(USA Features) Former President George W. Bush along with his long-time chief political adviser, Karl Rove, are set to host a fundraiser for Wyoming Republican Rep. Liz Cheney, who is facing a stiff primary challenge from a GOP candidate backed by former President Donald Trump.
“Trump is waging an aggressive campaign against Cheney, whom he has labeled a party-traitor for reasons including her vote in to impeach him over the Jan. 6 Capitol riot,” Just the News Wednesday.
The site noted that earlier this month, Trump announced he would be supporting challenger Harriet Hageman’s bid to take Cheney’s seat; Wyoming has only one House seat in Congress.
The fundraiser is currently scheduled for Oct. 18 in Dallas. Rove will serve as co-host for the evening; former Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, will also be in attendance.
The Wall Street Journal first reported the fundraiser.
Liz Cheney’s father, Dick Cheney, served for two terms as Bush’s vice president. The fundraiser will the 43rd president’s first campaign effort for the 2022 cycle.
“In recent months, George Bush has stepped up his criticism of Trump, though he has not attacked the 45th president by name,” KESQ reported.
“He has decried the ‘loud voices’ in the GOP ‘who are isolationists, protectionists and nativists’ and revealed he wrote in the name of his former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on his 2020 presidential ballot rather than vote for Trump,” the outlet continued.
“Bush, who has said he was ‘appalled by the reckless behavior of some political leaders since the election’ in the aftermath of the Capitol riot, also called on Americans on the 20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to confront domestic violent extremists, comparing them to violent extremists abroad and warning that they are ‘children of the same foul spirit,'” the outlet continued.
Trump blasted Bush in response, saying he wasn’t one who should be “lecturing” Americans about the threat of domestic terrorism.
As for Hageman, Trump said in a statement earlier this month he is backing Hageman, a Wyoming attorney, whom he said “is running against warmonger and disloyal Republican” Cheney.
“Harriet is a fourth-generation daughter of Wyoming, a very successful attorney, and has the support and respect of a truly great U.S. Senator, Wyoming’s own Cynthia Lummis,” Trump continued.
“Harriet Hageman adores the Great State of Wyoming, is strong on Crime and Borders, powerfully supports the Second Amendment, loves our Military and our Vets, and will fight for Election Integrity and Energy Independence (which [President Joe] Biden has already given up),” he added.
“Unlike RINO Liz Cheney, Harriet is all in for America First. Harriet has my Complete and Total Endorsement in replacing the Democrats number one provider of sound bites, Liz Cheney. Make America Great Again!” the former president concluded.