House Republicans have voted to oust Rep. Liz Cheney from her leadership post over her unyielding criticism of former President Donald Trump.

The voice vote took place in a closed-door meeting with GOP lawmakers to remove the Wyoming congresswoman from her role as House Republican Conference chair, the third-highest GOP position in the chamber. 

Cheney was one of 10 House Republicans to vote to impeach Trump in January, and she has repeatedly pushed back on the former president’s false claims that widespread fraud cost him reelection. Cheney also has said she doesn’t believe Trump should have a role in the future of the party.

Ahead of the vote, Cheney decried GOP leaders who echo Trump's baseless claims of election fraud and pledged to lead the fight "to restore" the Republican Party, according to Axios.

"If you want leaders who will enable and spread his destructive lies, I’m not your person, you have plenty of others to choose from," Cheney told her fellow Republicans before the vote. "That will be their legacy."

"But I promise you this: After today, I will be leading the fight to restore our party and our nation to conservative principles, to defeating socialism, to defending our republic, to making the GOP worthy again of being the party of Lincoln," she continued.

Speaking to reporters after the vote, a defiant Cheney pledged that she will do everything in her power "to ensure that the former president never again gets anywhere near the Oval Office."

"We have seen the danger that he continues to provoke with his language," Cheney said of Trump. "We have seen his lack of commitment and dedication to the Constitution."

"We must go forward based on truth," Cheney said. "We cannot both embrace the big lie and embrace the Constitution."

"We cannot be dragged backwards by the very dangerous lies of the former president," she added. 

Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, another Trump critic who voted to impeach the former president, called the events of the day "sad."

"Liz has committed the only sin of being consistent and telling the truth, the truth is that the election was not stolen," he said, adding: "I stand by Liz. I am proud of her."

Colorado Rep. Ken Buck, the only Republican who stayed to watch Cheney's speech last night, said the Wyoming Republican "was canceled for speaking her mind."

"I believe Liz Cheney was canceled today for speaking her mind and disagreeing with the narrative the former president has put forth," Rep. Buck told reporters, adding that there was a request to hold a recorded vote rather than a voice vote on her removal, but the motion "was ruled out of order."

Following the vote, Trump blasted Cheney as a "bitter, horrible human being" and a "warmonger" in a vitriolic statement attacking her and her family.

"She has no personality or anything good having to do with politics or our Country," Trump said. "She is a talking point for Democrats, whether that means the Border, the gas lines, inflation, or destroying our economy."

Ahead of her demotion, she gave a defiant speech on the House floor Tuesday night.

“Remaining silent and ignoring the lie emboldens the liar,” she said to near-empty chamber. “I will not participate in that. I will not sit back and watch in silence while others lead our party down a path that abandons the rule of law and joins the former president’s crusade to undermine our democracy.”

She noted that dozens of judges, including some who had been appointed by Trump, rejected the claims made by his campaign and allies in court and that the Justice Department under former Attorney General Bill Barr found no evidence of widespread election fraud. 

"I am a conservative Republican, and the most conservative of conservative principles is reverence for the rule of law,” she said. “The election is over. That is the rule of law. That is our constitutional process. Those who refuse to accept the rulings of our courts are at war with the Constitution."

Cheney, the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, previously survived one bid to demote her from her leadership position after she called Trump’s actions leading up to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot as the greatest “betrayal by a President of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution.”

But as Trump has continued to spread disinformation about the election and Cheney has continued to dispute such claims, House Republicans have reportedly grown more frustrated with the congresswoman. The GOP is largely falling in line behind Trump as it eyes reclaiming the House and Senate in 2022.

Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York has emerged as the favorite to replace Cheney. While far-right conservatives have questioned Stefanik’s voting record, she has received the backing of Trump, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California and Minority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana.

Stefanik was one of Trump’s more vocal defenders during his second impeachment and last week signaled support for his false narrative about fraud in the 2020 election.

Trump said in a statement Wednesday ahead of the vote that House Republicans "have a great opportunity today to rid themselves of a poor leader, a major Democrat talking point, a warmonger, and a person with absolutely no personality or heart."

McCarthy has argued that Cheney is not unifying the party ahead of next year’s midterm elections, and that she’s too focused on Trump and not enough on President Joe Biden.

The House GOP leader reportedly told his caucus they will hold a candidate forum to replace Cheney on Thursday, and the election for her successor will take place on Friday.

Shortly after the vote, New York Rep. Elise Stefanik sent a letter formally announcing her candidacy to replace Cheney as conference chair.

The House GOP leader told his caucus they will hold a candidate forum to replace Cheney on Thursday, and the election for her successor will take place on Friday.