Washington| Liz Cheney, a fierce critic of Donald Trump, was defeated on Tuesday night (Wednesday AEST) in her bid for re-election by a rival backed by the former president, strengthening his status as kingmaker among conservative voters.

Ms Cheney, the daughter of former vice president Dick Cheney and once the third most powerful Republican in the US Congress, gained only 30 per cent of the vote in her party’s primary contest in Wyoming, compared with 65 per cent for lawyer Harriet Hageman.