war over Trump’s impeachment rages

Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) faces possible censure by Republicans in his home state over his vote to convict former President Trump in the latest sign of a widening GOP civil war over the explosive impeachment trial.

The North Carolina GOP plans to meet to consider a reprimand for Burr after he joined six Republican colleagues in backing the move to convict Trump for inciting the Capitol riot on Jan. 6.

Burr is retiring at the end of his current term so the move would have a limited impact on him.

But the move — along with similar actions against other Republicans who turned on Trump — shows the enduring strength of Trump’s support within the GOP, especially at the state and local level.

Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.) made the unusual step of touting Lara Trump, the ex-president’s daughter-in-law, as a possible successor to Burr. She would likely face a crowded GOP primary fight and a difficult general election battle in the fast-changing battleground state.

Graham, who relishes his role as one of the staunchest supporters of the ex-president in the Senate, also criticized Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) for his fiery denunciation of Trump after the impeachment vote ended in acquittal.

Now that Trump’s impeachment trial is over, the former president himself is likely to become much more vocal.

He plans to hold a press conference at an undisclosed date later this week at his Mar-a-Lago estate where he will surely scorch his critics both inside and outside the Republican Party.

There is nothing preventing Trump from running for president in 2024 and he has said he is considering a variety of options. Despite criticism from some lawmakers, Trump remains overwhelmingly popular among Republican voters, which explains the potent backlash faced by Burr as well as Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) for their conviction votes.

Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) had to fight to turn aside a challenge to her leadership position in the House GOP and is facing a brewing primary fight over her vote for impeachment.

It remains to be seen if McConnell himself, the most powerful Republican in Congress, may face choppy political waters. Even though he voted to acquit Trump on technicalities, McConnell excoriated the ex-president in a speech in which he agreed with most of the points made by Democratic impeachment managers.