Hageman beats Cheney, will face Grey Bull in November

Aug. 17—CHEYENNE — Cheyenne attorney Harriet Hageman easily beat Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., in the Republican side of the fight for Wyoming's lone seat in Congress.

On the Democratic side, Lynnette Grey Bull won her party's primary. She will be running against Hageman in the Nov. 8 general election.

Early Wednesday morning, the Wyoming Secretary of State's Office reported results from all 23 counties. In the final, unofficial tally, Hageman received 113,025 votes to Cheney's 49,316.

Even before the county numbers began showing up online, the other members of Wyoming's congressional delegation quickly weighed in with their congratulations to Hageman, who pre-primary polls had consistently forecast as the winner.

Hageman was joined by family, friends and some supporters here, as media outlets far and wide reported, just an hour after polls closed in Wyoming, that she was the winner. As the results were discussed on television at Hageman's election party, the crowd cheered and hollered in celebration.

Many said in interviews they were there to congratulate her in person, and had known she would beat the incumbent by a landslide.

"By our vote today, Wyoming has put the elites on notice — we are no longer going to tolerate representatives who don't represent us," Hageman said in her victory speech. "Wyoming has made clear that we are done being governed by the Washington, D.C., uniparty — those Democrats and Republicans who don't really care which party is in power, just so long as they are."

Concession

Cheney acknowledged Hageman had won and said she had called her rival. Cheney also continued her comments against former President Donald Trump and those like him who have denied the results of the 2020 election that he lost.

"Two years ago, I won this primary with 73% of the vote. I could easily have done the same again," Cheney said in televised remarks. "But it would have required that I go along with President Trump's lie about the 2020 election.

"Tonight, Harriet Hageman has received the most votes in this primary. She won. I called her to concede the race," Cheney said. "This primary election is over. But now the real work begins."

Other political leaders in the state made statements congratulating Hageman in the minutes after Cheney accepted defeat. U.S. Sen. John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis, both R-Wyo., each said they were looking forward to her joining them in Washington to represent the Equality State.

"Harriet will be a tremendous ally in the fight to unleash American energy, combat inflation and secure our southern border," Barrasso said. "Along with Cynthia Lummis, the three of us will be a strong, conservative and effective team for the people of Wyoming."

A news release from Lummis said the lawmaker "extended her congratulations to Harriet Hageman on her primary win for Wyoming's lone seat in Congress." In the emailed announcement, Lummis said of "my friend" Hageman that she will now hold the seat that Lummis herself occupied for eight years.

Hageman has been leading incumbent Cheney in nearly every poll released ahead of the election, including the latest completed by the University of Wyoming. The survey was conducted through the last week of July and into the first week of August, and found that 57% of GOP primary voters surveyed supported Hageman. Cheney polled at 28%.

Hageman backers

Supporters attending the primary winner's party reiterated what the polls revealed, saying it would amount to a landslide against Cheney.

Hageman's self-described college best friend, Mary Frichtner, said there was no better candidate for Wyoming. She said Hageman was strong and honest, and she had the best chance of winning.

Cheney has been pushing against backlash from the Republican Party following her vote to impeach Trump in January 2021, which resulted in a censure from the Wyoming GOP and county delegations. She was also criticized by party leaders for leading the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot as the vice chairwoman, and for arguing the 2020 election was not stolen.

Barbara Carlsverg told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle she was disappointed with Cheney when she heard she was going after Trump, because she wasn't representing the state well. It was the deciding factor in her vote for Hageman.

"She turned her back on the Wyoming people; she's supposed to represent us," said Carlsverg. "And then, on the other side, people say we admire her for her courage. I said that's not why she was elected to office."

Cheney's decision to impeach Trump and investigate his relationship with the riot cost her more than her support from her party. The former president endorsed Hageman, and has continued to campaign for her. He joined her Memorial Day weekend in Casper for a Save America rally, where he bashed Cheney for abandoning her Republican values.

"Liz Cheney has unfortunately made herself very unpopular among conservative voters," said Sven Larson, an attendee at the party for Hageman. "Harriet has a lot of integrity; she's unusually good for a politician, quite frankly."

The other Republicans in the race weren't factors in the final outcome. State Rep. Anthony Bouchard, R-Cheyenne, earned 4,505 votes, Denton Knapp received 2,258, and Robyn Belinskey got 1,305. There were 175 write-in votes.

Democratic primary

This wasn't the only primary race Tuesday night for this seat. Democrats Grey Bull, Meghan Jensen and Steve Helling competed for a spot in the general election.

Grey Bull earned 4,503 votes to Jensen's 1,833 and Helling's 897. There were 309 write-in votes.

In her own remarks, Grey Bull said that "if this primary season seemed exceptional to you, it's because it was. Some national political leaders asked Wyoming Democrats to switch their party affiliation to save the GOP from itself."

The candidate went on to say, in written remarks, that "while I share their concern about extremism, the best way to safeguard against that threat is by defending the democratic system's intrinsic values, and by supporting a candidate who will fight for everyone, not just the 1%. The myth that the 2020 presidential election was stolen is a dangerous lie that has cost lives and empowered toxic people. My Republican opponent has married herself to that lie and that campaign, and to the former president."

Jasmine Hall is the Wyoming Tribune Eagle's state government reporter. She can be reached by email at jhall@wyomingnews.com or by phone at 307-633-3167. Follow her on Twitter @jasminerhphotos and on Instagram @jhrose25.