Trump has reportedly picked a Liz Cheney challenger to endorse
Former President Donald Trump has reportedly selected the lucky Wyoming Republican House candidate that will receive his endorsement in the primary against frequent Trump critic and incumbent GOP Rep. Liz Cheney (Wyo.).
According to Politico, the ex-president is set to back Harriet Hageman, an attorney who lost a bid for governor in 2018. Insiders say Trump chose Hageman after a robust process interviewing multiple possible Cheney challengers because "she impressed him the most." "He interviewed a lot of people, and when it was done, it was clear she's in a class of her own," one Republican told Politico.
Trump has had it out for Cheney, his "top Republican target," since she condemned both his role in the events of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and his baseless, widespread claims of election fraud, writes Politico. She was later ousted from her House leadership position.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Given the stakes, the Hageman endorsement is "the most important political endorsement yet in Trump's post-presidency," and will "test his political power in the GOP like never before," Politico writes. Although official word is still pending, Trump has already told Hageman that "she has his support," per Politico.
As another step outside of endorsement, in order to prevent a Cheney win via plurality, Trump and his team will need to clear the primary field should it become crowded. "Each candidate has pockets of voters, and they'll all draw votes from each other but not Cheney," said Tex McBride, a conservative activist in Wyoming.
Hageman herself has not yet revealed her candidacy, but did, as a final step, resign from her post on the Republican National Committee on Tuesday. Her official announcement is reportedly expected later this week. Read more at Politico.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
6 charming homes for the whimsical
Feature Featuring a 1924 factory-turned-loft in San Francisco and a home with custom murals in Yucca Valley
By The Week Staff Published
-
Big tech's big pivot
Opinion How Silicon Valley's corporate titans learned to love Trump
By Theunis Bates Published
-
Stacy Horn's 6 favorite works that explore the spectrum of evil
Feature The author recommends works by Kazuo Ishiguro, Anthony Doerr, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Trump starts term with spate of executive orders
Speed Read The president is rolling back many of Joe Biden's climate and immigration policies
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump pardons or commutes all charged Jan. 6 rioters
Speed Read The new president pardoned roughly 1,500 criminal defendants charged with crimes related to the Capitol riot
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump declares 'golden age' at indoor inauguration
In the Spotlight Donald Trump has been inaugurated as the 47th president of the United States
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
'The death and destruction happening in Gaza still dominate our lives'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Will Trump's 'madman' strategy pay off?
Today's Big Question Incoming US president likes to seem unpredictable but, this time round, world leaders could be wise to his playbook
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Silicon Valley: bending the knee to Donald Trump
Talking Point Mark Zuckerberg's dismantling of fact-checking and moderating safeguards on Meta ushers in a 'new era of lies'
By The Week UK Published
-
Will auto safety be diminished in Trump's second administration?
Today's Big Question The president-elect has reportedly considered scrapping a mandatory crash-reporting rule
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
DeSantis appoints Florida's top lawyer to US Senate
Speed Read The state's attorney general, Ashley Moody, will replace Sen. Marco Rubio in the Senate
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published