Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney lost Tuesday's Republican primary for her U.S. House seat, a position she’s held for six years. As a member of the House committee investigating the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol, Cheney has faced criticism from Republicans for her role in speaking publicly about the Trump Administration’s actions on that day. Her loss to Donald Trump-backed Harriet Hageman was widely expected in a state that former President Trump carried by a 43-point margin over Joe Biden in 2020.
Cheney indicated in her concession speech on Wednesday that she does not intend to disappear from the national political scene, saying, "This primary election is over, but now the real work begins." She re-asserted her pledge to "do whatever it takes to ensure Donald Trump is never again anywhere near the Oval Office." While it's not clear where that promise will take her, Cheney said in an interview with NBC's "Today Show" that she was "thinking about" running for President in 2024.
If Cheney runs for president, she may find an electorate that's divided on her candidacy. The latest Economist/YouGov poll — which closed hours before her primary was decided — found that Americans are split between those who see Cheney favorably (36%) and those who see her unfavorably (38%). Most Democrats (60%) do, while only 25% of Independents and 17% of Republicans agree.
- Oana Dumitru and Carl Bialik contributed to this article
This poll was conducted on August 13 - 16, 2022 among 1,500 U.S. adult citizens. Explore more on the methodology and data for this Economist/YouGov poll on public figures and politics and elections.
