- Trump pursued his criticism, MP Liz Cheney, at a rally in Wyoming on Saturday.
- Trump has backed Harriet Hageman, a lawyer who is running to fire Cheney.
- The rally comes days after Trump’s high-profile endorsements in Georgia failed.
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CASPER, Wyoming – Thousands of supporters of former President Donald Trump jumped out of their seats and raised their phones to capture the moment he took the stage on Saturday afternoon in a rally in support of Harriet Hageman, a lawyer running to dismiss Ms. Liz. Cheney in the next Republican primary.
The crowd, which nearly filled the Ford Wyoming Center, a 9,700-seat stage, greeted Trump with a standing ovation, thunderous applause, and “US” chants.
“People in Wyoming will vote to leave your RINO Congresswoman Liz Cheney,” Trump told the audience, which erupted in applause, “And you’re going to send the amazing Harriet Hageman to Congress.”
Trump’s appearance in the red state on Saturday demonstrated his commitment to trying to oust Cheney from Congress. A critical ally of Trump, Cheney harshly rebuked the former president after the January 6 Capitol riot. She was one of 10 House Republicans who voted last year to oust Trump on a charge of “inciting insurrection.”
Trump has since targeted the congresswoman and vowed to take revenge on Republicans like Cheney, who says she has been betrayed. Cheney, a staunch conservative, has stood up to Trump amid a nationwide and state-level backlash from members of his own party.
Trump attacked Cheney during various parts of his speech, alleging that he “hates Republican Party voters.” The speech was, in part, a broad broadcast of Trump’s frequent complaints, including the investigation into Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election; his two dismissals, the size of the crowd; the investigation into the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack, which he called a “deception,” and Cheney’s vote to remove him.
Trump asks Hageman for support
Attendees applaud as former President Donald Trump speaks at a May 28, 2022 rally in Casper, Wyoming. The rally is being held in support of Harriet Hageman, the main rival of Rep. Liz Cheney in Wyoming. Photo by Chet Strange / Getty Images
“Liz Cheney is the last in America,” Trump said, flanked by two giant screens showing a meme of Cheney’s face transformed with that of former President George W. Bush. “It’s weak in border security, by the way, very weak in border security.”
The former president’s arrival in Wyoming, his first political appearance in the state, comes when primaries have just begun. Cheney officially ran for re-election on Thursday. There has not yet been a significant survey on the race, which takes place on August 16th. Trump urged voters Saturday afternoon to support Hageman over Cheney.
“All of America has you, Wyoming,” Trump said. “I think these are the most important elections we have.”
The primary election is widely seen as evidence of Trump’s influence on the Republican Party. Recently, Trump’s high-profile endorsements in Georgia’s primary election failed. Trump had backed two main rivals against incumbent Governor Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, both of whom rejected pressure on Trump to overturn the results of the 2020 election on the battlefield state. . Kemp and Raffensperger each won their primary races by a landslide on Wednesday. Trump-backed candidates in Ohio and Pennsylvania, however, won their primary election in recent weeks.
This report has been updated with the merger observations.