Audio shows Liz Cheney congratulating her Wyoming primary opponent, who said she only left a ‘2-second voicemail’ and didn’t concede
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Rep. Liz Cheney speaks to supporters during the Wyoming primary election at Mead Ranch in Jackson, Wyoming.PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images
Liz Cheney’s primary opponent told Fox News she only got a “two-second” message with no concession.
A Politico reporter shared audio of Cheney conceding and congratulating Harriet Hageman.
The reporter said Hageman’s team then sent her the message they received, which appeared to be cut off.
Audio shows Rep. Liz Cheney calling Harriet Hageman, her Wyoming primary opponent, to congratulate her on her victory after Hageman said Cheney only left a “two-second” message that didn’t include a concession.
The audio was obtained and shared by the Politico reporter Olivia Beavers.
Cheney can be heard saying: “Hi Harriet, Liz Cheney calling. It’s about 8:13 on Tuesday the 16th. I’m calling to concede the election and to congratulate you on the win. Thanks. Bye bye.”
Hageman told Fox News’ “Hannity” on Wednesday night — before Beavers shared the audio — that Cheney had only left her a two-second message and that Cheney did not concede the election.
Host Sean Hannity noted that Cheney said in her concession speech on Tuesday that she had called Hageman, but Hannity said: “I didn’t hear in that sentence that she congratulated you and wished you well. How did the call go?”
Hageman replied: “Well there wasn’t a phone call. While I was going in and getting ready to do my acceptance speech last night, and had just arrived at the watch party, she called and left a very brief two-second message on my cellphone.
“That’s the extent of it. I haven’t had any other contact with Liz Cheney, she only made the one effort and all she said was ‘Hello Harriet’ and then that was the end of it.
“So she didn’t call and discuss with me any kind of concession or anything else, it was just the one phone call. I was obviously extremely busy with family and friends.”
Hannity then asked: “She just said ‘Hello Harriet’ and then hung up?”
Hageman replied: “That was the end of the call, yes. That was the only time, it was about 8:15 last night and I was just getting ready to go on stage with my acceptance speech.”
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Beavers, the Politico reporter, said that Hageman’s campaign sent her a video that showed the message they received from Cheney.
Beavers tweeted it showed “that the voicemail audio only got “Howdy Harriet.” The voicemail had more time on it but that’s all the audio that got through to Hageman. Perhaps technical / cell service issues at play over Cheney concession message.”
Representatives for Hageman and Cheney did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment.
Hageman, who was backed by former President Donald Trump, had backed Trump’s baseless election-fraud claims.
Cheney had vocally pushed back against them, voted to impeach him over the Capitol riot, and joined the House committee investigating the insurrection — moves that alienated her from the rest of the congressional GOP.
In her concession speech, Cheney said she could have “easily” won against Hageman if she went along with Trump’s election-fraud claims, but that she was not willing to do that.
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