Bouchard Not Invited to Trump Endorsement Meeting For WY House Seat

Former President Donald Trump is meeting next week with several of the Republican candidates from Wyoming who are all running against Rep. Liz Cheney. The big question has been, who has been invited?

It might be surprising to more than just a few people that the first one to enter the race, and the one who has (so far) raised the most money, was not invited.

Republican Wyoming State Sen. Anthony Bouchard told Fox News Tuesday that he is not among the candidates who will be meeting Trump in Bedminster, N.J., next week. (FOX NEWS).

"I wholeheartedly agree with President Trump's statement that we are stronger against Liz Cheney with one candidate," Bouchard said, saying he believes the fact he was left off of the list was "expected." (Fox News)

But if he was not invited then it seems he has little chance of getting that coveted endorsement from the former president.

"I'm the only candidate with any measurable grassroots support in Wyoming. More than 1,000 Wyoming Republicans have donated to my campaign. That's more than ten times the totals from all other Cheney Challengers combined," Bouchard added. "The weeding out process needs to begin now -- starting with the weakest candidates -- to give Wyoming conservatives our best shot of defeating Liz Cheney in 2022." (FOX NEWS).

In most races, endorsements don't really matter. People just don't care. But in this case, it is a big deal. So if Trump endorses somebody else, will Bouchard drop out?

Bouchard is not the quitting type. "will be to get them to reconsider their candidacies because they simply don't have the grassroots support needed to take on the Cheney machine," said Bouchard to Fox News.

Trump spokeswoman Liz Harrington did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News asking the reasoning behind the fact Bouchard was not invited to the meetings at his New Jersey golf club, which he announced Tuesday. (FOX NEWS).

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"Paying close attention to the Wyoming House Primary against loser RINO Liz Cheney. Some highly respected pollsters tell me she's toast in Wyoming after siding with Crazy Nancy Pelosi and supporting the Democrat Impeachment Hoax," Trump said.

In his own television commercials, Bouchard does what every other candidate has done- shooting over an image of Trump to try to align himself with the former president.

"This is a ‘hot’ race with some very interesting candidates running against her," Trump added. "Remember though, in the end we just want ONE CANDIDATE running against Cheney. I'll be meeting with some of her opponents in Bedminster next week and will be making my decision on who to endorse in the next few months. JUST ONE CANDIDATE."

Bouchard said the same thing when he first entered the race. Too many candidates would split the vote and Liz could win the primary. He was annoyed when 7 other candidates entered the race.

Bouchard has pulled in the most money to fight Cheney with a $500,000 total raised. Republican state Rep. Chuck Gray has also filled up his campaign coffers with nearly $400,000 total, though largely self-funded – he has borrowed nearly $300,000 so far. Other candidates near the bottom of the 8 have not raised enough to even mention.