Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) tweeted an endorsement from “Yellowstone” actor Kevin Costner on Monday ahead of her state’s primary, where she faces a potential loss to a Trump-endorsed challenger.
Cheney’s post featured Costner in a T-shirt that read “I’m for Liz Cheney.”
Real men put country over party. pic.twitter.com/7FaJpahtll
— Liz Cheney (@Liz_Cheney) August 1, 2022
“Real men put country over party,” Cheney added in the description above Costner’s photograph.
Costner stars in Paramount Network’s “Yellowstone.” Despite the endorsement, the actor does not generally consider himself a Republican. According to a report by Newsweek, Costner previously endorsed former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg when he ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020 and later supported then-Democratic candidate Joe Biden in the general election.
The endorsement marks one of the highest-profile names to back Cheney in recent weeks. Former President George W. Bush also endorsed the congresswoman in her run for re-election.
The featured image comes just two weeks ahead of the state’s primary on August 16, which includes a strong challenger seeking to oust Cheney from office. Harriet Hageman, endorsed by former President Donald Trump, leads Cheney by more than 20%, according to a Star Tribune poll released last month. Early voting has already started.
A total of 52% of likely primary voters in the state said they supported Hageman, with just 30% showing support for Cheney, according to the Mason-Dixon Polling & Strategy survey conducted on behalf of the Casper, Wyoming, Star Tribune.
The poll, conducted July 7-11 among 1,100 likely voters, showed 11% undecided, with no other candidate reaching double digits in support. Republican state Sen. Anthony Bouchard, the next highest-ranking candidate, received 5% support.
Cheney is one of ten House Republicans who voted to impeach former President Donald Trump following the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. The Wyoming congresswoman has also served on the House’s select committee to investigate the events of that day.
The moves have made her unpopular among many conservative voters in her home state. Recently at the Frontier Days rodeo in Cheyenne, Wyoming, a CNN report revealed widespread concern among voters.
CNN: "Here in Cheyenne, more than 1600 miles from Washington, almost everyone we spoke with told us they believe Liz Cheney is too focused on Donald Trump and the January 6th committee and not paying enough attention to what they believe matters to the people here in Wyoming." pic.twitter.com/fpV63S8Mln
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) August 1, 2022
“Are you planning to vote for Liz Cheney?” CNN’s Randi Kaye asked Wyoming voter Sharon Tuggle, who responded, “Hell no.”
“She’s done us dirty,” Tuggle said, confirming to Kaye that Cheney lost her vote because of her part on the January 6th committee. “Look at how she’s done Trump.”
Wyoming’s state Republicans also censured Cheney following her vote to impeach Trump after January 6. The censure called for her to “immediately resign,” as well as to return donations made by the state’s GOP to her 2020 campaign.
During a CNN interview on “State of the Union” last month, Cheney seemed to recognize her days may be numbered as Wyoming’s congresswoman.
“I am working hard here in Wyoming to earn every vote,” Cheney said. “But I will also say this. I’m not going to lie. I’m not going to say things that aren’t true about the election. My opponents are doing that, certainly simply for the purpose of getting elected.”
Instead, Cheney focused on her work as a member of the January 6 committee, claiming it was “the single most important thing I have ever done professionally.”