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GOP Rep. Liz Cheney lost the only House seat in Wyoming, ending a Cheney dynasty.
She lost to Trump-backed Harriet Hageman thanks to her vocal opposition to Trump’s claims that the 2020 election was lost due to massive voter fraud and her heading the Jan. 6 committee hearings.
Hageman has a track record of supporting issues relevant to Wyoming’s ranchers, energy, and mining interests.
Trump said of her loss, “This is a wonderful result for America. Liz Cheney should be ashamed of herself, the way she acted, and her spiteful, sanctimonious words and actions towards others. Now she can finally disappear into the depths of political oblivion where, I am sure, she will be much happier than she is right now.”
Cheney gave her concession speech after her loss and stood by her decision to oppose Trump and even evoked Abraham Lincoln in the speech.
“A few years ago, I won this primary with 73 percent 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.”
“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 honorably 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.”
She then made a connection between Lincoln and herself.
“The great and original champion of our party, Abraham Lincoln, was defeated in elections for the Senate and the House before he won the most important election of all.”
“Lincoln ultimately prevailed, he saved our Union and he defined our obligation as Americans for all of history. Speaking at Gettysburg of the great task remaining before us, Lincoln said, ‘That we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain.”
“That this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom and a government of the people, by the people and for the people shall not perish from this earth.’”
“As we meet here tonight that remains our greatest and most important task. Most of world history is a story of violent conflict of servitude and suffering. Most people in most places have not lived in freedom. Our American freedom is a providential departure from history.”
She then ended her speech with a call for unity between all parties.
“So, I ask you tonight to join me. As we leave here, let us resolve that we will stand together—Republicans, Democrats,and independents—against those who would destroy our republic.”
“They are angry and they are determined, but they have not seen anything like the power of Americans united in defense of our Constitution and committed to the cause of freedom. There is no greater power on this earth. And with God’s help, we will prevail. Thank you all. God bless you. God bless Wyoming. God bless the United States of America,”
Tulsi Gabbard tweeted out, “It 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.”
GOP Senator Rand Paul said, “Few people in Washington have been as wrong and damaging on foreign policy as Liz Cheney. Congratulations to @HagemanforWY on her victory tonight. I look forward to working with an advocate for liberty as the next Congresswoman from Wyoming. Bye Liz.”
After her loss, Cheney will be launching an organization to “educate the American people about the ongoing threat to our Republic, and to mobilize a unified effort to oppose any Donald Trump campaign for president.”
