Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Cheney to debate Wyoming GOP foes after Jan. 6 hearings

Liz Cheney returns to Wyoming from a busy week hearing public testimony before the House Jan. 6 committee to debate Republican primary challengers on Thursday

Via AP news wire
Thursday 30 June 2022 06:41 BST
Liz Cheney Simi Valley
Liz Cheney Simi Valley (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Liz Cheney is returning to Wyoming after a busy week of hearing public testimony before the House Jan. 6 committee to debate Republican primary challengers including Harriet Hageman, her Donald Trump-endorsed opponent.

Cheney will likely draw criticism in Thursday's televised debate for investigating the former president's effort to overturn the 2020 election and his encouragement of the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

While Cheney has taken a key role as one of just two Republicans on the House committee, she's faced a backlash among Republicans in deep-red Wyoming.

The state Republican Party last year censured her and voted to no longer recognize her as a Republican. Even so, Cheney has if anything increased her national profile, out-raising Hageman by a well over 2-to-1 margin over the first three months of 2022.

Thursday's debate hosted by Wyoming PBS in Sheridan will be closed to the public for security reasons and to prevent people from disrupting the event, the station’s General Manager Terry Dugas said in a statement.

“There are regular reports in the media of political figures and public servants being assaulted. Even in Wyoming, political figures receive death threats,” Dugas said.

Reached by phone, Dugas declined to describe any specific security concerns but said the decision to close the event to the public was his and not requested by any of the candidates.

Cheney and Hageman both have been campaigning around the state, but Cheney’s recent appearances on live TV as vice chair of the Jan. 6 committee have been quasi-campaign events, too, on a national level.

The debate comes just two days after Cassidy Hutchinson, an aide in Trump’s White House, testified before the House committee that Trump was told that armed protesters were at a rally he led just before the insurrection, and that Trump tried to go with the crowd he encouraged to march on the Capitol.

The debate at Sheridan College will feature Cheney and four challengers, none as well known as Hageman, a Cheyenne ranching and natural resources attorney.

The other three are Republican state Sen. Anthony Bouchard, of Cheyenne; retired U.S. Army Col. Denton Knapp, of Gillette; and businesswoman Robyn Belinskey, of Sheridan.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in