At a time when Republicans need to focus on fighting the Biden administration and leveraging close congressional numbers into power, some still can’t get over the past and cling to cult of personality campaigns designed to suck up to the former president, lest he primary them. They’re putting their own petty vendettas over fighting Joe Biden.

Some others, like Liz Cheney, have the courage of their convictions and hold to their guns regardless of potential political cost. But politicians like Rep. Matt Gaetz are one issue hucksters looking for heretics, not converts. Gaetz, and others who can’t get over recent political inadequacies, deserve every word of opprobrium they get and loss at the polls.

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FNC: “Rep. Matt Gaetz traveled to Wyoming on Thursday to call for the ouster of House Republican Caucus Chair Liz Cheney over her vote to impeach former President Trump, underscoring the divisions in the GOP as it grapples with its identity in the wake of Trump’s presidency. Gaetz during the rally railed against ‘neocons,’ ‘forever wars’ and Cheney’s impeachment vote while accusing Cheney, R-Wyo., of having blood on her hands. The event could be considered the first closely-watched campaign rally of the 2022 congressional primaries.”

“Now Liz Cheney taunts me for wearing makeup in my television appearances. Now, make up only hides the slightest imperfections of the skin. It does very little to conceal the soulless corruption of Washington D.C.,” Gaetz said. He was recalling an amusing comment from a Cheney spox that “In Wyoming, men don’t wear make-up.” The Cheney aide has got a point. Gaetz uses more hair product than most NFL cheerleading squads. And “soulless corruption”? Dear God, does he think sane people speak that way?

“We are in a battle for the soul of the Republican party and I intend to win it,” Gaetz said. “You can help me. You can help me break a corrupt system. You can send a representative who actually represents you and you can send Liz Cheney home — back home to Washington, D.C. It’s going to be a long two years, but let’s go get them.” Ah, there it is. Help me, which means give to my campaign. Not very subtle, is Congressman Brylcream.

Republican gunslinger Cory Lewandowski, still working for the immediately former president, had some words to say on GOP unity. “They will all get primary challenges in my opinion. I don’t know at what level the president’s going to weigh in on each of those races, but I think he will be involved in a number of them.”

Gaetz himself referenced a recent poll at the Thursday rally, saying “I think our position is the right one… remove Liz Cheney as the leader of the Republican conference because based on the numbers I’ve seen Liz Cheney is less popular among Republicans in her own state than Muammar Gaddafi was among the Libyans.” How droll.

But Wyoming fights back. “Wyoming doesn’t like it when outsiders come into our state and try to tell us what to do,” a former Cheney staffer said. And Rep. Dan Crenshaw, Republican of Texas, has some words for Gaetz and his ilk.

“Let’s get some truth on the record: @Liz_Cheney has a hell of a lot more backbone than most, & is a principled leader with a fierce intellect. She will continue to be a much needed leader in the conference, with my full support. We can disagree without tearing each other apart.”

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Among others who back Cheney are Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo.; Reps. Ken Buck, R-Colo., and Chip Roy, R-Texas, two prominent members of the House Freedom Caucus; high-profile freshman Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C.; House GOP Whip Steve Scalise, R-La.; popular freshman Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., and more. Lots more. Cheney is the kind of gutsy and principled leader the GOP needs at any time. Gatez is just a junior demagogue. She’ll win this one and still be in Congress when Matt Gaetz is back in Florida, perusing a Clinique display.