Trump set to back attorney in primary challenge to Cheney

Former President Trump is set to back a Wyoming attorney as she readies a primary challenge against Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), a source confirmed to The Hill on Wednesday, making good on his vow to help replace the outspoken Republican after she voted for his impeachment.

The former president is set to throw his support behind Harriet Hageman as she looks toward a bid for Cheney’s congressional seat, the source, who requested anonymity, said.

Trump’s allies and team pushed Hageman to run against Cheney, according to Politico, which first reported the developments on Trump’s expected endorsement, and are now pressuring the rest of the Republican field to coalesce around the attorney out of concern that a crowded primary race could split the anti-Cheney vote and hand the incumbent a victory.

Trump in recent days has endorsed challengers to sitting GOP lawmakers, including candidates taking on Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) and Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-Wash.), both of whom were among the 10 House members to vote for his impeachment in January.

Cheney, a three-term congresswoman, is also a member of that group and has been especially vocal in criticizing Trump, which ultimately led to her ouster from House Republican leadership in May.

She rejected his claims that the 2020 election was stolen, blamed him for inciting the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol and vowed to “do everything I can to ensure that the former president never gets anywhere near the Oval Office.”

Jason Miller, Trump’s then-spokesman, told The Washington Post in May that defeating Cheney in 2022 was “one of the highest priorities as far as primary endorsements go.”

Trump involved himself in the process of vetting and interviewing candidates mulling a run against Cheney and ultimately picked Hageman after she impressed him the most, the source said on Wednesday.

Trump has already told Hageman that he will support her, the source added, and an endorsement announcement could come any day now.

On Tuesday, Hageman stepped down from her post as national GOP committeewoman at the Republican National Convention.

“By censuring Rep. Liz Cheney we sent the strong message that we expect our elected officials to respect the views and values of the people who elected them. Accountability is key and I am proud of our party for demanding it,” Hageman wrote in her resignation letter, according to Politico.

Hageman previously supported Cheney in her congressional endeavors. According to the news outlet, the Wyoming attorney financially supported Cheney’s past campaigns and was on her leadership team.

Updated at 9:16 a.m.