Cheney, Hageman trade barbs following Trump endorsement | 307 Politics

It’s rare for outside parties to get involved in Wyoming politics. Until recently, there was a common sentiment that Wyoming voters did not want outsiders coming into the state telling them how to vote or how to run their state. But Trump has changed American politics, and while Wyoming residents may have previously been averse to outsiders weighing in, that may no longer be such a commonly held belief. For example, Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Florida, received a warm welcome in January when he traveled to Cheyenne for an anti-Cheney rally. 

“I think that what we are seeing are sort of this arrogance of outside political operatives thinking that they can come into Wyoming and try to fool Wyoming voters and try to ultimately convince Wyoming voters to do what the folks in Bedminster or Mar-a-Lago think make sense to us,” Cheney said. “That tells you about what they think about the voters of Wyoming, and our voters are not going to fall for that. It never will work here.” 

Hageman was a serious candidate in 2018 Wyoming Governor’s race, and she now has Trump’s backing in the state where 70% of the electorate — the highest rate in the country in the 2020 election — voted for the former president. 

Cheney’s scathing remarks and Hageman’s equally scathing response are notable given the history between the two. Hageman had a leadership role on Cheney’s 2016 House race and her short-lived 2013 Senate race, donating a total of $2,000 between the two races. The Cheneys and the Hagemans are also longtime family friends, so the back-and-forth carries more weight than in most heated political races.