Mary Cheney

Mary Cheney
Born	(1969-03-14) March 14, 1969 Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Businesswoman, political advisor
Years active	1993–present
Known for	Director of Vice Presidential Operations for the George W. Bush 2004 presidential campaign; LGBTQ rights advocacy

Mary Claire Cheney (; born March 14, 1969) is the younger daughter of Dick Cheney, who served as the 46th vice president of the United States and previously as United States secretary of defense, and Lynne Cheney. She participates actively in various political action committees. In 2012, Cheney wed Heather Poe and was among the signatories of an amicus curiae brief advocating for same-sex marriage during the Hollingsworth v. Perry case before the Supreme Court in 2013.

Early life and education

Cheney was born in Madison, Wisconsin and completed her secondary education at McLean High School in 1987. She attained a Bachelor of Arts degree from Colorado College in 1991, followed by a Master of Business Administration from the University of Denver in 2002.

Career

Her professional journey began in 1993 with the Colorado Rockies baseball organization, where she worked in promotional activities. Subsequently, she took on the role of public relations manager at Coors Brewing Company, concentrating on outreach to the LGBTQ community to help address a nationwide boycott.

During her father’s political tenure, Cheney served as a trusted advisor and was appointed Director of Vice Presidential Operations for the George W. Bush 2004 presidential campaign in July 2003.

Additionally, she held the role of vice president for standards and practices at AOL, departing from the company in 2007.

Personal life

Mary Cheney has been in a long-term relationship with Heather Poe since 1992.

She has been an advocate for same-sex marriage, playing a significant role in influencing her father’s eventual public support following his vice presidency.

In late 2006, reports surfaced that Cheney was expecting a child, with the family expressing joy over welcoming their sixth grandchild. At a 2007 event, she described her pregnancy as "a blessing," emphasizing it was not intended as a political statement. Her first son, Samuel, was born in May 2007.

Addressing critics such as James Dobson, Cheney cited credible research indicating no difference between children raised by same-sex couples compared to those raised by opposite-sex couples, underscoring that a nurturing and stable home environment is what truly matters.

Her second child, Sarah, arrived in November 2009. Mary and Heather were married on June 22, 2012, in Washington, D.C., and currently live in Great Falls, Virginia.

Dispute with Liz Cheney

In 2013, during Liz Cheney’s campaign for a Senate seat in Wyoming, she expressed opposition to same-sex marriage on Fox News Sunday. Mary publicly challenged Liz’s comments on Facebook, stating that families should be treated equally and criticized Liz for viewing her family as inferior. Following this, Mary withdrew her support for Liz’s candidacy and chose not to attend their family Christmas gathering that year.

Heather Poe also voiced criticism against Liz on Facebook, recalling Liz’s past involvement with their family and condemning her stance against marriage equality as "offensive."

By 2015, Mary declined to discuss whether their relationship had improved. However, in a 2021 interview on 60 Minutes, Liz admitted she had changed her position on same-sex marriage and reconciled with Mary.

2000 presidential campaign

During the 2000 Bush-Cheney campaign, Liz Cheney's family background was openly discussed, whereas Mary Cheney's private life was largely left untouched. Despite public awareness of Mary Cheney's sexual orientation, her involvement was perceived as bolstering the Republican ticket’s image of "compassionate conservatism." In an interview, Lynne Cheney denied that Mary had publicly identified as gay and criticized the media's focus on the subject.

In 2002, Mary Cheney became a member of the Republican Unity Coalition, promoting the idea that sexual orientation should not be a contentious issue within the Republican Party. She eventually stepped down from the coalition’s board and assumed the role of director of vice presidential operations for the Bush-Cheney 2004 re-election effort.

Federal Marriage Amendment

The topic of Cheney’s sexuality resurfaced in 2004 amid the Bush administration’s endorsement of the Federal Marriage Amendment, which aimed to define marriage exclusively as a union between a man and a woman while prohibiting civil unions and domestic partnership benefits. Cheney did not openly express her views at that time but disclosed her opposition in her 2006 memoir Now It's My Turn, explaining that she chose to remain silent during the campaign to support President Bush’s re-election. Dick Cheney stated that marriage policies should be decided at the state level, although he acknowledged backing for the amendment by the administration.

2004 presidential re-election campaign

Throughout the 2004 Bush-Cheney re-election campaign, Cheney’s position as director of vice presidential operations brought renewed media focus on his daughter’s sexual orientation.

The 2004 presidential debates included references to the same-sex marriage issue, initially alluding to Cheney indirectly. Both Democratic contenders John Kerry and John Edwards commended Cheney’s transparency regarding her sexual orientation when addressing LGBT topics.

In the Cheney-Edwards vice-presidential debate, moderator Gwen Ifill questioned Cheney about his administration’s support for a constitutional amendment banning same-sex unions, subtly referencing his daughter:

Cheney reiterated his stance that such matters should be left to individual states and confirmed his support for the Bush administration’s position without mentioning his family directly. Edwards replied:

Cheney briefly acknowledged Edwards’ remarks, effectively closing discussion on his daughter’s orientation. At the conclusion of the debate, Mary Cheney appeared on stage alongside her partner and family members.

During the final Bush-Kerry debate, moderator Bob Schieffer asked whether homosexuality is a choice; Kerry cited Cheney’s daughter as an example of someone born gay. Cheney responded sharply, accusing Kerry of making statements solely for political gain and expressing his frustration as a father.

2010 political work

In 2010, Mary Cheney became involved with a network of politically engaged nonprofit organizations. According to IRS records, she was affiliated with the consulting firm BKM Strategies. That year, along with Republican consultants Barry Bennett and Kara Ahern, Cheney co-founded two nonprofits under BKM Strategies: The Alliance for Freedom and the Alliance for America's Future. Additionally, Cheney and Ahern launched the now-defunct Super PAC Partnership for America's Future.

Political Activities in 2014

During 2014, BKM Strategies, the firm associated with Cheney, orchestrated a major campaign advocating for the Keystone XL pipeline. Out of roughly 125,000 comments submitted to the U.S. State Department, over 98,000 contained similar pro-pipeline language linked to BKM Strategies, as reported by the Sunlight Foundation.

Autobiography Released in 2006

Following her withdrawal from the public spotlight after the 2004 election, Mary Cheney promoted her 2006 memoir, Now It's My Turn, during an interview with Diane Sawyer on ABC News. The book explores her journey of coming out and her relationship with Heather Poe.

Cheney attracted criticism from LGBTQ advocates for postponing her public dissent against the Bush administration's gay rights stance until after the 2004 election. In a May 2006 appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman, she admitted she did not influence the administration’s policies on LGBT matters, emphasizing that it was not her responsibility.

Depiction in Vice

In the 2018 biographical movie Vice, actress Alison Pill portrayed Mary Cheney, highlighting how her sexual orientation reportedly contributed to Dick Cheney’s decision against pursuing a presidential run, aiming to protect her from potential political attacks during the Republican primaries. Neither Dick nor Mary Cheney publicly addressed the accuracy of these representations.