**Update**
Former President Donald Trump officially announced his endorsement of Harriet Hageman late Thursday morning. Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY), whom Hageman is challenging in the primary, has responded over Twitter.
Here’s a sound bite for you: Bring it. pic.twitter.com/VmET1JUs12
— Liz Cheney (@Liz_Cheney) September 9, 2021
**Original Post**
Perhaps no primary race will be more watched, at least when it comes to former President Donald Trump, than the seat currently held by Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY). As POLITICO reported on Wednesday morning, Trump is said to be endorsing attorney Harriet Hageman, in what the outlet is calling "the most important political endorsement yet in Trump’s post-presidency."
Hageman resigned from her position as a state national committeewoman for the Republican National Committee (RNC) on Tuesday, referencing Rep. Cheney in her resignation letter.
"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," she mentioned.
The coming endorsement is particularly significant because others in the crowded primary are hoped for, even expected to clear the field. From Politico:
Trump’s looming involvement in the primary will test his political power in the GOP like never before, as he seeks to punish the most high-profile House Republican to vote for his impeachment in January. His allies and team not only encouraged Hageman to run against Cheney — they now are under pressure to clear the crowded primary field of other candidates who could split anti-Cheney sentiment, which would give the incumbent the chance to win her primary with only a plurality.
...
At the same time, Trump threw himself into the process of vetting and interviewing multiple candidates running or exploring campaigns against Cheney with the goal of anointing a single challenger. Ultimately, he chose Hageman because she impressed him the most, according to the people with knowledge of his plans.
...
Trump insiders and advisers say they received verbal commitments from many of the candidates to drop out if he endorsed someone else, but whether they’ll actually leave the race remains an open question.
“There is a lot of interest and there are a lot of egos,” said one top Republican in Wyoming, echoing 10 other Republican insiders in the state who did not want to weigh in publicly on what’s sure to be the state’s most divisive 2022 campaign.
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The more crowded the primary, the better Cheney’s chances are that she’ll win, according to Wyoming Republicans. They point to Cheney’s first House primary campaign in 2016, when she won the all-important Republican nomination with less than 40 percent of the vote.
“Trump needs to clear that field because each candidate has pockets of voters, and they’ll all draw votes from each other but not Cheney,” said Tex McBride, a conservative activist in Wyoming.
“Trump is popular, but Cheney has the support of moderates, liberal Republicans and Democrats who are registered as Republicans,” he said. “They don’t like Cheney, but they despise Trump. So they’re with her.”
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The article cited Cheney supporter and attorney Boyd Wiggam, who acknowledges the match-up could be tough for the congresswoman.
Trump and Cheney have been at odds all year, and are among each other's most vocal critics. The feud has stemmed from the former president questioning the 2020 presidential results, with Cheney's response in a tweet calling out "the Big Lie" and an op-ed for The Washington Post gaining much attention. The congresswoman was also one of 10 Republican House members to vote in favor of articles of impeachment in January.
Deemed a distraction, she was ousted from her role as House Republican Caucus Chair in May and replaced by Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY). Republican voters, according to multiple polls, supported the decision for the party to replace Cheney.
Rep. Cheney is still at odds with the GOP. Now, members of the House Freedom Caucus have called for a change to the rules to have her stripped from committees after she accepted the role of vice chairwoman for the January 6 select committee.
Polling from recent months has shown Cheney in trouble, according to Paul Bedard, the Washington Secrets columnist for The Washington Examiner. While a hypothetical matchup between Hageman and Cheney was not examined in the poll he cited, other polls have consistently raised concerns for Cheney.
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