Wyoming lawmakers have voted narrowly to consider a Donald Trump-backed bill that could affect Liz Cheney’s re-election chances by making it harder for voters to change parties.
Currently, party changes are allowed up to and including primary election day, which this year is August 16, but the measure advanced by the state Senate bars voters from changing within 3 months of the primary election.
Some Republican leaders are worried that large numbers of Democrats will switch to the GOP this year to be able to vote for Cheney, who’s been targeted by Trump and his supporters over her impeachment vote and criticism of election fraud claims.
The change would need to pass both the Senate and House before going to Republican Gov. Mark Gordon for his signature.
In a related story, U-S House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy has endorsed attorney Harriet Hageman, Cheney’s chief challenger in the primary and hand-picked by Trump.
McCarthy has made winning back control of the House in this fall’s midterm elections a top priority, but it’s still considered a remarkable step for a party leader to come out against an incumbent member of their party
Cheney has already been stripped of her party leadership roles and censured by both the Wyoming and national GOP Central Committees for her criticism of Trump and for serving on the House January 6th committee.