Liz Cheney launches run for Senate

July 16th, 2013

05:41 PM ET

Posted by

CNN Political Unit

(CNN) - Liz Cheney, daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, will challenge three-term Republican Sen. Michael Enzi of Wyoming for his seat in next year's mid-term elections, she announced Tuesday in a web video.

"Today I am launching my candidacy for the United States Senate," she said.

Cheney, who chairs a nonprofit on national security and education called Keep America Safe, has been rumored this year to be considering a U.S. Senate bid from Wyoming.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee, however, says it stands firmly behind Enzi, the GOP incumbent.

"Our mission is to re-elect our incumbents and build a Republican majority," NRSC Communications Director Brad Dayspring told CNN.

Cheney sparked some speculation of a potential Senate bid in March when she cautioned her party against moving too far to the middle as the GOP began major rebranding efforts following last year's presidential loss.

"It is time for Republicans to get over their loss in 2012. We are all that stands between this president's policies and a damaged and diminished America," she wrote. "It is time to get back in the fight."

"And I do mean fight," she continued in the Wall Street Journal op-ed. "Republicans are being counseled to move the party to the left, but in my experience, those who advocate more liberal policies for the GOP are wrongheaded or Democrats, or both."

Wyoming is a reliably red state, with a Republican governor, Republican senators and a Republican for its at large representative. Enzi easily won re-election in 2008 with 76% of the vote.

Former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney carried the state 69% of the vote in last year's election.

– CNN's Jake Tapper, Paul Steinhauser and Ashley Killough contributed to this report.