By Leo Wolfson, State Politics Reporter
Leo@Cowboystatedaily.com
Teton County voters elected Democrat Liz Storer over Republican Paul Vogelheim for House District 23 on Tuesday.
With 100% of the votes returned, Storer beat Vogelheim by 163 votes, about 3.1% of the vote.
“I’m really looking forward to working my fellow Teton County representatives in Cheyenne,” Storer said.
Storer is pro-choice on abortion and said she wants to address the issue of rising property taxes and a lack of affordable housing in her district. Abortion was an issue she and Vogelheim differed on, as he indicated he was also pro-choice, but never fully clarified his position on the issue.
Storer said she thought the issue of reproductive rights made a critical difference in the race.
Storer runs the George B. Storer Foundation, which invests in nonprofits and programs throughout the state. She said she tried avoiding spending her own money on the campaign, which she was mostly successful with.
The race between Vogelheim and Storer set records for legislative campaign funding. Vogelheim broke the all-time record for spending and raising in any Wyoming legislative effort, hauling in $111,129 over his 2022 campaign. Storer set the record for most money raised by a Democratic in a state House race, bringing in $69,620.
Vogelheim also spent the most in the state at $73,216. Right behind him was Storer at $68,074. Both represent the two most expensive state House campaigns in Wyoming history.
“I just tried to speak to what I thought voters cared about,” Storer said.
Storer and Vogelheim engaged in a back-and-forth spat in recent weeks regarding a $10,000 campaign donation Vogelheim received from his mother-in-law. Vogelheim returned the money, and the Secretary of State’s office said it would not bring any action against Vogelheim for the error.
With Sen. Mike Gierau and Rep. Mike Yin, both Democrats, holding onto their seats, Jackson retained its Democrat presence in the state Legislature. Andrew Byron, a Republican, beat Independent Bob Strobel in House District 22, gaining another seat for the GOP.
