By Jimmy Orr, Cowboy State Daily
If Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney had a rough start to 2021, it sure wasn’t reflected in fundraising.
According to documents obtained by Cowboy State Daily, Cheney will smash all of her previous quarterly fundraising efforts by raising $1.54 million during the first quarter of 2021.
For context, Cheney raised $321,000 in the first quarter of 2019 — this represents a five-fold increase in fundraising activity.
Also significant is where the money came from, with more than $1 million of the funds coming from individual donors.
This puts Cheney’s cash on hand at $1.43 million — up from $153,000 at the end of 2020.
Cheney political advisor Kevin Seifert told Cowboy State Daily that the increase in fundraising is due to her “effective, principled leadership.”
“Liz is standing up for the Constitution and standing up to the Biden Administration’s partisan overreach, so it’s no surprise her approach is resonating in the form of increased donations,” Seifert said. “She resoundingly won the support of the House Conference in February and she will continue to generate support from those who are concerned with the future of the Republican Party.”
Although the Wyoming Republican Party censured Cheney for her vote to impeach President Trump earlier this year, it hasn’t appeared to stop her activity in the state.
She has participated in a number of high-profile meetings in communities across Wyoming and hasn’t shied away from meeting with the press.
Most recently, Cheney appeared on CBS’ Face the Nation this past Sunday, where she criticized Trump for his remarks over the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago compound. Not only did he condemn his former vice president for certifying the results of November’s general election, but called Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell a “dumb son-of-a-bitch.”
So far two candidates have announced their plans to run against Cheney in the Republican primary in 2022. Wyoming State Sen. Anthony Bouchard, R-Cheyenne, and State Rep. Chuck Gray, R-Casper, both announced their campaigns earlier this year.
Individual donor information was not available. Campaigns and committees are required to file first-quarter financial reports with the FEC by April 15.
