Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) trails her GOP challenger by more than 20% in a poll released on Friday, signaling concern for the congresswoman in the upcoming primary.
A total of 52% of likely primary voters in the state said they supported Trump-endorsed Harriet Hageman, with only 30% showing support for Cheney, according to a 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% undecideds, with no other candidate reaching double digits in support. Republican state Sen. Anthony Bouchard, the next highest-ranking candidate, received 5% support.
The race between Cheney and Hageman has been receiving national attention for months, but the survey marked “the first independent, public, in-state poll” conducted so far. Early voting has already begun, with the primary set for August 16.
If the poll results play out in the state’s primary, Cheney will soon be out of office, leaving Harriet to face probable Democratic candidate Lynnette Grey Bull, Constitution Party candidate Marissa Selvig, and independent Casey Hardison. In right-leaning Wyoming, the Republican primary remains the top focus, with the winner likely taking the state’s House seat in November.
In addition to showing Hageman’s lead over Cheney, the survey also revealed that two-thirds of likely votes (63%) disagreed with Cheney’s decision to serve on the January 6 House select committee. More than half (54%) said her involvement made them less likely to vote for her in the primary.
Cheney was one of ten House Republicans who voted to impeach former President Donald Trump following the events of Jan. 6. Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), who also serves on the January 6 committee, was one of the others who supported Trump’s impeachment.
Despite her troubling primary poll numbers, Cheney said during an interview two weeks ago that she hasn’t ruled out a run for the White House in 2024, saying she still hasn’t made a decision.
Cheney made the comments during a July 3 interview on ABC News’ “This Week” with Jonathan Karl.
“I’ll make a decision about ’24 down the road,” Cheney said.
“I think about it less in terms of a decision about running for office, and more in terms of, you know, as an American – and as somebody who’s in a position of public trust now, how do I make sure that I’m doing everything I can to do the right thing; to do what I know is right for the country, and, and to protect our Constitution,” she added.
Last month, The Daily Wire reported that Cheney’s reelection campaign sent out mailers to recruit Wyoming Democrats to vote for her in the upcoming Republican primary.
The mailers, sent to registered Democrats in Wyoming, shared specific instructions on how a person could switch their party affiliation and vote for her in the August primary, according to The New York Times.