Facebook post makes baseless claim about Cheney losing re-election days before Wyoming primary

U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., faces a contentious primary election Aug. 16 as one of the few Republicans in public office who has criticized former President Donald Trump for his election fraud claims.

One Facebook post claims Cheney, vice chair of the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, already lost the election — days before voting has ended.

“Liz Cheney CRIES LIKE KIDS after loses in ‘primary’ against Trump’s pick,” the Aug. 14 post says.

The Facebook post features an unrelated 24-minute snippet from the Aug. 14 broadcast of Newsmax’s “Wake Up America Weekend” morning show, which makes no mention of Cheney.

The post was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.)

Cheney is expected to lose her re-election bid in the primary, with one poll finding that she trails nearly 30 points behind fellow Republican Harriet Hageman, who was endorsed by Trump.

The lead-up to the election has seen Cheney stripped of her House leadership position and shunned by colleagues in the GOP after challenging Trump’s claim that his re-election was stolen.

The Facebook post’s assertion of Cheney’s loss was made two days before the primary election and before any vote had been counted. And we find no reports about Cheney “crying” other than tearing up during a standing ovation she received during a July 31 groundbreaking for Mineta-Simpson Institute at Heart Mountain Interpretive Center in Powell, Wyoming. 

Monique Meese, communications and policy director for the Wyoming Secretary of State’s Office, said results in the election aren’t expected until after the polls close at 7 p.m. Aug. 16.

Our ruling

A Facebook post claims Cheney lost her re-election bid as the House representative for Wyoming.

Although Cheney is expected to lose her seat, the post was made two days before the primary election.

We rate this claim Pants on Fire.

By

Andy Nguyen

Digital Research Analyst

August 16, 2022

Truth-o-meter Ruling

Pants on Fire!

IF YOUR TIME IS SHORT

• The Wyoming primary election will take place Aug. 16, and preliminary results for the election won’t be available until after polls close at 7 p.m. local time. 
   
• Although polling shows that U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney is expected to lose her re-election bid, no vote has been counted yet.

Statement

“Liz Cheney cries like kids after loses in ‘primary’ against Trump’s pick,” two days before the primary election.

Context

a Facebook post

Speaker/Target

Speaker: Facebook posts

Statement Date

August 14, 2022