Liz Cheney, once a stalwart Republican congresswoman, has emerged as an unlikely figure in progressive discussions with her newly unveiled Project 2029, a plan pitched as a bulwark against rising fascism in America. The initiative, launched through her political action committee Our Great Task, has sparked curiosity and skepticism across the political spectrum. Why is a conservative like Cheney championing a cause that resonates with progressive fears? What does Project 2029 actually propose, and can it gain traction among Democrats? Let’s dive into the facts, motives, and progressive pulse on this intriguing development, approaching it with curiosity and a commitment to truth.
Who Is Liz Cheney?
Liz Cheney, daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, served as Wyoming’s Republican representative from 2017 to 2023. Known for her hawkish foreign policy and conservative voting record—opposing abortion rights, the Affordable Care Act, and marriage equality—she was a GOP mainstay until her outspoken criticism of Donald Trump fractured her party ties. As vice chair of the House committee investigating the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack, Cheney prioritized constitutional integrity over party loyalty, leading to her primary loss in 2022 to a Trump-backed challenger. Since then, she’s reinvented herself as a defender of democracy, endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024 and founding Our Great Task to support anti-Trump candidates, mostly Democrats. Her shift has made her a polarizing figure: a hero to some, a convenient ally to others.¹⁴⁸
What Is Project 2029?
Project 2029, announced in early 2025, is Cheney’s strategic framework to counter what she calls “authoritarian tendencies” in American politics, particularly tied to Trump’s influence. Unlike the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, a conservative wishlist for a Republican administration, Project 2029 focuses on preserving democratic institutions and resisting fascism. According to Cheney’s statements on Bluesky, the plan emphasizes strengthening the rule of law, protecting electoral integrity, and countering disinformation.⁴ Key proposals include:
- Judicial Safeguards: Advocating for legislation to limit executive overreach and protect judicial independence, citing Trump’s claims of immunity post-Supreme Court rulings.⁸
- Election Security: Proposing federal standards for transparent vote counting and combating foreign interference, drawing from her January 6 committee work.¹⁴
- Civic Education: Funding programs to teach constitutional principles, addressing her concern that “high school students and members of Congress” lack understanding of the Constitution.⁶
- Bipartisan Coalitions: Encouraging cross-party alliances to defend democratic norms, modeled on her own outreach to Democrats.¹⁵
Cheney frames Project 2029 as a response to Trump’s “fundamentally cruel” actions, like his January 6 inaction and false hurricane aid claims, which she equates to fascist tactics.⁸ Her rhetoric is fiery, accusing Trump, JD Vance, and Elon Musk of being “Kremlin tools” for undermining Ukraine and NATO.¹³ The plan’s name, 2029, signals a long-term vision, contrasting with Project 2025’s immediate policy goals.
Why Did Cheney Write Project 2029?
Cheney’s motives are a mix of principle and pragmatism. Her public statements, like those at Vanderbilt University in 2024, emphasize a nonpartisan duty to protect the Constitution, viewing the 2024 election’s fallout as a call to action.⁶ She’s also navigating a political reinvention. After losing her House seat, Cheney lacked a platform within the GOP, which has largely embraced Trump. By aligning with democratic values, she’s carved out a niche as a conservative ally to liberals, evidenced by her Harris endorsement and fundraising for Democrats via Our Great Task.¹⁵
Progressives, however, question her intentions. Some see Project 2029 as a genuine evolution, noting her willingness to call Trump a “fascist” and risk GOP ostracism.⁸ Others suspect opportunism, pointing to her unchanged conservative stances on issues like abortion and climate change. A 2023 MSNBC article warned progressives against “beguilement” by Cheney, arguing her anti-Trump focus doesn’t signal a broader ideological shift.¹⁶ As Salon’s Chauncey DeVega put it, “The enemy of my enemy is not my friend,” suggesting Cheney’s past support for Tea Party rhetoric helped pave the way for Trumpism.²⁴
Progressive Consensus on Project 2029
Progressive reactions to Project 2029 are split, reflecting both hope and wariness. Social media platforms like Threads and Bluesky show lively debates. Some activists praise Cheney’s boldness, with one Threads user noting, “She’s saying what Democrats won’t: fascism is here, and it’s organized.” Others dismiss her as a “friendly fascist,” citing her father’s Iraq War legacy and her own conservative record. A viral Bluesky post quipped, “Liz Cheney fighting fascism is like a fox guarding the henhouse—check her voting history.”⁷
Progressive outlets like In These Times argue Democrats need their own Project 2029—a positive, policy-driven vision rather than a reactive alliance with figures like Cheney.⁰ The Progressive.org echoed this, urging progressives to “play hardball” against fascism without “bear-hugging” Cheney, whose foreign policy hawkishness clashes with anti-interventionist liberal values.²¹
Can Democrats Champion Project 2029 En Masse?
The odds of Democrats fully embracing Project 2029 are slim. While Cheney’s anti-Trump stance aligns with progressive fears of authoritarianism, her conservative roots and selective focus—democracy over social justice—limit her appeal. A 2025 New York Times opinion piece called for a Democratic Project 2029 focused on reforming the administrative state, suggesting Cheney’s plan lacks the bold domestic agenda progressives crave.² Her endorsement of Harris won over moderates but alienated left-leaning activists, who criticized Harris’s Cheney town halls as pandering to hawks.¹⁵⁹
Cheney’s bipartisan pitch also faces structural hurdles. Democrats control neither the House nor Senate in 2025, per recent election results, weakening their ability to push legislation.²⁶ Plus, Cheney’s lacklion dollars in donations from liberals, suggesting a ceiling on her influence.¹⁵
That said, Project 2029 could find niche support among centrist Democrats and Never Trump Republicans. Its focus on judicial and electoral reforms aligns with groups like Stand Up America, which admired Cheney’s January 6 work.⁵ But for progressives prioritizing economic justice or climate action, Cheney’s plan feels incomplete. As Responsible Statecraft noted, her hawkish foreign policy ties risk alienating the noninterventionist left, a growing Democratic faction.⁹
A Path Forward: Curiosity Over Cynicism
Project 2029 is a fascinating case study in political realignment. Liz Cheney, a conservative cast out by her party, is betting on a cross-ideological coalition to save democracy. Her plan’s strengths—clear-eyed warnings about authoritarianism and practical electoral reforms—are tempered by her ideological baggage and the progressive demand for a broader vision. Democrats might borrow her ideas but are unlikely to rally behind her en masse, preferring a homegrown response to fascism.
We see this as a moment for discovery. Can progressives engage with unlikely allies like Cheney without compromising their values? Can her warnings sharpen our own strategies? Let’s keep digging, grounded in facts and open to surprises. After all, as Cheney herself said, “Freedom is a fragile thing and it’s never more than one generation away from extinction.”⁴ Maybe that’s a starting point we can all agree on.
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