In the Disney Star Wars movies, Daisy Ridley plays Rey. A Force-gifted heroine descended from the bloodline of Emperor Palpatine. In the end, she chooses light over dark. Liz Cheney descends from another dark force named Dick, and she did not choose the light.
Former Vice President Dick Cheney is a notorious Establishment stooge from whose orbit and influence Liz has not strayed. And surrounded by Never Trumpers and the GOPe Establishment, there is little evidence she can be turned.
More than a few of her fellow Republicans in Wyoming do not think so either.
Liz lost 59-6 to primary opponent Harriet Hageman in a recent congressional straw poll. That’s 90.1% to 8.9%.
I get it, this is just a straw poll, but her Trump-backed challenger is doing victory laps. Trump’s endorsement,
“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. 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). 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 “gain!”
Cheney has been censured by the State party and disowned by about one-third of the state’s Republican County committees. That’s not a ringing endorsement, and it all adds some weight to the perception created by the straw poll. But Liz will have insider money, and you need more than just registered Republican to win an election these days.
Cheney already has over 5 million to help fend off Hageman with seven more months before the primary. And Hageman must deal with more than just Cheney Money. State Senator Anthony Bouchard, a self-styled conservative (I have no clue if that is accurate), is also primarying Liz, as are a few others.
Seven Republicans are vying for the seat, so what’s the deal with the straw poll? It looks terrible for Liz but maybe not that bad. All that competition dilutes the challengers. And having 3.8 million cash on hand after the Sept 2021 reporting won’t hurt.
As much as we’d like to see her go, Bouchard and Hageman will need to capitalize on her gaffes to have a shot, but she is sitting on the J6 commission, so there should be ample opportunity to take a few more shots at the incumbent.