Former President Donald Trump on Thursday endorsed Wyoming attorney Harriet Hageman in her expected primary challenge against Republican Rep. Liz Cheney.
“I strongly endorse Republican House of Representatives Candidate Harriet Hageman from Wyoming who is running against warmonger and disloyal Republican, Liz Cheney,” Trump said in a statement.
“Harriet is a fourth-generation daughter of Wyoming, a very successful attorney, and has the support and respect of a truly great U.S. Senator, Wyoming’s own Cynthia Lummis. Harriet Hageman adores the Great State of Wyoming, is strong on Crime and Borders, powerfully supports the Second Amendment, loves our Military and our Vets, and will fight for Election Integrity and Energy Independence (which [President Joe] Biden has already given up). Unlike RINO Liz Cheney, Harriet is all in for America First. Harriet has my Complete and Total Endorsement in replacing the Democrats number one provider of sound bites, Liz Cheney. Make America Great Again!”
Trump has long opposed Cheney, one of a handful of Republicans to vote twice to impeach Trump, and Politico reports that backing Hageman will test his ability to get candidates into Congress.
“Trump’s looming involvement in the primary will test his political power in the GOP like never before, as he seeks to punish the most high-profile House Republican to vote for his impeachment in January. His allies and team not only encouraged Hageman to run against Cheney — they now are under pressure to clear the crowded primary field of other candidates who could split anti-Cheney sentiment, which would give the incumbent the chance to win her primary with only a plurality,” Politico wrote this week.
The left-leaning political website also reported that as a “final step before officially announcing her campaign later this week, Hageman resigned Tuesday as one of Wyoming’s members of the Republican National Committee.”
“While I have thoroughly enjoyed my work as National Committeewoman, I will not be able to continue in that role at this time and am hereby submitting my resignation to be effective immediately. I have every intention of staying active in the Republican Party and in Republican politics, but will be doing so through different means,” Hageman wrote in her resignation letter.
Hageman also noted that the committee had punished Cheney. “By censuring Rep. Liz Cheney we sent the strong message that we expect our elected officials to respect the views and values of the people who elected them. Accountability is key and I am proud of our party for demanding it,” she wrote.
Before she was booted from her chairman post in the House Republican Conference, Cheney expressed support for impeaching Trump over the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol.
“The President of the United States summoned this mob, assembled the mob, and lit the flame of this attack,” Cheney said at the time. “Everything that followed was his doing. None of this would have happened without the President. The President could have immediately and forcefully intervened to stop the violence. He did not. There has never been a greater betrayal by a President of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution.”