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Liz Cheney’s days in Congress —and the Republican Party— will end in November. After declaring war on former President Donald Trump since she voted for his impeachment and agreed to lead the January 6 investigation committee, the daughter of former Vice President Cheney lost the Republican primary in Wyoming to the landslide victory of attorney Harriet Hageman —who received the endorsement of the 45th president.
According to the site specialized in electoral results, Decision Desk, Hageman obtained a resounding victory with 66.33% votes, against 28.94% in favor of Liz Cheney.
The anti-Trump Republican’s defeat seems to have surprised her, even though the polls always had her as the loser. At first, when Trump announced his support for Hageman, a defiant Liz Cheney responded to his statement by saying, “Bring it.”
Here’s a sound bite for you: Bring it. pic.twitter.com/VmET1JUs12
— Liz Cheney (@Liz_Cheney) September 9, 2021
Even after receiving news of her undisputed defeat, the soon-to-be former congresswoman offered a concession speech in which she said her fight against Trump “is far from over” and compared herself to the hero of American democracy and 16th president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln.
“The great and original champion of our party, Abraham Lincoln, was defeated in elections for the Senate and the House before he won the most important election of all”, Cheney told supporters in Jackson, Wyoming. “Lincoln ultimately prevailed, he saved our union, and he defined our obligation as Americans for all of history.”
But Wyoming Republicans, 70% of whom voted for Trump in 2020, turned their backs on her and decided to support the former Republican president. At a pro-Hageman rally held in May of this year, Trump asked voters in that state to give him the pleasure to “fire” Liz Cheney from Congress and the party.
“In two months, the people of Wyoming will tell her: Liz, you’re fired, get out of here”; “Liz Cheney has helped the radical Democrat Party weaponize the National Security State and law enforcement against MAGA and MAGA supporters, who are hard-working, incredible people.”
And she succeeded. After a powerful, nearly year-long campaign, the trial lawyer and senior advisor to the New Civil Liberties Alliance, who was raised on a ranch in the high plains of Wyoming and convinced Republican voters in her state that Liz Cheney “doesn’t know them,” will oust the congresswoman in January to champion the principles of the ‘America First’ movement.
While Cheney’s campaign appeared to be focused on her political aspirations at the national level based on her dislike of Trump, Hageman pledged to her constituents to defend Wyoming’s interests and reclaim the state’s nearly 30 million acres of productive land now under federal control, with the goal of “doing a better job of managing.”
Finally, out of a state with some 284,500 registered voters, of which about 207,600 are Republicans and 39,700 Democrats, Hageman garnered —at the time of publishing this article— a total of 113,025 votes, compared to Cheney’s 43,316.
The former Republican president’s son, Donald Trump Jr. celebrated Hageman’s victory with a meme, as usual. “Bye Bye, Liz Cheney,” he tweeted, alongside a comical compilation video of his father dancing.”On the bright side at least you won’t have to pretend to be from Wyoming anymore.”
Bye bye @Liz_Cheney. On the bright side at least you won’t have to pretend to be from Wyoming anymore.
pic.twitter.com/DMcj3ua42d— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) August 17, 2022
Meanwhile, former President Trump did not miss the opportunity to celebrate. In his usual humorous tone, the former president took to his social network, Truth Social, to say: “Now she can finally disappear into the depths of political oblivion where, I am sure, she will be much happier than she is right now.”
Tomás Lugo, journalist and writer. Born in Venezuela and graduated in Social Communication. Has written for international media outlets. Currently living in Colombia // Tomás Lugo, periodista y articulista. Nacido en Venezuela y graduado en Comunicación Social. Ha escrito para medios internacionales. Actualmente reside en Colombia.