Donald Trump's pick to defeat Liz Cheney in next year's midterm election called him 'racist and xenophobic' in the 2016 presidential race but is now one of his most fervent supporters.
Harriet Hageman, a longtime Wyoming Republican operative who was once a close ally of the Cheney family, was part of a GOP resistance movement against Trump in the 2016 presidential primary, The New York Times revealed on Monday.
During the 2016 Republican Convention in Cleveland, Hageman worked with supporters of Ted Cruz in a failed attempt to force a floor vote between Cruz and Trump for the nomination - regardless of the fact Trump won enough primaries and caucuses to take the title.
She blamed Democrats for Trump's nomination, saying they had crossed the aisle to vote in GOP primaries to vote for Trump.
She called Trump the 'weakest candidate' and warned the party would be stuck with 'somebody who is racist and xenophobic.'
Donald Trump's pick to defeat Liz Cheney in next year's midterm election called him 'racist and xenophobic' in the 2016 presidential race but Harriet Hageman (left) is now one of his most fervent supporters
Harriet Hageman was once close to the Cheney family and helped Rep. Liz Cheney (above with Hageman) in her political career
The convention move failed, Trump took the nomination and defeated Hillary Clinton the 2016 presidential election. Many of his Republican critics during the primary - including Cruz and Lindsey Graham - became his allies once he was in the White House.
In a statement to The Times, Hageman slammed Liz Cheney, blaming the Republican congresswoman for her actions.
'I heard and believed the lies the Democrats and Liz Cheney's friends in the media were telling at the time, but that is ancient history as I quickly realized that their allegations against President Trump were untrue,' Hageman said. 'He was the greatest president of my lifetime, and I am proud to have been able to renominate him in 2020. And I'm proud to strongly support him today.'
Hageman ultimately endorsed Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and stood by him when many Republicans called for his exit after the 'Access Hollywood' tapes revealed his comments about women.
Trump endorsed Hageman on September 9th after vowing to back a primary challenger to
