First Thing: Liz Cheney loses Wyoming Republican primary to Trump-endorsed rival

The vice-chair of the House January 6 panel faced retribution from state voters for going against the former president. Plus, how to fight memory loss in old age

Good morning.

Liz Cheney has paid the price for her staunch opposition to Donald Trump's assault on American democracy by losing her seat in Congress to a challenger backed by the former president.

What did Trump say? He wrote on his social media platform: Liz Cheney should be ashamed of herself, the way she acted, and her spiteful, sanctimonious words and actions towards others. Now she can finally disappear into the depths of political oblivion where, I am sure, she will be much happier than she is right now. Thank you WYOMING!"

What else did Cheney say? She issued a rallying cry for the defense of democracy and, in remarks that lasted about 15 minutes, made clear that she did not accept that her political career was over.

In praise of Liz Cheney: may we have more politicians like her

Did Palin pave the way for Trump? In many ways, Palin's attacks on the media, her racist rabble-rousing and her eschewing of policy or traditional politics in favor of demagoguery did pave the way for Trump to get elected as president. She was also an early endorser of his candidacy.