Is Kevin Costner a Republican? Yellowstone star's endorsement of Liz Cheney sparks online debate 

Yellowstone star Kevin Costner recently showed his support for GOP Representative Liz Cheney and endorsed her by wearing a pro-Cheney t-shirt. The politician shared the photo on social media with a caption that read:

“Real men put country over party”

The endorsement comes ahead of Cheney's re-election bid against strong opposition from Harriet Hageman, a candidate backed by Donald Trump. Despite being a Republican candidate, the former is known for being one of the strongest Trump critics.

Cheney, who currently serves as the vice chairwoman of the House select committee, spoke out against the former US president following the infamous January 6 Capitol attack.

While the representative received support from some Democrats, she also faced criticism from many Republican voters in Wyoming's at-large congressional district, a state known for Trump's major victory during the 2020 presidential election.

While Costner has been vocal about his support for Cheney, the actor no longer considers himself a Republican. In an earlier interview with The Daily Beast, Costner mentioned that he finds the Democratic or Republican label too "limiting" to define his political ideology.

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A look into Kevin Costner's political ideology

Kevin Costner was considered a Republican early in his life and was known for his close friendship and support of former US president Ronald Reagan.

However, reports suggest that Costner eventually shifted his political affiliation and provided financial aid to several Democratic members, including Al Gore and Tom Daschle.

Meanwhile, he was also seen supporting Republican candidate Phil Gramm in 1995. During a campaign rally at Colorado State University, Costner requested the younger generation to change the world with their choice of vote:

“We were going to change the world and we haven't. My generation didn't get it done, and we need you to help us.”

Similarly, in 2019 the Academy Award winner endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg during an event in Iowa before providing his support to Joe Biden. He also narrated a commercial for J. D. Scholten, Iowa's Democratic candidate running for the US House of Representatives.

During a 2020 interview with Variety, Kevin Costner shared his opinion of Joe Biden and revealed the reasons behind his support for the president:

“I think we really have to have a president for both sides. And for the people who don't vote for Biden, if Biden wins it's necessary that he address what they're concerned about. I think he has that level of bandwidth to understand that the group that doesn't vote for him needs attention. They have their own concerns and we have to think about that.”

The Dances with the Wolves star also opened up about his political ideologies during an interview with The Daily Beast that same year. Speaking on America's two-party system, he said:

“The Democratic Party doesn’t represent anything that I think, and neither does the Republican Party right now — at all. So, I find it too limiting.”

Although the Golden Globe Award winner has called out Trump on several occasions, he also told the publication that his criticism goes out to both parties:

“There are individuals that are placing their careers above the national good. I’m not just talking about [Trump]. I’m talking about anybody in politics. You can look at him, and you can look at all the senators and congressmen. Public service isn’t about your second term — it’s about the moment, and you’re supposed to let history judge it.”

Kevin Costner further mentioned that he does not want to label himself as a Republican like he did in the 1980s and 1990s but rather leans towards calling himself "an independent." He said he only votes for who he thinks "has the best interests of the country."

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Twitter reacts to Kevin Costner's support of Liz Cheney

Kevin Costner's support for Liz Cheney sparked debate online (Image via Getty Images)

Liz Cheney has found herself in the middle of conflicting political arguments since she turned on Donald Trump following the January 6 Capitol Riot.

Amid the politician's current re-election bid against tough opposition and Trump-backed candidate Harriet Hageman, actor Kevin Coster endorsed the former.

After Cheney shared the photo online, Costner's endorsement sparked an immediate debate on social media.

Many also took to Twitter to share their reaction to Costner's support:

As reactions continue to pour in online, it remains to be seen if Kevin Costner will elaborate upon his support for Liz Cheney in the future.