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Greg Evans
Aug 17, 2022
'Far from over': Cheney sacrifices career to lead anti-Trump Republicans
Indy
The Republican and Donald Trump critic Liz Cheney has been ousted as a US congresswoman after losing a primary election in the state to the Trump-endorsed candidate Harriet Hageman.
56-year-old Cheney, the daughter of former vice-president Dick Cheney, had held her seat for three terms and was considered a rising star in the Republican party but she has become a target of Trump supporters.
She was one of only two Republicans to join a congressional committee investigating Trump's attempts to cling to power. Of the 10 Republicans who voted to impeach Trump after the January 6th riots four have since retired and another four have been defeated in elections by Trump-backed candidates.
Following her loss, Cheney said in a speech: "Two years ago, I won this primary with 73% of the vote. I could easily have done the same again. The path was clear, but it would have required that I go along with President Trump’s lie about the 2020 election.
“It would have required that I enabled his ongoing efforts to unravel our democratic system and attack the foundations of our republic. That was a path I could not and would not take.”
“No House seat, no office in this land is more important than the principles that we are all sworn to protect. And I well understood the potential political consequences of abiding by my duty.
“Our republic relies upon the goodwill of all candidates for office to accept honourably the outcome of elections. And tonight, Harriet Hageman has received the most votes in this primary. She won. I called her to concede the race. This primary election is over. But now the real work begins.”
After her loss, Trump took to his social media platform Truth Social and declared the result a 'referendum on the neverending WITCH HUNT" [against him]. He also called on her to "disappear into the depths of political oblivion."
\u201c\ud83d\ude02\ud83d\ude02\ud83d\ude02 THIS FOOL!!!\ud83d\ude02\ud83d\ude02\ud83d\ude02\u201d— Ron Filipkowski \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Ron Filipkowski \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1660729095
In a similar vein, Donald Trump Jr has been posting memes about Cheney's loss. Classy as always.
\u201cBye bye @Liz_Cheney. On the bright side at least you won\u2019t have to pretend to be from Wyoming anymore.\n\u201d— Donald Trump Jr. (@Donald Trump Jr.) 1660702575
\u201cLiz Cheney really compared herself to Lincoln\u2026 LMFAO. That CNN & MSDNC fluffing really got to her carpetbagger/warmonger head.\u201d— Donald Trump Jr. (@Donald Trump Jr.) 1660704132
The sentiments were the same on right-wing and MAGA Twitter.
\u201cLiz Cheney fundamentally misunderstands why people are so passionately angry at her inside the GOP base. Which is why she actually lost.\u201d— Ben Shapiro (@Ben Shapiro) 1660734203
\u201cTonight, the people of the great state of Wyoming told Liz Cheney: You\u2019re Fired!\n\nCongratulations @HagemanforWY. I look forward to working with you in Congress \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\u201d— Claudia Tenney (@Claudia Tenney) 1660701159
\u201cCheney is a loser. She was rejected and it\u2019s because she sucks.\u201d— Kurt Schlichter (@Kurt Schlichter) 1660702088
\u201cIt appears that Liz Cheney, one of the GOP's chief warmongers, is about to lose. This is good news for every American regardless of party.\u201d— Tulsi Gabbard \ud83c\udf3a (@Tulsi Gabbard \ud83c\udf3a) 1660700448
\u201cIt\u2019s OFFICIAL. \n\nBye-bye @Liz_Cheney!\u201d— Sebastian Gorka DrG (@Sebastian Gorka DrG) 1660700681
\u201cWarmonger Liz Cheney dethroned by Harriet Hageman.\u201d— Wendell Huseb\u00f8 (@Wendell Huseb\u00f8) 1660700319
Meanwhile, supporters of Cheney paid tribute to her and the gracious way she conceded defeat.
\u201cWhatever happens, @Liz_Cheney has won the general election for dignity, a race in which virtually none of her GOP colleagues could even compete.\u201d— George Conway\ud83c\udf3b (@George Conway\ud83c\udf3b) 1660697108
\u201cLiz Cheney lost because #RepublicanParty is a cesspit of incitement/threats/conspiracy theories/violence/spouting dangerous lies to provoke the politically illiterate worshippers of #Trump. She put Country before Party & Democracy before Authoritarianism. I respect that #SkyNews\u201d— Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu (@Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu) 1660729410
\u201cProfiles in courage are rare in politics. \n\nLiz Cheney stands out. \n\nIf she\u2019s gone from office after today primary it confirms that the GOP values fealty to a tyrant over everything else.\u201d— Chris Hahn (@Chris Hahn) 1660655630
\u201cLiz Cheney supported ( and voted with) Trump on many Republican policies and issues. But she believed he should be held to account for the Jan 6th attempted Coup. She just lost her seat for that.\u201d— emily m (@emily m) 1660720671
\u201cLiz Cheney\u2019s defeat in Wyoming and the abuse she has received from fellow Republicans, echoing Trump, shows how much the Grand Old Party has travelled away from the Constitution since Jan6. Power without principle.\u201d— Matt Frei (@Matt Frei) 1660720484
\u201cThank you @RepLizCheney @Liz_Cheney for bravery & for standing up for truth & highlighting women who\u2019ve come forward to tell truth (Jan 6th hearings). It\u2019s my story & millions of womens\u2019 stories. We need to tell truths - whether it\u2019s about election or harassment. Thank you!\u201d— Gretchen Carlson (@Gretchen Carlson) 1660696703
\u201c@Liz_Cheney wasn't defeated tonight. \nShe was unleashed. \n"I have not yet begun to fight!"\nJPJ\u201d— Nate Bell (@Nate Bell) 1660702236
\u201cSending love and appreciation to an American Patriot: Elizabeth #LizCheney @Liz_Cheney \nThis is not a loss. \nWyoming lost. You won history's respect. You fought a tyrannical mad man. He's going to jail. You are going into history as a profile in courage. What's next? I'm in!!\u201d— Sophia A. Nelson (@Sophia A. Nelson) 1660702874
\u201c.@Liz_Cheney\u2019s loss diminishes our party. By putting her Constitutional responsibilities above partisanship and political future she deserves the highest possible praise. Attacks against Republicans based merely on disagreements about Trump must end.\u201d— John Bolton (@John Bolton) 1660703507
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