Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) raised nearly $1 million from Texas for her primary re-election battle, including donations from former President George W. Bush and Karl Rove.
The total exceeded donations for Cheney from all states except California and surpassed campaign funds raised from her own state, according to The Houston Chronicle.
Cheney’s list of Lone Star State donors included maximum gifts of $2,900 each from Bush and Rove. In total, the congresswoman raised approximately $950,000 from Texans as part of her $15 million in total funds brought in to defend against her Trump-backed competitor.
Despite the massive out-of-state support Cheney has received, the anti-Trump incumbent faces a likely loss against attorney Harriet Hageman.
Hageman, endorsed by former President Donald Trump, has raised a reported $4.3 million in comparison, according to Federal Election Commission records. In Wyoming, Hageman has raised $940,000 compared to Cheney’s $386,000.
In addition to large-scale outside funding, Cheney has garnered the support of two House Democrats who have asked Wyoming members of their party to temporarily switch parties to vote for Cheney during the August 16 primary.
Reps. Tom Malinowski (D-NJ) and Dean Phillips (D-MN) both appeared in online ads last week expressing their support for Cheney’s re-election efforts.
“Liz Cheney and I don’t agree on everything,” Malinowski said in a Facebook ad. “But we’re on the same side today, fighting for a country where we settle our differences by voting, not violence.”
“Wyoming Democrats can put country over party too by registering to vote for her in the Republican primary,” he added.
Cheney also released a video ad on Twitter ahead of the primary from former Vice President Dick Cheney.
“In our nation’s 246-year history there has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our Republic than Donald Trump,” he claimed in the ad. “He tried to steal the last election using lies and violence to keep himself in power after the voters had rejected him. He is a coward. A real man wouldn’t lie to his supporters. He lost his election, and he lost big.”
“In our nation’s 246 year history there has never been an individual who is a greater threat to our Republic than Donald Trump.” Dick Cheney pic.twitter.com/erBPBNy8ah
— Liz Cheney (@Liz_Cheney) August 4, 2022
The Wyoming congresswoman was one of 10 House Republicans to vote for Trump’s impeachment following the events of January 6, 2021. She has also served on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) House select committee investigating the Capitol riot.
Cheney is the last of the 10 Republicans who supported impeachment to face a primary. Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) announced his plans to retire from Congress rather than face a Trump-backed challenger in a primary battle.
Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH) also announced his plans to step down from Congress in September in a battle that saw former Trump aide Max Miller challenging him. Rep. John Katko (R-NY) and Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI) likewise decided not to run for re-election.
Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA) lost her 3rd district battle against primary challenger Joe Kent in close race that was decided by less than one percentage point.
Rep. Peter Meijer (R-MI) also lost in his primary, falling to Trump-endorsed John Gibbs. Rep. Tom Rice (R-SC) also lost his primary in June, falling to Russell Fry.
Of the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump, only Rep. David Valadao (R-CA) and Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) have won in their primaries.