The Point: Why a Wyoming House race is critical to the future of the Republican Party

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September 22, 2021 | by Chris Cillizza and Lauren Dezenski

Why a Wyoming House race is critical to the future of the Republican Party

Sometimes the most significant fights happen in the unlikeliest of places.

Witness Wyoming -- one of the most conservative states in the country, in which Republicans control every statewide office from Senate to governor to the lone House seat.

It's that at-large House seat, however, where a proxy war for the future of the Republican Party is shaping up.

At the center of it all is Rep. Liz Cheney, and her stand against former President Donald Trump. Cheney was one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump for his role in the January 6 US Capitol riot and has been outspoken about her belief that the ex-President cannot play a role in the party going forward.

On the other side, predictably, is Trump, who has made beating Cheney a major priority in 2022. Earlier this month, Trump endorsed Harriet Hageman's bid to unseat Cheney in next year's Republican primary -- calling the congresswoman a "warmonger and disloyal Republican."

Because of Trump's ongoing power over the base of the Republican Party, his vehement opposition to Cheney puts her in a very tough spot politically.

But unlike some of her fellow rebellious Republicans, who are choosing to retire rather than face down Trump, Cheney is fighting back aggressively.

Former President George W. Bush, who does very little in the way of campaign politics these days, will hold a fundraiser to benefit Cheney in October in Dallas.

Cheney has also received campaign contributions from a who's who of the party establishment, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, as well as former House Speakers John Boehner and Paul Ryan. Cheney has already raised more than $3.4 million this year and had nearly $2.9 million left in the bank, according to her last campaign finance report.

The Point: Trump is dead set on seeing Cheney ousted for her lack of allegiance. Cheney and the rest of the people we used to call the Republican establishment are gearing up for an absolute political war over the coming months. Who wins will tell you plenty about whether resistance to Trump is fertile or futile.

-- Chris

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"I thought he was going to lose the first time and win the second time. So I've been 100% wrong, so I'm not going to make predictions on his influence on the races."

-- Sen. Mitt Romney on Trump's influence in the 2022 midterm elections.

WEDNESDAY'S MUST-SEE TWEETS

1. A good 🧵about breakthrough infections

2. Pramila Jayapal says she has the votes

3. Stunning -- and haunting

4. People once refused to wear seat belts, too

5. Worst first pitch ever?

CHRIS' GOOD READS

After weeks months years of negative press about its business practices, Facebook has decided to fight back, according to The New York Times.

Texas' population is, on the whole, getting more liberal. So why is the state legislature moving in the exact opposite direction? The Washington Post has the answer!

Having spent the better part of my teen years playing Nintendo, this Den of Geeks list of the 15 best games ever for the NES felt like a walk down memory lane in the best possible way.

Barcelona, one of the largest and most successful football clubs in the world, has fallen on hard times. The BBC digs into why.

MUSICAL INTERLUDE

The Lumineers have new music! Their new single from their forthcoming album is called "Brightside."

POLICING REFORM FAILS

After months of negotiating, the bipartisan talks around overhauling policing have officially fallen apart. CNN's Jessica Dean and Manu Raju have the details:

Who pulled the plug: Sen. Cory Booker made clear in a private conversation with GOP Sen. Tim Scott that bipartisan policing talks are over.
Who was involved: Scott and Democrats Booker and Rep. Karen Bass spent some six months trying to hash out a deal that could win 60 votes in the Senate. Talks were stymied by a number of complicated issues like qualified immunity, a legal doctrine that protects police officers from being sued in civil court.
What does this mean: Yet another Biden legislative priority has failed in Congress.

ONE SIZABLE CONSENSUS

< 1/3

Fewer than one-third of Americans want to see the Roe v. Wade ruling overturned, according to a set of three polls released over the past week.

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