National

A handful of Republican operatives are quietly mounting a last-ditch effort to rescue Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) from a Trump-backed primary challenge, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: The previously unreported effort shows how some Republicans are trying to surreptitiously undercut the former president's revenge campaign, which has so far claimed the political lives of a significant chunk of GOP critics.

Cheney — the vice chair of the House Jan. 6 committee — could be the next casualty. She's facing tough odds in her primary fight this month against Trump-backed challenger Harriet Hageman.

Driving the news: Involved in the effort are Jeff Larson, the chairman of Republican research firm America Rising and a longtime Cheney backer, and Julia Griswold Dailer, a former Trump White House and inauguration committee aide.

Their strategy is two-pronged: Persuade Democrats to cross the aisle and back the Wyoming Republican in this month's open primary, and dent her Trump-endorsed challenger by portraying her as insufficiently loyal to the former president.

What's happening: Two seemingly unrelated political groups recently popped up to try to beat back Hageman's challenge.

Wyomingites Defending Freedom and Democracy is running digital and television ads and encouraging Democrats in the state to cross party lines and vote for Cheney in the Aug. 16 primary.

Conservatives for a Strong America is portraying Hageman as a fake conservative secretly in league with Cheney and critical of Trump.

The latter group is also trying to boost two of Cheney's other primary challengers in an apparent effort to split the anti-Cheney vote.

The intrigue: Tex McBride, a Wyoming rancher who leads WDFD, told Axios that Larson recruited him for that role.

"They needed somebody that ... has a voice in the state rather than just trying to bring in someone from the outside who nobody knows or trusts," McBride said in an interview.

"My involvement is really just to put people in touch with each other and they go do their own deal, and help raise some money, but that's the extent of it," Larson told Axios.

Federal Communications Commission filings list Griswold Dailer as WDFD's campaign manager. Her phone number is listed in advertising disclosures for both WDFD's and CFSA's Facebook ads.

A source involved in the campaign told Axios that Griswold Dailer is "running the show" for the umbrella effort.

She did not respond to multiple inquiries about the campaign and her role in it.

Digital and TV ads run by the two groups hit the same issue: Hageman's supposed legal work to divert Colorado River water from Wyoming. 

Cheney's campaign has run similar ads on the allegations, which Hageman disputes.

WDFD and CFSA also share a treasurer and use the same digital and marketing vendors, according to Federal Election Commission records and a source code on their websites.

By the numbers: WDFD has reported spending $188,428 in support of Cheney since last month, making it the fourth-largest independent spender in the Wyoming primary race — and the top one backing Cheney.

CFSA has spent another $47,108 attacking Hageman, according to FEC records.

But far more has been spent attacking Cheney and boosting her rivals. 

The top group in the race, Wyoming Values, has received $500,000 from Trump's leadership PAC and spent more than $800,000 opposing Cheney and supporting Hageman.

Scoop: Republicans' last-minute Cheney lifeline

Some Republicans are trying to surreptitiously undercut Trump's revenge campaign.

Photo: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Liz Cheney

A handful of Republican operatives are quietly mounting a last-ditch effort to rescue Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) from a Trump-backed primary challenge, Axios has learned.Why it matters: The previously unreported effort shows how some Republicans are trying to surreptitiously undercut the former president&#x27;s revenge campaign, which has so far claimed the political lives of a significant chunk of GOP critics.

President Biden has made the COVID-19 crisis and a post-Trump return to national unity and traditional democratic ideals his top priorities. From vaccinations to stimulus to schools, Biden is seeking bipartisan compromise while showing a willingness to use executive authority and bare Democratic majorities in the U.S. House and Senate to implement his policies. Republican leaders are navigating deep party divisions over if and how to move beyond former President Trump.

Politics & Policy

Russia's state-backed media apparatus is financing four new TV programs produced by a U.S. conspiracy theorist and aimed in large part at undercutting America's image and interests in the developing world, records show.

Why it matters: The campaign shows how the Kremlin waging an information battle in key regions after its invasion of Ukraine prompted a massive global backlash.

Its new propaganda campaign targets the crucial geopolitical power centers of China and India and developing nations in Africa, while also stretching into the Western Hemisphere with content aimed at South America.

Driving the news: American journalist Ben Swann is producing four news-style TV shows for state-backed Russian media organ TV Novosti and two other entities, the Russian firm Kart LLC and an Armenian company called Stark Industries LLC.

Themes of the shows will include "the United States and NATO continuing to spread war around the world," "the economic warfare waged by the United States and its allies," and "transgender issues in the United States," according to foreign agent filings.

Swann previously anchored a nightly news broadcast for CBS' Atlanta affiliate, where he aired a segment promoting the false "Pizzagate" conspiracy theory.

He has also promoted conspiracy theories surrounding the 9/11 attacks and the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

Swann did not respond to inquiries about his new Russian-backed shows.

Details: Swann's production company will receive more than $5 million to produce the four shows, each of which will consist of 50 episodes, according to a contract filed with the Department of Justice.

Swann told DOJ: "I believe that TV Novosti is an autonomous organization but it does receive funding from the Russian government through the Russian Federation."

It does indeed receive extensive government funding, with 2022 state subsidies totaling more than 28 billion rubles, or nearly half a billion dollars, according to a story from Russian TV network RTVI flagged by the Atlantic Council's Andrew D'Anieri.

The filings also reveal that Swann acted as a cutout for payments to ex-employees of Russian propaganda network RT America, which also received funding from TV Novosti and shut down after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Swann reported receiving more than $600,000 this year to "pay employees of [RT America production company] T&R productions who were laid off when the company suddenly closed."

The big picture: The topics set to be covered in Swann's new shows mirror Russian state talking points on the pernicious roles of the U.S. and NATO in global affairs.

The deal with Swann's company comes as Russia ramps up its global propaganda operations.

Ghebi LLC, the company that produces the radio program Sputnik in the U.S., recently boosted its contract with Russian state media entity Rossiya Segodnya, Politico reported last week.

Pizzagate promoter tapped for Kremlin-backed propaganda campaign

Four new TV programs are aimed in large part at undercutting America's image in the developing world.

Photo illustration of President Vladimir Putin with a television set and the Russian flag

Photo illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Photo: Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images

Propaganda

Russia

Russia&#x27;s state-backed media apparatus is financing four new TV programs produced by a U.S. conspiracy theorist and aimed in large part at undercutting America&#x27;s image and interests in the developing world, records show.Why it matters: The campaign shows how the Kremlin waging an information battle in key regions after its invasion of Ukraine prompted a massive global backlash.

China is becoming the most formidable rival America has faced, and the risk of confrontation with Russia, North Korea or Iran still looms. Authoritarians are rising, the chaotic Afghanistan exit revealed the limits of U.S. power, and the pandemic, climate change and other critical challenges continue to pose grave threats.

World

Former President Trump's political operation is fundraising off of his plan to radically remake the federal workforce.

Why it matters: Fundraising appeals invoking the plan on Thursday indicate the Trump team sees it as a potent messaging device for its grassroots supporters.

Other potential 2024 Republican presidential hopefuls are already signaling they're on board with the plan or similar efforts.

Driving the news: Trump's fundraising emails on Thursday pegged his nascent plans to gut employment protections for tens of thousands of federal employees to his longtime "Drain the Swamp" slogan.

"I need YOU to bolster our Official Drain the Swamp Fund," the emails pleaded, asking for $45 contributions to Trump's Save America fundraising committee.

The big picture: Trump's plan would revive a category of federal employment dubbed Schedule F. 

Reserved for officials in policymaking and national security roles, it would allow a future Trump White House to fire federal workers en masse and replace them with people perceived as more loyal to Trump and his policy agenda.

"As your President, I implemented Schedule F so that Presidents could have the ability to FIRE federal employees who were BYPASSING democracy for their own benefit," Trump's political team wrote in the fundraising email on Thursday.

What they're saying: “President Trump campaigned on draining the swamp of the corrupt special interests and do nothing bureaucrats," spokesperson Taylor Budowich told Axios in a text message.

"Joe Biden and the Democrats have worked to restore big government and it’s one of the reasons voters are so ready to throw them out of office in November.”

Between the lines: Conservatives have long harbored suspicions about politically hostile federal employees.

Trump's administration supercharged those suspicions with allegations of a sprawling "deep state" impeding his agenda.

Supporters have cheered his Schedule F proposal as a way to quickly and comprehensively purge the federal workforce of ostensibly disloyal civil servants.

Trump fundraises off of civil service purge

Trump's committee pegged his plan to radically remake the civil service to his longtime "Drain the Swamp" slogan.

Schedule F

Donald Trump

Former <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="President Trump&#x27;s" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/politics-policy/donald-trump" data-vars-content-id="784794d4-bc9a-4c21-8e93-5764d597afa5" data-vars-headline="Trump fundraises off of civil service purge" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/politics-policy/donald-trump" target="_self">President Trump&#x27;s</a> political operation is fundraising off of his plan to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="radically remake the federal workforce" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2022/07/23/donald-trump-news-schedule-f-executive-order" data-vars-content-id="784794d4-bc9a-4c21-8e93-5764d597afa5" data-vars-headline="Trump fundraises off of civil service purge" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2022/07/23/donald-trump-news-schedule-f-executive-order" target="_self">radically remake the federal workforce</a>.Why it matters: Fundraising appeals invoking the plan on Thursday indicate the Trump team sees it as a potent messaging device for its grassroots supporters.

A well-funded Republican political apparatus has quietly sought to tip the scales in key GOP primaries this year, funding local-sounding super PACs to try — with limited success so far — to knock off hard-right Republican candidates, records show.

Why it matters: Newly released campaign finance records show how Republican operatives aligned with GOP leadership in Washington are trying to surreptitiously kneecap more extreme elements that could cost the party some key House and Senate seats.

So far, the effort prevailed in just one of six races, underscoring the challenges in pulling a party still in thrall to Donald Trump's political brand away from the fringe.

Details: The operation's nerve center is a super PAC called the Eighteen Fifty Four Fund, formed this year by Kevin McLaughlin, the former executive director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

Eighteen Fifty Four, named for the year the Republican Party was founded, was formed to "supplement" the work of super PACs aligned with the party's House and Senate leaders, a spokesperson told Axios in April.

The intrigue: Those leadership-aligned groups have generally stayed out of intra-party primary fights. But according to new financial filings, Eighteen Fifty Four has bankrolled groups explicitly devoted to opposing more hard-right candidates in those contests.

It provided 100% of the funding through the end of June for five groups:

Old North PAC spent $1.1 million supporting North Carolina House candidate Kelly Daughtry and opposing her two primary rivals. One of those opponents, Bo Hines, prevailed in the May primary.

1818 PAC spent $615,000 opposing Illinois Rep. Mary Miller's Republican primary bid against Rep. Rodney Davis in a rare incumbent vs. incumbent contest. Miller prevailed last month.

Hoosier Values spent more than $900,000 in support of Indiana House candidate Stu Barnes-Israel and against one of his primary opponents, Michael Sodrel. Both lost to former state Sen. Erin Houchin in the May primary.

1788 PAC spent $78,000 backing Virginia House candidate Bryce Reeves and opposing primary rival Yesli Vega. Vega prevailed in the primary last month.

No More Mo spent $175,000 opposing Rep. Mo Brooks' Alabama Senate primary bid. Brooks lost to nominee Katie Britt in June.

Eighteen Fifty Four also provided a $500,000 cash infusion for Honor Pennsylvania, a super PAC backing David McCormick's Pennsylvania Senate bid.

McCormick narrowly lost to Republican rival Mehmet Oz in May's primary.

An Eighteen Fifty Four spokesperson declined to comment on its funding for those satellite groups.

Between the lines: Eighteen Fifty Four has raised about $3.6 million this cycle. It's largely funded by an affiliated nonprofit group, the Common Sense Leadership Fund.

Also founded by McLaughlin, CSLF has run millions of dollars in issue ads attacking vulnerable Senate Democrats such as Arizona's Mark Kelly and New Hampshire's Maggie Hassan.

Eighteen Fifty Four has also received funding from American Patriots PAC, a group backed by Republican megadonors such as Ken Griffin, Paul Singer and Charles Schwab.

Republicans' low-key primary offensive

The operation's nerve center is a super PAC called the Eighteen Fifty Four Fund.

Illustration of a tiny elephant about to be crushed by the foot of a giant one

Primary elections

A well-funded Republican political apparatus has quietly sought to tip the scales in key GOP primaries this year, funding local-sounding super PACs to try — with limited success so far — to knock off hard-right Republican candidates, records show.Why it matters: Newly released campaign finance records show how Republican operatives aligned with GOP leadership in Washington are trying to surreptitiously kneecap more extreme elements that could cost the party some key House and Senate seats.

National Democrats are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to boost a far-right, Trump-endorsed conspiracy theorist in one of the most closely watched House races in the country — further endangering one of the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach former President Trump.

Driving the news: A new TV ad from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee portrays Republican John Gibbs as the true pro-Trump conservative in his effort to unseat Republican Rep. Peter Meijer (R-Mich.) — aligning with Gibbs' own campaign messaging.

Trump endorsed Gibbs' challenge after Meijer voted to impeach the former president over his role in fomenting the Jan. 6 Capitol siege.

Meijer, a freshman, had been in Congress just days when he took that potentially career-ending vote.

Now Democrats, who see Gibbs as the more beatable general election opponent, are fueling the Trump-backed effort to oust one of his few remaining GOP critics in next week's primary.

A DCCC spokesperson told Axios it plans to spend $425,000 to air the ad in the Grand Rapids market beginning Tuesday.

"Handpicked by Trump to run for Congress, Gibbs called Trump 'the greatest president' and worked in Trump's administration with Ben Carson," the 30-second spot says.

"Gibbs has promised to push that same conservative agenda in Congress," the ad says, specifically noting hardline positions on immigration and education policy.

Be smart: The spot is couched as an attack ad, saying "the Gibbs-Trump agenda is too conservative for West Michigan."

Despite the framing, it hits on precisely the issues any Trump-backed Republican would want to be elevated before a primary contest.

Asked whether the ad was designed to boost Gibbs' primary bid, the DCCC spokesperson did not respond.

What they're saying: "The DCCC boosting John Gibbs is clear evidence of who Nancy Pelosi prefers in this race," Meijer spokesperson Emily Taylor told Axios in a statement. 

"Democrats don't want to face Peter Meijer in the November election because Peter is the best candidate to represent West Michigan in Congress, and he's the only candidate who will put the interests of the 3rd District ahead of partisan priorities," Taylor said.

"We are confident that voters will see through Democrats' political games while Peter remains focused on the issues that matter most to the people he represents."

The big picture: The Meijer-Gibbs contest is just the latest in which Democrats have meddled on behalf of far-right candidates in hopes of securing a more favorable matchup in November.

Trump-backed candidates in Arizona, Maryland and Pennsylvania have also benefitted.

Like Gibbs, those candidates have cast doubt on the legitimacy of the 2020 election — a position national Democrats have portrayed as existentially threatening to American democracy.

Between the lines: Michigan's new congressional map made Meijer's district significantly more competitive, and Democrats are expected to nominate a candidate, Hillary Scholten, who lost to Meijer by just six points in 2020.

That makes Gibbs, who's publicly floated a number of outlandish right-wing conspiracy theories, a potential general election liability for Republicans.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy's leadership PAC contributed $10,000 to Meijer's campaign this month.

Democrats boost right-wing challenger to GOP Trump foe

The DCCC plans to spend $425,000 to air the ad in the Grand Rapids, Michigan, market.

Advertising

National Democrats are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to boost a far-right, Trump-endorsed conspiracy theorist in one of the most closely watched House races in the country — further endangering one of the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach former President Trump.Driving the news: <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="A new TV ad" data-vars-click-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5XVRDC50Do&amp;ab_channel=DCCCVideo" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5XVRDC50Do&amp;ab_channel=DCCCVideo" target="_blank">A new TV ad</a> from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee portrays Republican John Gibbs as the true pro-Trump conservative in his effort to unseat Republican Rep. Peter Meijer (R-Mich.) — aligning with Gibbs&#x27; own campaign messaging.

Sections

Axios Local

Axios gets you smarter, faster with news & information that matters.

About

Subscribe

Lachlan Markay

Stories

Pizzagate promoter tapped for Kremlin-backed propaganda campaign

Scoop: Republicans' last-minute Cheney lifeline

Trump fundraises off of civil service purge

Democrats boost right-wing challenger to GOP Trump foe

Republicans' low-key primary offensive