CHEYENNE, Wyo.—Three-term Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) on Aug. 16 became the eighth of 10 Republicans who voted for Donald Trump’s impeachment to either retire or be defeated by party rivals endorsed by the former president.
Cheney, one of Trump’s most vociferous critics, was defeated in Wyoming’s Aug. 16 Republican primary for the state’s lone congressional seat by Harriet Hageman, a Cheyenne natural resources attorney.
Cheney joins four GOP incumbents of the 10 Republican House members who voted for Trump’s impeachment to have their renominations canceled by their constituents.
Rep. Peter Meijer (R-Mich.) was defeated by Trump-backed John Gibbs; Rep. Tom Rice (R-S.C.) was trounced by more than 25 percentage points by Trump-endorsed state Rep. Russell Fry; and Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-Wash.) lost a narrow election to Joe Kent, who was supported by Trump.
The only two to advance to the general election in primary battles are Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.) and Rep. David Valadao (R-Calif.).
Four retired rather than run in 2022: Reps. Anthony Gonzalez (R-Ohio), Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), Fred Upton (R-Mich.), and Rep. John Katko (R-N.Y.)
A Dozen Incumbents Defeated
Of the 12 congressional incumbents whose reelection bids have been short-circuited by primary rivals, five fell to a fellow incumbent after post 2020 Census redistricting.
Three are Democrats: Rep. Andy Levin (D-Mich), who lost to Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich); Rep. Carolyn Bourdeaux (D-Ga.), who was defeated by Rep. Lucy McBath (D-Ga.); and Rep. Marie Newman (D-Ill.) who was bounced from office by Rep. Sean Casten (D-Ga.).
Two incumbent-on-incumbent casualties are Republican reps who lost to Trump-backed reps: Rep. Mary Miller (R-Ill.) defeated Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) and Rep. Alex Mooney (R-W. Va.) swept past Rep. David McKinley (R-W. Va.).
Three sitting congressional reps were defeated by challengers in races not directly influenced by endorsements from the former president.
Rep. Steven Palazzo (R-Miss), under fire for alleged misuse of campaign and congressional funds, lost his primary to Mike Ezell.
By John Haughey
