30 Seconds With Dick Cheney On His Daughter’s Senate Run

TIME reached out by phone to the former Veep Wednesday in Wyoming for his take on his daughter's candidacy. He was brief.

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Charles Dharapak / AP

Liz Cheney, the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, announced her candidacy for the Senate Tuesday, setting the stage for a primary fight against 16-year incumbent Republican Sen. Mike Enzi.

TIME reached out by phone to the former Veep Wednesday in Wyoming for his take on his daughter’s candidacy. He was brief.

TIME: Mr. Vice President, this is Zeke Miller with TIME Magazine.

Cheney: Yes.

TIME: Can I ask you about your daughter’s campaign?

Cheney: It’s her campaign, so you’ve got to ask her. [I know] you guys have got to ask. [Pause.] Obviously, I’m a strong supporter of hers.

TIME: Thank you for your time.

Cheney: You bet.

The younger Cheney announced her bid in a video posted Tuesday afternoon, but neither she nor her father called the long-time incumbent Enzi. Liz Cheney, 46, is expected to draw support from the Bush network of donors, though faces an electorate skeptical of her ties to the state and the lack of a clear reason to remove the 69-year old Enzi other than age. Born in Wyoming, the younger Cheney lived in Virginia until recently. Last year, she bought a home in Jackson Hole, a tony Wyoming resort community.

Enzi will have the official backing of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, with its traditional commitment to support incumbents.