Cover photo- courtesy of Tony Webster on Flickr
The Wyoming Republican Primary was on Tuesday, August 16th, and while most think that the outcome of a primary in a different state is unimportant, this primary is different. The Wyoming Republican primary featured the battle for Wyoming’s single seat in the House of Representatives between Liz Cheney, the incumbent who opposes Trump, and her Trump-endorsed challenger, Harriet Hageman. Hageman won in a landslide, as she received nearly two-thirds of the votes, while Cheney received only one-third. Cheney’s loss and Hageman’s victory both demonstrate the direction that the Republican Party is moving in and the importance of a Trump endorsement.
Liz Cheney has recently been in the news for her opposition to Former President Trump and his “America First Agenda.” She voted to impeach Trump after he left office, and she served on the committee which investigated Trump’s involvement in the events of January 6th, which many believe was a partisan attempt to slander the former president and keep him out of office. Cheney’s opposition to Trump and his new Republican party has led many Republicans including Former President Trump to call her a “RINO,” (Republican In Name Only) claiming that she only called herself a Republican to get into office. Cheney has become the face of the “Never Trumpers,” the group of Republicans that oppose Trump, and the modern face of the pre-Trump Republican party because of her resistance to Trump and his policies. Things haven’t gone well for any of the Never Trumpers, as of the ten House Republicans that voted to impeach Trump in 2021, four had to retire and four lost their primary races, leaving only two left to run in the general election.
Cheney’s loss has not only been a significant blow to the pre-Trump Republican Party, but it also signifies a change in the Republican Party to align with the Former President who Cheney and the other Never Trumpers oppose. This can be seen in the victory of JD Vance in the Ohio Republican Primary and in officials in office like Florida’s governor Ron DeSantis and Georgia’s Marjorie Taylor Green, all of which are challenging the establishment and aligning themselves with Trump. The Republican Party is changing to better represent their constituents by making policies that will benefit their constituents, not themselves or “the establishment” like many Republicans have been known to in the past.
This primary also demonstrates the continuing trend of Trump-endorsed candidates winning primary races, as Trump endorsed Hageman. Trump has a growing influence inside of his party, as he is currently reforming the party to fit his America First Agenda. Trump-endorsed candidates like Hageman in Wyoming and Herschel Walker in Georgia are changing how Americans view Republican politicians through their dedication to representing their constituents’ needs.
As the midterms inch closer, these changes in the Republican Party become more and more evident, as the types of Republican candidates on the ballot are changing. The Republican Party’s alignment with Trump is bringing in new candidates, that better represent their constituents and removing career politicians that work only for their benefit.