Cheney ahead of Wyoming primary: ‘The beginning of a battle’ for democracy

Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) on Tuesday warned that the future of American democracy is at stake as voters headed to the polls in her state’s primary, in which she’s facing off against a challenger backed by former President Trump and House Republican leadership.

Cheney, standing alongside her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, told CBS News in an interview that regardless of the outcome of the primary, she expects the battle for the democracy to “go on.” 

“Well, look, I think today no matter what the outcome is certainly the beginning of a battle that is going to continue, is going to go on,” Cheney said. 

Asked by CBS’s Robert Costa what was at stake in the election, the Wyoming congresswoman said the country’s democracy is “under attack and under threat,” adding that Republicans, Democrats, and Independents alike have an “obligation” to continue the fight to preserve the country’s system of government.

“I think have an obligation to put that above party. And I think that fight is clearly going to continue to and clearly going to go on,” Cheney added. 

Cheney, who is the vice chairwoman of the House select committee investigating the Jan 6., 2021, attack on the Capitol, is facing an uphill battle to retain her congressional seat against Harriet Hageman, who was endorsed by former President Trump.

Cheney was one of the ten Republicans who voted to impeach Trump for his role in the Capitol insurrection, was also ousted from her leadership position with the House Republican Conference due to staunch defiance toward the former president.