USA: Trump critic Cheney loses in primary

United States
Trump critic Cheney loses primary

The main inner-party critic of former US President Donald Trump, Liz Cheney, will no longer be a member of the House of Representatives from January. The Republican conceded her defeat to her party opponent Harriet Hageman in the Wyoming primary.

Hageman had been supported by Trump. She will be running for the Republicans in the Wyoming constituency in November’s congressional elections. Cheney’s defeat had been expected. However, she made it clear that she would continue to fight Trump – and was open to running for president in the 2024 elections.

After voting, Cheney said the US was at a point “where our democracy is really under attack and threatened. And those of us Republicans, Democrats and independents who believe deeply in liberty and who believe in the Constitution and the future of the I believe that what is close to the heart of the country has a duty to put this above the party.”

“Do everything we can to ensure that Trump is never president again”

After admitting defeat, Cheney said she would continue to do everything in her power to ensure Trump never becomes president again. Shortly thereafter, Trump wrote on the social network Truth Social, which he co-founded: “Liz Cheney is a fool who plays right into the hands of those who want to destroy our country!”

Cheney made it clear once again that she was by no means admitting defeat – and was considering running for the 2024 presidential election. “It’s something I’m thinking about and I’ll be making a decision in the coming months,” Cheney told NBC News when asked about it. Recently, Cheney was often asked if she could imagine running in 2024. The Conservatives had previously left this open.

But first she wants to focus on her remaining time as a member of Congress, Cheney emphasized. There is still a lot of work to be done, especially in the committee of inquiry into the attack on the US Capitol. The Republican Party must return to the principles and values ​​on which it was founded, Cheney said. “I will do whatever it takes to keep Trump out of the White House.”

Cheney voted to impeach Trump

Cheney was among 10 Republican congressmen who voted to open a second impeachment trial against Trump after the Capitol attack. However, the necessary majority for a conviction was not achieved in the Senate. Soon after, following Trump pressure, Cheney was voted out of a leadership position in her faction.

There were also votes in Alaska that were followed with excitement nationwide. Former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin ran for the Republicans for a seat in the House of Representatives that had been vacated by the death of longtime MP Don Young. Palin competed against two competitors. It won’t be known until the end of August who gets the seat, because no one achieved an absolute majority in the count on Tuesday.

Since the seat will be reassigned in the congressional elections in November, primary elections were also held at which Palin, her two competitors and numerous other contenders competed for the candidacy. According to US media reports, Palin was shortlisted here. The Republican had been supported by Trump. She was the butt of ridicule during the 2008 election campaign when, as a US vice presidential candidate, she claimed she could see Russia from her home in Alaska.

Senator Lisa Murkowski also ran in the Alaska primary. She was challenged by Kelly Tshibaka, among others, who has pledged his support to Trump. According to US media, both are one round further. Murkowski was among seven Republicans who voted in the Senate to impeach Trump. She is the only one from this group who has to seek re-election in November. All seats in the House of Representatives are up for election every two years, in the Senate only around one in three.

dpa