Former President George W. Bush, a stalwart of the Republican Party’s traditional identity, made a pair of political donations in 2021 that reflects a disdain of Donald Trump’s grip on the GOP.

Bush gave $5,800 to Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) and $2,900 to Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) last year. Both Republicans voted to impeach then-President Trump following the January 6th attack of the U.S. Capitol. Consequently, both are being challenged in primary elections by GOP candidates that enjoy Trump’s backing.

George W. Bush's max-out campaign contributions to @Liz_Cheney and @lisamurkowski — "two of the most prominent Republicans who supported impeaching Donald Trump" — "appear to have been the former president’s first donations of 2021." https://t.co/zZ8wwahxIY

— Will Saletan (@saletan) February 1, 2022

Bush has donated to Cheney before – her father was his Vice President – but this is the first time he donated to Murkowski.

rare political activity from George W. Bush – and clearly putting him in opposition to Trump – with quiet but sizable donations to Liz Cheney and Lisa Murkowski:

https://t.co/h7Id1RVm4q

— Edward-Isaac Dovere (@IsaacDovere) February 1, 2022

POLITICO reports:

Cheney has drawn several Republican challengers for Wyoming’s at-large House seat, chief among them Harriet Hageman, a former Cheney supporter who won Trump’s endorsement to take her on. Trump’s endorsement has come with connections to his donors, though Hageman brought in significantly less than Cheney — about $443,000 — in the fourth quarter.

In Alaska, Trump endorsed Republican Kelly Tshibaka, a former state commissioner, against Murkowski in the Senate race. Tshibaka is also one of the Republican candidates joining Trump’s call to oust Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) from his leadership position.

Both Wyoming and Alaska’s primaries are on Aug. 16.