Harriet Hageman

Harriet Hageman
Born	Harriet Maxine Hageman 18 10, 1962
Birthplace	Douglas, Wyoming, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Template:Hlist
Known for	Defeating Liz Cheney in the 2022 Republican primary for Wyoming's at-large congressional district
Education	University of Wyoming (BA, JD)
Spouse(s)	John Sundahl
Website	[[hageman.house.gov hageman.house.gov] Official site]

Harriet Maxine Hageman (born October 18, 1962) is an American politician and attorney serving as the U.S. representative for Wyoming's at-large congressional district since January 3, 2023. A member of the Republican Party, Hageman gained national attention in 2022 when, with the endorsement of former President Donald Trump, she defeated incumbent representative Liz Cheney — a vocal Trump critic and vice chair of the House January 6 Committee — by a wide margin in the Republican primary election. Born and raised in Wyoming on a family ranch, Hageman spent decades as a trial attorney specializing in natural resources, water rights, and public lands issues before entering elected politics. She unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for Governor of Wyoming in 2018, finishing third in a six-candidate field, and subsequently served as a member of the Republican National Committee. In December 2025, Hageman announced her candidacy for the United States Senate in 2026 to succeed retiring incumbent Cynthia Lummis.

Early Life

Harriet Maxine Hageman was born on October 18, 1962, in Douglas, Wyoming, into a ranching family with deep roots in the state's agricultural heritage. Her father, James Hageman, was a rancher who raised his family on a working ranch in Converse County. Growing up in rural Wyoming, Hageman was exposed from an early age to the economic and regulatory issues facing ranchers and landowners in the American West, including disputes over water rights, federal land management, and environmental regulations — subjects that would later define much of her professional career.

The Hageman family's ranching tradition shaped her worldview and political identity. The family maintained a commitment to preserving the ranching way of life in Wyoming, and Hageman has frequently cited her upbringing as formative in her understanding of the challenges facing Western communities, particularly with regard to the role of the federal government in managing public lands. As a native of a state where agriculture and natural resource extraction are central to the economy, Hageman developed an understanding of the tensions between federal regulatory authority and the interests of local landowners and resource users.

Education

Hageman attended the University of Wyoming, where she earned both her undergraduate and law degrees. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree and subsequently obtained her Juris Doctor from the University of Wyoming College of Law. Her legal education in Wyoming provided a foundation for what would become an extensive career in natural resources and water law, areas of particular importance to the state's economy and governance.

Career

Legal Career

Following her graduation from law school, Hageman embarked on a career as a trial attorney, building a practice centered on natural resources law, water rights, and public lands issues. Over the course of several decades, she established herself in Wyoming's legal community as an attorney who frequently represented clients in disputes involving federal regulatory agencies and environmental regulations.

Hageman became known in the Western United States for her legal work opposing certain federal land management and environmental policies. She represented clients in cases involving the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the Bureau of Land Management, and other federal agencies, often arguing that federal regulations overstepped constitutional boundaries and infringed upon state sovereignty and private property rights.

Her legal career included work on issues related to the Endangered Species Act, water allocation disputes, and the management of federal lands in Western states. She was a vocal critic of what she characterized as federal overreach in the regulation of natural resources and land use in Wyoming and neighboring states. This work positioned her as an advocate for property rights and state authority over natural resources, themes that would later feature prominently in her political campaigns.

Hageman's legal practice earned her recognition in legal and agricultural circles. Her expertise in water law — a complex and contested area in the arid West — was a defining feature of her professional identity. She represented a range of clients, including ranchers, energy companies, and state entities, in litigation against federal agencies.

2018 Gubernatorial Campaign

In 2018, Hageman entered the Republican primary race for Governor of Wyoming, competing in a field of six candidates. The campaign was described as a less politically charged contest compared to her later congressional run. Hageman ultimately placed third in the primary, failing to advance to the general election. Despite the loss, the campaign raised her profile in Wyoming politics and demonstrated her interest in pursuing elected office.

Republican National Committee

Following her 2018 gubernatorial bid, Hageman became involved in Republican Party organizational politics at the national level. She served as a member of the Republican National Committee (RNC), representing Wyoming in the party's national governing body. Her tenure on the RNC provided her with connections within the national Republican Party apparatus that would prove significant in her subsequent congressional campaign.

2022 Congressional Campaign

Hageman's campaign for Wyoming's at-large congressional seat became one of the most closely watched races of the 2022 midterm election cycle. The contest was widely framed as a proxy battle within the Republican Party between supporters of former President Donald Trump and those who, like incumbent Liz Cheney, had publicly broken with Trump over his claims regarding the 2020 presidential election and the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

In September 2021, Hageman entered the race with the endorsement of Trump, who had been seeking a strong challenger to unseat Cheney. Trump's endorsement was the product of a search by Trump and his political allies for a viable Republican challenger to Cheney, who had been one of ten House Republicans to vote for Trump's second impeachment in January 2021 and who subsequently served as vice chair of the House Select Committee investigating the January 6 attack.

Hageman's entry into the race drew scrutiny of her own past statements regarding Trump. In 2016, she had endorsed Cheney's congressional candidacy and had been critical of Trump, reportedly opposing his presidential campaign. Hageman later said that she had been "fooled" into opposing Trump in 2016, explaining that she had since come to support his policies and political agenda.

The campaign attracted significant national media coverage and fundraising attention. House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy expressed support for efforts to defeat Cheney. Hageman raised over $1 million shortly after launching her congressional bid.

On August 16, 2022, Hageman won the Republican primary election by a decisive margin, garnering more than twice as many votes as Cheney while spending less than a quarter of Cheney's campaign expenditures. The result was described as one of the most significant primary victories for Trump-aligned candidates during the 2022 election cycle. In the heavily Republican state of Wyoming, the primary victory effectively assured Hageman's election to Congress. She went on to win the general election and was sworn into office on January 3, 2023.

U.S. House of Representatives

Hageman assumed office as the U.S. representative for Wyoming's at-large congressional district on January 3, 2023, succeeding Liz Cheney. She won re-election in 2024.

In Congress, Hageman has pursued a legislative agenda that reflects her background in natural resources law and her conservative political orientation. She has introduced and supported legislation related to transportation, education, and regulatory policy.

In December 2025, Hageman introduced the Responsible Opportunity for Under-21 Trucking Engagement (ROUTE) Act, legislation aimed at expanding opportunities for young commercial drivers and addressing supply chain workforce shortages. Later that month, she introduced the Parental Rights Relief Act, a bill intended to strengthen parental oversight of educational materials and increase transparency in public schools.

In February 2026, Hageman introduced the Safety and Accountability in Freight Enforcement (SAFE) Act, legislation targeting so-called "chameleon carriers" — trucking companies that allegedly evade safety regulations by reincorporating under new names after enforcement actions. Describing the legislation, Hageman stated that these companies "game the system, ignore the law and put American families at risk, all while punishing hardworking truckers who follow the rules."

Also in early 2026, Hageman introduced legislation alongside Congressman Greg Steube to amend the Internal Revenue Code to revoke tax-exempt status for organizations that provide or fund abortions.

Hageman voted in favor of H.R. 7148, the Consolidated Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2026.

In February 2026, Hageman held a town hall in Casper, Wyoming, which became contentious when attendees pressed her with questions about shootings involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, specifically the deaths of Alex Pretti and Renée Good. Hageman stated she would need to see a completed investigation before commenting further and cut the event short after exchanges became heated.

2026 U.S. Senate Campaign

On December 23, 2025, Hageman announced her candidacy for the United States Senate seat representing Wyoming in the 2026 election, seeking to succeed retiring incumbent Senator Cynthia Lummis.

Personal Life

Hageman is married to John Sundahl. She has maintained her residence in Wyoming throughout her career and has cited her family's multigenerational connection to the state as a defining element of her identity. Her father, James Hageman, was a rancher whose legacy in Wyoming agriculture has been noted in regional coverage of the Hageman family.

Hageman's personal history includes a notable evolution in her political positions regarding Donald Trump. Prior to the 2022 campaign, it was reported that she had endorsed Liz Cheney's 2016 congressional candidacy and had expressed opposition to Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. She subsequently stated that she had been "fooled" into opposing Trump and became one of his most prominent supporters in Wyoming politics.

Recognition

Hageman's 2022 primary victory over Liz Cheney was one of the most prominent results of the 2022 midterm primary season. The race drew extensive national media coverage from outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, NPR, Politico, and Business Insider, among others. The result was characterized by Business Insider as delivering Trump "his biggest primary victory" of the cycle, given the high-profile nature of the contest and Cheney's national prominence as a Trump critic.

Her candidacy was featured in coverage examining the broader dynamics within the Republican Party during the post-2020 election period, with her race against Cheney serving as a focal point for analysis of the party's direction under Trump's continued influence.

Prior to her political career, Hageman was listed in the directory of the American Women in Political Communication project at Iowa State University's Catt Center, which documents the careers of women in American political life.