Republican Rep. Liz Cheney was able find common ground with her four opponents for Wyoming's one congressional seat. They discussed issues such as voting against the bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, supporting America's Energy Systems and reprimanding Biden's administration during Thursday night's first debate.
She was an exception when it came down to issues such as the Jan.6 committee's findings or the legitimacy of the 2020 Presidential election. Cheney's belief in the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election could endanger her seat.
Cheney, vice-chair of the Jan.6 select committee, stated that there was not enough fraud to reverse the results. It is a tragedy that Trump and other Republicans falsely claimed that the election was stolen, she said.
Cheney stated in her closing statement that "if we accept the lies of Donald Trump and if we tell Wyoming something that is false, we will soon be without the structure, the basis, and the framework of the constitutional republic."
This debate took place one day after Cheney stated that Trump's efforts to reverse the results of the 2020 elections showed he was a "domestic menace" during a speech at California's Reagan Library.
Harriet Hageman is running against Cheney, and Trump has endorsed her. She responded to this statement on Thursday night.
She stated that "the threat to our republic really originates from other sources" and added that there are "two systems of justice". She claimed that neither system holds Democrats accountable for their decisions.
She said, "Yet you have the conservatives and Republicans who are being punished because they expressed their First Amendment rights."
Cheney is now trailing Hageman by almost 30% according to a few internal polls done by Trump and Hageman allies. He started the debate by attacking Hageman.
Hageman was challenged by her to prove that the 2020 presidential election wasn't stolen. She also referenced testimony from Bill Stepien, a former Trump campaign manager, to the Jan. 6, committee. He said that Trump did not have any basis to declare victory on election day. Stepien is now a consultant to Hageman's campaign.
Cheney spoke of Hageman, saying that she believes she cannot say it wasn't stolen.
Hageman retorted that Cheney was not directly addressed by her question, and instead said that the "press and some people have obsessed" about the Jan. 6 attack. She said that Wyoming voters rarely talk about the House select committee or it. When she does hear from voters, they say how unfair the entire committee is.
She said that they are focusing on an 18-month-old event and not on Wyoming's issues. "They're also neglecting the corruption that is destroying Washington, D.C. and, as such, taking down the rest the country.
Hageman later claimed that Cheney was too preoccupied with Jan. 6 committee work and ignored Wyoming voters.
Other candidates, including state senator Anthony Bouchard and Robyn Belinsky, a businesswoman and veteran Denton Knapp, also criticized the Jan.6 committee and claimed widespread fraud in 2020's election.
"We, the people were oppressed. The First Amendment rights were thrown out the window. Belinsky stated that the committee was a wasteful of time and resources.
Bouchard described it as "a lot distraction" and "kangaroo court", repeating a Trump line.
Cheney was also criticized by the candidates for not recognizing that bipartisanship should be an objective in Congress.
Cheney stated that there is "toxicity and vitriol" that is absolutely tearing down our country... We have to elect leaders who will not simply say what people want to hear."
Bouchard stated that he was elected by hardline Republicans to the state Senate and is now representing them.
Hageman stated that when people talk of congressional bipartisanship they are actually asking when the GOP will cave.
She said, "I don’t see bipartisanship." "On the Democrat Side, I see the progress of an agenda which's been extremely damaging to this country."
According to AdImpact data, Cheney has spent more than $1.2 million on ads so far. Hageman and other allied groups have spent $775,445, while Cheney has spent more than $1.2 million. In the meantime, Trump's Save America PAC started to spend money on ads in May.
According to Wyoming PBS, the debate was closed to the public because of security concerns and threats to life for one candidate.
Wyoming's primaries will be held on August 16th
