Kevin McCarthy endorses top Liz Cheney challenger in Wyoming House race
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has officially endorsed attorney Harriet Hageman, the top challenger to incumbent GOP Rep. Liz Cheney, in the race for Wyoming's one and only House seat, The Federalist reports Thursday.
"After spending time with Harriet, it is readily apparent she will always listen and prioritize the needs of her local communities and is focused on tackling our nation's biggest problems," McCarthy told the Federalist. "I look forward to serving with Harriet for years to come."
In backing Hageman (who also has the support of notable Cheney-hater former President Donald Trump), McCarthy is not only taking his denouncement of the Wyoming lawmaker to the next level, he's breaking with typical party protocol, CNN notes, given "GOP leaders in the House have long had a posture of neutrality in primaries."
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.
Cheney has been quite viciously alienated from her party, for both her service on the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and her vocal criticism of Trump. In May, for instance, she was ousted from her House leadership position. And earlier this month, the Republican National Committee voted to formally censure both her and fellow GOP Trump-critic-turned-Jan. 6-committee-member Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois for their work in investigating the riot.
With McCarthy's support of Hageman now out in the open, "other members of the GOP conference" can "openly support Cheney's primary challenger with the blessing of leadership," the Federalist writes.
An official statement should come from Team McCarthy around 6 p.m. per Bloomberg News' Billy House.
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.
-
Kate Summerscale picks her favourite true crime books
The Week Recommends The writer shares works by Janet Malcolm, Helen Garner and Mark O'Connell
By The Week UK Published
-
Crossword: November 1, 2024
The Week's daily crossword puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
Sudoku medium: November 1, 2024
The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
Supreme Court allows purge of Virginia voter rolls
Speed Read Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) is purging some 1,600 people from state voter rolls days before the election
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'Empowered' Steve Bannon released from prison
Speed Read Bannon was set free a week before Election Day and quickly returned to his right-wing podcast to promote Trump
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Canada accuses top Modi ally of directing Sikh attacks
Speed Read Indian Home Minister Amit Shah was allegedly behind a campaign of violence and intimidation targeting Sikh separatists
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Harris makes closing case in huge rally at DC's Ellipse
Speed Read The Democratic nominee asked voters to "turn the page" on Trump's "division" and "chaos"
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'I am not a Nazi,' Trump says amid MSG rally fallout
Speed Read Trump and his campaign are attempting to stem the fallout from comments made by speakers at Sunday's rally
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Ballot drop boxes set on fire in Oregon, Washington
Speed Read Hundreds of submitted ballots were destroyed in Vancouver, Washington
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Israel votes to ban UN agency for Palestinians
Speed Read UNRWA provides food, medical care and other humanitarian assistance to Palestine
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US election: where things stand with one week to go
The Explainer Harris' lead in the polls has been narrowing in Trump's favour, but her campaign remains 'cautiously optimistic'
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published