What's next for Liz Cheney?

AUSTIN, Texas - All eyes were on the Wyoming primary Tuesday as legacy politician Liz Cheney lost to Donald Trump-backed candidate Harriet Hageman. 

Katie Naranjo, the chair of the Travis County Democratic Party, and Ashley Brasher, the board president of the Williamson County Republican Leaders joined FOX 7 Austin's Mike Warren to discuss the topic.

MIKE WARREN: Ashley, beginning with you, Liz Cheney lost yesterday in what's being described as a landslide. She claims to be on the side of truth while many in the party still favor President Trump. Are GOP voters putting loyalty to Donald Trump above everything else?

ASHLEY BRASHER: No. I think we've all seen that Liz Cheney is 100% obsessed with President Trump and she's really focused on keeping her relevancy and keeping herself in the news by talking about him instead of focusing on the people of Wyoming. And Harriet is clearly, fiercely advocating for ranchers, for energy, for the people of Wyoming. And that's what they want.

MIKE WARREN: Katie, Cheney says that she is going to do everything in her power to make sure Donald Trump is not elected again. Now that she has lost, does her voice fade a little bit, fall on deaf ears?

KATIE NARANJO: I think that the Republican Party has absolutely lost its way. They used to stand for things, different policies, saying for conservative values. None of which Donald Trump has ever actually stood for himself. And now that's become the party of Trump. You know, Liz Cheney is not a moderate. She is the voice for moderates right now because the Republican Party has become the party of only Trump. And I think that what you'll find is a growing group of people, moderates, looking for a voice like Liz Cheney that have no home in the Republican Party.

MIKE WARREN: Ashley, is this the end of an era in GOP politics saying goodbye to the ghosts of Bush and Cheney?

ASHLEY BRASHER: Absolutely. And thank God for it. The Clintons, the Bushes. The McCains. The Cheneys. The Obamas. Bye Felicia. Head on out.

MIKE WARREN: All righty. Katie excuse me. Cheney said in an interview today that she's considering a presidential run in 2024. There's also growing speculation that she would run as an independent. Could she command enough of the middle to be considered a viable candidate if she broke away from the Republican Party?

KATIE NARANJO: I think that Liz Cheney would actually do some damage in key states in a presidential election if she were to run as an independent. But I think she would get folks that are moderates that feel like they have no home in either party. And let's be real. If you voted for Donald Trump in 2016, it's likely that you're not a bad person. But just like the Republican Party is in a bad relationship with Donald Trump, you as a voter have a choice to get out of what is an abusive relationship where it's Donald Trump's way or the highway? And I think many Americans, especially many people watching this show tonight, are looking for another way.

MIKE WARREN: Ashley, what becomes of Liz Cheney now? What is her legacy going to be?

ASHLEY BRASHER: I think it's a warmonger. Her legacy at this point is shut down. I think really she should fade into the background and let this go. Her absolute obsession with Donald Trump makes her look insane. What Harriet said the other day was, I think we need to make the federal government largely irrelevant to our everyday lives. That's what the Republican Party is standing for. That's what Donald Trump stands for. We want freedom. We don't want to be told what to do every day, and we want to be heard. And Harriet is absolutely a people's person. She is the voice of Wyoming.

MIKE WARREN: Okay. Well, Liz Cheney is out for now. We have to wrap it up. Katie, Ashley, thank you both very much.