How Liz Cheney lost Wyoming's only seat in the House of Representatives

Cheney sought to form a coalition of Democrats, independents and moderate anti-Trump Republicans to secure seats. Her campaign sent registered Democrats in Wyoming information on how to change their party registration, and in interviews conducted statewide leading up to the election, she said many Democrats would vote for Cheney.

"I think she stood up for what she believed in," said John Grant, a Republican who voted for Cheney. ``It took a lot of courage to go against the Republicans and Donald Trump.''

``Anxiety from the beginning.''

Roots of Cheney's loss It was planted long before the primary election. In some cases, seeds were planted during factional strife within the Wyoming Republican Party dating back to the days of the Tea Party, when Cheney was still a resident of Virginia.

The state's Republican Party, which has no real competition from the Democrats, is split between her two factions, the more moderate incumbents and the more conservative factions that are increasingly wresting control. are in conflict.

The Founders maintain some power in Wyoming. Governor Mark Gordon, part of that wing, won Tuesday. However, conservatives control the state Republican Party and much of its local organization.

Wyoming Republicans' reservations against Cheney first came to light in 2016. when she won a seat in the House of Representatives after she won just 39% of the vote in the Republican primary. She was seen as too close to her regime by some of her rivals and cast as a carpetbagger by her others. Tim Stubson is a former state legislator who now supports Cheney.

But she was by far the most famous in the campaign, thanks to her father spending ten years representing her in the Wyoming Legislature before becoming Secretary of Defense and later Vice President. was a good candidate.

Since then, Cheney has won reelection by inertia, largely because she has not broken with conservatives on her main issue. Stubbson said he would do so again until the aftermath of the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riots continued, but Cheney has become a major critic of Trump's actions and has been a key critic of the 2020 election. Became an advocate for perfection.

The reasons for her divorce from Cheney were soon revealed. Wyoming's Republican Party is divided by rival factions, but one of the things that broadly binds those factions together is her support for Trump. He won his 2020 win in Wyoming by his 43.3 points lead over President Joe Biden.

"Yeah, maybe there was an undercurrent of anti-Liz sentiment, but she couldn't have had a hard time getting elected," Stubson said.

"Her relationship with that part of the party was insecure from the beginning.She was the established definition of a Republican, so you probably never fully embraced her. But she was right with the policy. she said. "In my view, this is kind of an either/or question. If she votes for impeachment, it doesn't matter what she does after that."

323} Voters say Cheney focused too much on Trump. Cheney's sense of despondency more than the burning feeling of anger. Some people said they felt Cheney was spending far more time on national affairs. She sacrifices her focus on energy and natural resource priorities that are so important to the nation.

"I want Wyoming to be protected, but I don't think Liz is up to the task," said Jennie, who lives in the mining town of Rock Springs in southwestern Wyoming. said Thomas.

But many Republican voters in Wyoming said Cheney's vote to impeach Trump spurred them into action.

Esther Egan, 68, who cleans her house and lives in Jackson, said she voted for Hageman. Cheney 'helped us when we needed her most'

'They don't care what they say' They want to know about Trump, but he's so good I did my job. "She's with Nancy Pelosi."[335][336]Katherine Northworthy, her 68-year-old housewife of Jackson, said she switched from being an independent voter to voting for a Republican, she said. Told. Hedgeman, citing Trump endorsing her.

"I'm not at all against the January 6th hearing. I didn't like that she voted against Trump. I'm very pro-Trump. I'm listening to him."

Swing Down