Congresswoman Liz Cheney, a rare Republican critic of former President Donald Trump, was defeated in a primary contest in Wyoming.
Harriet Hageman, a relative political newbie backed by Donald Trump, has defeated her.
Ms. Cheney, 56 years old, was one of only two members of her party to join the congressional committee probing Mr. Trump’s efforts to retain power.
Once upon a time, the three-term congresswoman was a rising Republican star.
Ms. Cheney signaled the beginning of a new chapter in her political career after conceding defeat. She told a group of her supporters, including her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, “Our work is far from done.”
All ten Republicans who voted to impeach Mr. Trump after his supporters invaded the US Capitol in January 2017 have been targeted in a campaign of retribution.
In Wyoming, Washington, Michigan, and South Carolina, his preferred candidates have now defeated four of his opponents in the states’ respective primaries.
Only two Republicans have maintained their positions on the party’s re-election ticket.
Ms. Cheney was the tenth and final target of Trump’s assault.
Sarah Palin, a Republican seeking a political comeback, has progressed to the November election in Alaska to represent the state in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Ms. Palin, 58, rose to fame as a vice-presidential candidate in 2008. Donald Trump is her primary supporter and ally.
This year, the party primaries in Alaska have been replaced by open primary where the top four candidates advance to the general election.
Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski, 65, who has disobeyed Mr. Trump, has advanced to the November election in Alaska’s Senate race.
42-year-old Trump-backed candidate Kelly Tshibaka will be one of her opponents.
In 2020, 70% of voters in Wyoming supported Donald Trump.
Polls routinely placed Ms. Hageman, who has claimed that she feels the election was “rigged,” in the lead in Wyoming by a significant margin.
The majority of U.S. networks declared Ms. Hageman the winner shortly after polls closed on Tuesday, with partial figures indicating that she led by more than 30 percentage points.
Ms. Cheney made clear in her concession address that she would continue to criticize Mr. Trump, who has hinted he may run for president again in 2024.
“Since the 6th of January riot at the US Capitol last year,” she stated, “I have vowed to do whatever it takes to ensure that Donald Trump never again sets foot in the Oval Office.”
Ms. Cheney stated that she could have easily gained reelection if she had supported Mr. Trump’s fraudulent claims that he, and not President Joe Biden, won the 2020 election.
“I could not and would not take that path,” she stated.
Mr. Trump congratulated Ms. Hageman on her triumph via Truth Social, his social media network.
Also stated: “Liz Cheney ought to be ashamed of herself, her behavior, and her vindictive, self-righteous comments and actions toward others.
Now she can finally vanish into the depths of political obscurity, where she will undoubtedly be happier than she is now.
Ms. Hageman attributed her triumph to Donald Trump’s endorsement.
She stated, “Wyoming has placed the elites on notice.” We will no longer tolerate lawmakers who do not reflect our interests.
Earlier, in the city of Casper, at the state’s junior rodeo championships, some voters revealed that they no longer supported Ms. Cheney.
Chad Westbrook, president of the rodeo, stated from beneath his 10-gallon hat: “When she goes against the grain, it does not benefit us.
We genuinely admired Dick Cheney, but she has gone too far.
Once a figure of loathing for the American left, Ms. Cheney’s renowned father is now a sort of anti-Trump traveler.
In a campaign advertisement for his daughter, Dick Cheney referred to Donald Trump as the nation’s greatest threat ever.
Outside of one polling booth, in a quaint wooden schoolroom surrounded by the breathtaking Teton Mountains, Democratic voters heeded Ms. Cheney’s request to alter their registration to Republican to lend her their support – an indication of how poorly she had estimated her chances.
A middle-aged woman told me, “I’ve never agreed with anything Liz Cheney has ever said, but I respect how she battled for democracy.”
Another man of a similar age concurred, “I’m a Democrat, and I voted for Liz Cheney because she’s standing up for the truth, and that’s what our country needs.”
Earlier, a group of Republicans in the suburbs of the state capital of Cheyenne was knocking on doors in a last-ditch effort to garner support for Ms. Cheney – something they acknowledged was an uphill struggle.
Evan Wagner, who drove 17 hours from Austin, Texas, stated, “She’s standing for principle; she’s stating that she doesn’t care if she loses her job; she’s going to do the right thing.”
However, their attempts were futile.
Typically, Wyoming primary elections receive little media attention.
Tuesday’s election is viewed as a litmus test – not only for the party but also for the nation – for the extent to which the legacy of Donald Trump and his election denial narrative continue to dominate this landscape.
