Saturday, October 26, 2013

Liz Cheney's Senate Bid


Daniel Larison of the American Conservative questions the logic of some Republicans primary challenges:
The trouble here isn’t that incumbents are facing primary challengers, which can be a good and necessary thing, but that they are frequently facing challenges that seem to serve no purpose. The Cheney challenge to Enzi [in Wyoming] is the absurd extreme of this phenomenon: someone with a lifetime ACU [American Conservative Union] rating of 92.7 has to head off a challenger whose sole reason for running is self-promotion. It is fairly harmless, but also completely useless. Challenging Alexander or Cochran might be more justifiable based on their voting records (their lifetime ACU ratings are 78 and 79 respectively), but even if successful they wouldn’t make it that much more likely that conservatives will be able to advance their agenda in Congress.
Larison makes the point that party money could be more practically spent in attempts to unseat Democrats, but I think it can be argued that she would be useful in a run for the presidency in a few years.  Straightforward in speech, nice looking, iconically blonde, and with five children to boot, she will be 54 in 2020. She has worked in government in foreign relations. But she has received criticism for only recently moving to Wyoming in 2012 before making her bid:
On July 16, 2013, Cheney announced that she would be running for the Senate in 2014 from the state of Wyoming as a Republican, challenging the incumbent Republican senator Mike Enzi.[30] The National Republican Senatorial Committee says the group plans to back Enzi, as is policy.[31] Cheney is expected to receive strong fundraising, but faces concerns about the fact she moved to Wyoming in fall 2012.[32] In the video announcing her candidacy, she noted that the Cheney family first came to Wyoming in 1852.[32] Her father served Wyoming in the House of Representatives from 1979 to 1989.[32]
She was also ticketed by a game warden for obtaining a Wyoming fishing license before she had completed one years' residency:
In August 2012, Cheney purchased a resident fishing license despite living in the state for only a few months. After a newspaper article in August 2013 pointed out that she should not have been eligible for a resident license, Cheney was ticketed by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.[34] Cheney released a statement, saying "On August 3, 2012, I spent the day on the Snake River with a group of wounded warriors and the Rivers of Recovery organization. ... When I went in to purchase a license, the clerk asked if I was a resident. I said yes because I was living in Wyoming. It was my mistake not to realize there was a 365-day requirement to hold a resident license. The clerk did not ask how long I had lived in Wyoming. August 3, 2012 was, unfortunately, the only day I had the opportunity to fish in Wyoming last year. When I realized that I had not fulfilled the residency requirement, I met with officials from Game and Fish in Jackson and I paid the requisite fine on August 14."[35] The Wyoming Game and Fish Department concluded its investigation after Cheney paid the fine. A department spokesperson said, "The investigation did not reveal any intent to provide false or misleading information."[36]
Hillary Clinton winning the presidency in '16 is a big If. I think it is highly likely, given that there may be a groundswell of women of all stripes to push her over the top, but there are few people so hated by so many as she and Bill are. If she fails in her bid, I can see Liz Cheney stepping in with the help of the nation's female vote, and I think the Republican party already has this gamed out.

24 comments:

AHL said...

The democratic party needs to find a fresh face. Honestly, Hillary has been trying too much for too long. The republican party needs a female candidate who is libertarian leaning. I feel that the democrats push and push how they are the only one's who support a woman's liberation, mainly through a woman's right to choose. The GOP can take that and run with a woman who is socially liberal but fiscally conservative.

And somehow, the democrats will find a way to bring up Dick Cheney's hunting accident if Liz Cheney ever makes a presidential bid.

edutcher said...

Liz Cheney is sen as a carpetbagger by most Wyomans, so she's not too popular.

PS Check out HotAir's profile of Kirsten Gillibrand for a female sociopath who may well take the prize from the Hildabeast.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Just what this country is demanding, another Cheney, brought to us by the miracle of nepotism.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Every time I hear Liz Cheney in an interview, I'm impressed with her smarts.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

ARM- but you would vote for and support Hillary, right?

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

I do agree that Enzi isn't exactly someone we need to target.
Can she move to Arizona and help oust McCain?

Please.

deborah said...

lol great idea, April :)

I'll check her out, Ed.

Icepick said...

deb, there's no indication that anyone in the Republican Party can think past last Tuesday, much less into the future. There ain't no game planning going on.

deborah said...

Good point, Ice, but I'll bet her Dad has big plans :)

bagoh20 said...

I like her, but I don't see the point in Wyoming either. I would love to see her debate the former Secretary of State who was so impressive with the Benghazi disaster.

Michael Haz said...

I can't stand all the mini-Roves who sit in front of a computer and think they can say who shod or shouldn't run in an election.

William said...

I've seen her on several talk shows. She's very smart. She has some of her father's self possession, but without that undercurrent of menace. She's a formidable spokesperson for conservative causes. I don't live in Wyoming and know nothing of her opponent, but if the people of Wyoming wish to elect her, isn't that democracy? If Enzi falls, there will still be plenty of jowly incumbents to carry on.

ampersand said...
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Trooper York said...

When the Yankees can sign or trade for a great player to replace a mediocre one they always try to do it.

It doesn't always work out.

Sometimes you get Paul O'Neil or Reggie and sometimes you get A-Rod or Jason Giambi.

But it is always better to get a more talented player.

Cheney would be a player if she gets elected. Who has ever heard of this Epcot guy?

rcocean said...

Last thing we need is another Clinton, Bush or Cheney in the Senate.

Or the White House.

Trooper York said...

It would be a good thing if every incumbent lost their election. Bar none.

Most of the Republicans in the Senate have been there way too long.

I am looking at you Orrin Hatch, John McCain, Lamar Alexander and Bitch McConnell.

Trooper York said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
rcocean said...

We need term limits or at least a mandatory age requirement.

john said...

She could move to Arizona and run against McCain.

Eric the Fruit Bat said...

Judging from that photograph, she could get a job acting in TV commercials selling pharmaceuticals to menopausal women.

Ask your doctor if Revivasnatch is right for you.

Icepick said...

The lack of an internet sales tax is the government favoring one set of businesses over another. That is, picking winners and losers.

ricpic said...

I wish what Deb said about so many hating Bill & Hillary were true. Unfortunately...

deborah said...

According to a July poll report at RCP, Enzi was leading Cheney 54-26.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/latest_polls/senate/#

Agreed, Troop. I hope for the day that an email chain letter finally convinces enough people to throw all the bums out at the same time :)

I don't know ricpic. Remember when Ted Kennedy endorsed Obama? That was a real slap in the face to Hillary. There are a lot of Dems that would like to screw up her chances.

deborah said...

lol Bat, you're right.