OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Wyoming Republican Rep. Liz Cheney’s biggest political mistake was going after former President Donald Trump and it’s about to cost her.
Cheney is trailing Trump-backed Harriet Hageman in a new poll by double digits less than two months before the Wyoming GOP primary.
“Ahead of the August primary, polling on the race remains limited, but one survey released last week found Cheney trailing her top opponent Hageman by 28 points,” Newsweek reported.
“Hageman led with 56 percent of voters saying they plan to support her—while only 28 percent of respondents said they planned to back Cheney in the August primary, the poll conducted by the Hageman-aligned Wyoming Values super PAC found. It’s largely in line with other polls, which have indicated Cheney is facing a challenging reelection bid,” the report added.
That’s not the only poll that found Cheney trailing big time in the polls.
“Just 28 percent of Wyoming Republican voters say they would cast a ballot to reelect Cheney in the 2022 midterms, according to a new poll from Fabrizio, Lee & Associates survey and consulting firm,” the Daily Mail reported Friday.
“The survey of 400 likely Republican primary voters in the deep red state shows that 56 percent would vote for Trump-backed candidate Harriet Hageman over the incumbent if the election were held today,” the report added.
That’s a 28-point deficit to Hageman, a deficit that is likely too steep a hill for Cheney’s reelection bid to successfully climb, according to most political observers.
Adding to Cheney’s troubles, even fewer Wyoming Republicans had a favorable view of her — only 26 percent, with 73 percent viewing her unfavorably.
The outlet adds:
Cheney is one of the two Republicans – along with Illinois Representative Adam Kinzinger – serving on the House select committee probing the riot at the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
That post on the panel created by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, as well as her vote to impeach Trump, cost Cheney favor with her constituents, a censure from the Wyoming GOP and Republican National Committee (RNC), as well as her No. 3 post in the party as House Republican Conference Chairwoman.
Hageman easily won a straw poll which was conducted by the Wyoming Republican State Central Committee in January, garnering 59 votes, according to the Casper Star-Tribune.
Cheney, meanwhile, garnered just 6 votes in a very distant second place.
The daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney has been a thorn in Trump’s side for more than a year, having criticized him while in office and then blaming him for inciting the Jan. 6 riot. She further inflamed tensions with Trump when she voted with 10 other House Republicans to impeach him and then agree to co-chair the committee assembled by Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to investigate the origins of the riot.
Hageman’s totals were cheered after they were first announced at Saturday’s meeting of the state central committee, the Star-Tribune noted.
“I think it’s a good sign. It’s not an endorsement, but these are the county activists,” Hageman said in an interview with the newspaper.
In backing Hageman last fall, Trump said she “is running against warmonger and disloyal Republican” Cheney.
“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,” Trump continued.
“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),” he added.
“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!” the former president concluded.
