It was a cold Wednesday in January 2021 when the world watched the U.S. House of Representatives do something it had never done before. For the second time in just over a year, they moved to impeach Donald Trump. But this time, the vibe was different. It wasn't just Democrats pushing the button. A small group of GOP members broke ranks, basically putting their entire political careers on the line in a single afternoon.
Honestly, it’s hard to overstate how much of a "burn the boats" moment this was. In a party that had become almost entirely defined by its loyalty to Trump, these lawmakers decided to go the other way. You've probably heard a few of the names, like Liz Cheney or Adam Kinzinger, but there were others who stepped into the crosshairs that day.
The House 10: Who Were These People?
Ten House Republicans joined the Democrats to pass the article of incitement of insurrection. It wasn't a snap decision for most of them. Many, like John Katko of New York, were former prosecutors who talked about the "facts at hand" and the weight of the evidence.
Then you had Liz Cheney. As the third-ranking Republican in the House at the time, her vote was a massive earthquake. She didn't mince words, saying there had "never been a greater betrayal by a President of the United States of his office." It was a bold statement. Some might say it was the beginning of the end for her career in the GOP as we knew it.
Here is the list of those ten House members:
📖 Related: The Natascha Kampusch Case: What Really Happened in the Girl in the Cellar True Story
- Liz Cheney (Wyoming)
- Adam Kinzinger (Illinois)
- Anthony Gonzalez (Ohio)
- Peter Meijer (Michigan)
- John Katko (New York)
- Fred Upton (Michigan)
- Jaime Herrera Beutler (Washington)
- Dan Newhouse (Washington)
- Tom Rice (South Carolina)
- David Valadao (California)
What happened next was a sort of political "Hunger Games." Trump didn't forget. He spent the next two years campaigning against almost every single person on that list. And for the most part, it worked.
Where Are the Republicans Who Voted to Impeach Trump Now?
If you look at where these people are today in early 2026, the landscape is pretty bleak for the "pro-impeachment" crowd. Only two of the ten House members actually managed to keep their seats through the 2022 midterms: Dan Newhouse and David Valadao.
The rest? They’re mostly gone from elected office. Some, like Anthony Gonzalez and Adam Kinzinger, saw the writing on the wall and decided not to even run for reelection. They basically said, "I'm out," rather than face a primary battle they knew they’d likely lose. Others, like Liz Cheney and Tom Rice, went down swinging in their primaries and got crushed by Trump-backed challengers.
Cheney’s loss was particularly brutal. She lost her Wyoming primary to Harriet Hageman by nearly 40 points. It was one of the biggest defeats for a House incumbent in decades. Since then, she’s become a professor at the University of Virginia and a vocal critic of the MAGA movement from the outside. Kinzinger has also stayed in the public eye as a commentator, often appearing on news networks to talk about the "soul of the party."
👉 See also: The Lawrence Mancuso Brighton NY Tragedy: What Really Happened
The Senate Side: A Slightly Different Story
While the House was busy, the Senate trial in February 2021 saw seven Republicans vote to convict. Since a two-thirds majority is needed to actually convict, Trump was acquitted, but 57-43 was still the most bipartisan impeachment vote in history.
The seven Senators were:
- Richard Burr (North Carolina)
- Bill Cassidy (Louisiana)
- Susan Collins (Maine)
- Lisa Murkowski (Alaska)
- Mitt Romney (Utah)
- Ben Sasse (Nebraska)
- Pat Toomey (Pennsylvania)
The Senate group had a bit more "cushion" because of their six-year terms. Lisa Murkowski, for example, actually won her reelection in 2022 despite being a top target for Trump. She’s famously tough to beat in Alaska, partly because of their ranked-choice voting system. Bill Cassidy and Susan Collins are still in office as of 2026.
However, the "retirement bug" hit this group too. Richard Burr and Pat Toomey both retired at the end of their terms. Ben Sasse left the Senate early to become the president of the University of Florida. And Mitt Romney, perhaps the most famous Trump critic in the Senate, announced he wouldn't seek reelection in 2024, citing the need for a "new generation" of leaders.
✨ Don't miss: The Fatal Accident on I-90 Yesterday: What We Know and Why This Stretch Stays Dangerous
Why Does This Still Matter in 2026?
You might wonder why we're still talking about this. Well, the fate of these Republicans basically redefined the modern GOP. It sent a clear message to every other Republican in Congress: if you cross the base on Trump, you're probably finished.
The "House 10" became a cautionary tale. It showed that having a conservative voting record—and most of these people were very conservative—didn't matter as much as personal loyalty to the leader. It’s why you see so few Republicans willing to break ranks today on controversial issues. They’ve seen what happened to Rice, Meijer, and Cheney.
But there’s another side to it. For some voters, these lawmakers are seen as the last of a dying breed—people who prioritized their interpretation of the Constitution over their party. Whether you think they’re heroes or "RINOs" (Republicans In Name Only), their votes were a massive turning point in American political history.
Actionable Insights for Following Political Trends
Keeping track of these shifts helps you understand how power actually works in D.C. If you want to stay ahead of the curve, here are a few things to keep an eye on:
- Watch the Primaries, Not the Generals: In many districts, the real "election" happens in the Republican primary. If you want to see where the party is headed, look at who is winning those internal battles.
- Track the "Retirement Wave": When several veteran lawmakers from the same wing of a party retire at once, it’s usually a sign that the party’s internal culture is shifting.
- Follow the Money: Look at where the RNC and major PACs are spending. Are they protecting incumbents who voted for impeachment, or are they funding their challengers?
The story of the republicans who voted to impeach trump isn't just about a single vote in 2021. It's about the total transformation of a political party and the high price of dissent in a polarized era. As we head further into 2026 and look toward the next big election cycles, the absence of these voices in the halls of Congress is still being felt.
To stay informed on current congressional rankings and upcoming primary challenges, check the latest candidate filings on the FEC website or follow non-partisan trackers like Ballotpedia. Understanding the historical context of these impeachment votes provides the necessary lens to interpret today’s legislative maneuvers.