Barrasso On House Race: Cheney Has A Lot Of Work To Do To Win The Primary

Appearing on FOX News Sunday, U.S. Sen. John Barrasso was critical of Wyoming colleague Liz Cheney and said "she has a lot of work to do if she hopes to win the primary."

LW
Leo Wolfson

July 12, 20222 min read

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(Cowboy State Daily Staff)

The people benefiting the most from Wyoming’s contentious U.S. House campaign are the people who sell advertising to candidates, U.S. Sen. John Barrasso said Sunday.

Barrasso, speaking during Fox News Sunday, noted that two of the main candidates in the GOP primary race, incumbent U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney and Harriet Hageman, are spending freely in advance of the Aug. 16 primary.

“The people that are doing the best are selling advertisements and Fox News is doing very well,” he said.

During the interview, Barrasso distanced himself from Cheney several times, but he never endorsed Hageman, as is customary for sitting elected officials regarding races in their home states. 

Barrasso reminded the host that, unlike Cheney, he voted against impeachment of former President Donald Trump and was not supportive of the creation of a U.S. House committee to study the circumstances surrounding the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.

“She’s all in on that,” he said of the committee, which she serves as vice-chair.

Barrasso also commented on the lack of appearances Cheney has made on the campaign trail. 

Cheney has been rarely seen in Wyoming since speaking out against Trump, and when she has appeared it has been with little public notice. As an example, her campaign never confirmed beforehand that she would be attending a debate in Sheridan held in late June. 

In 2021, she paid $58,000 for a private security detail, according to documents filed with the Federal Election Commission.

“I think she has a lot of work to do if she hopes to win the primary,” Barrasso said.

Hageman has made a number of appearances at rallies across the state since deciding to run against Cheney in September and winning Trump’s endorsement.

Barrasso typically returns to Wyoming every weekend to visit with constituents, he said.

“Wyoming politics is very personal,” he said. “It’s face-to-face, it’s town-to-town. 

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Leo Wolfson

Politics and Government Reporter