As reported by the Wyoming Election Division, Tuesday’s vote had the highest primary participation in state history.
The large turnout was a major factor in Rep. Liz Cheney’s removal from the House. Harriet Hageman, who received Trump’s endorsement, defeated Cheney by 37% with 95% of the vote counted.
Trump Was the Deciding Factor
Voters appeared to be motivated by Cheney’s conflict with former President Trump, as seen by the record-breaking turnout at the polls.
Data from the state show that 182,142 people cast ballots in the primary on Tuesday, including 171,964 Republicans, 8,194 Democrats, and 1,984 independents.
Only 140,042 voters turned out for the 2020 primary. With 139,809, the amount was similar in 2018. Only 114,437 people cast primary ballots in the 2016 election after Rep. Liz Cheney first won the Wyoming position.
2008 was the lowest election participation on record since 1978 with only 108,238 voters casting ballots.
When Republicans take back Congress, they should investigate how @Liz_Cheney’s net worth grew 600% during her 6 years in office.
— Alex Bruesewitz 🍊 (@alexbruesewitz) August 17, 2022
The information comes after Cheney left Congress as the eighth of 10 House Republicans who supported the impeachment. Trump’s impeachment by the House in 2021 was among the most disastrous shows of hand in legislative history.
There are still five pro-impeachment lawmakers in the Senate. Only one is up for reelection in 2022: incumbent Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who is opposed by Kelly Tshibaka, a supporter of Trump.
The Alaska primary election may possibly draw a sizable crowd, given the incomplete results reported. There have been roughly 142,000 votes cast as of 68 percent reporting.
310,735 people cast ballots in the Democratic primary for Murkowski in 2016, the last time she campaigned for reelection during a presidential year.
Turnout in elections is often higher in presidential election years than in non-presidential election years. In the 2010 non-presidential primary, 109,750 votes were cast in the race between Murkowski and Joe Miller.
Miller prevailed in the primary by six ballots, but lost in the general election. In 2010, there were 487,456 registered voters in the state; by 2022, there would be 586,318.
In Alaska’s primaries on Tuesday, Murkowski narrowly defeated Tshibaka. In accordance with Alaskan election laws that favor the incumbents, both candidates made it to the main election.
Liz Cheney is leaving Congress $37 million richer then when she entered Congress.
6 years of a salary of $174,000 adds up to $1,044,000.
Where did the other $36 million come from?
— Corey Gibson (@CoreyGibson) August 17, 2022
Biden Makes Clear His Allies
After losing her primary on Tuesday, Rep. Liz Cheney received a call from President Biden early Wednesday.
According to Bloomberg News, Biden called Cheney on Wednesday, the day after she suffered a humiliating election loss to her primary opponent, Harriet Hageman, losing by a margin of 37 points.
Prior to a golf tournament on Wednesday, while on holiday in Delaware, is when Biden made the call.
Although the call’s specifics were not made public, Cheney and President Biden previously had friendly exchanges since she turned against former President Trump.
When President Biden arrived at the Senate in April for his State of the Union address Cheney leaned out and gave him a fist bump, drawing ire from Wyoming voters.
This article appeared in The Patriot Brief and has been published here with permission.
