The numbers are out for Wyoming’s 2024 state legislative primary campaigns, and primary candidates have raised and spent big money this election season.
There was no bigger spender than Gov. Mark Gordon, who gave $150,000 to his political action committee an another $33,000 directly to candidates.
Candidates and political action committees had until the end of day Tuesday to submit their campaign finance reports. The reports only cover money spent and received through that time and do not include any financial activity from now until primary election day Tuesday.
Even though the primary season is not complete, legislative candidates are still reporting larger financial totals on average than what was reported for the 2022 primary election season.
The Big Winners
Through Tuesday, Senate District 6 Republican candidate Darin Smith of Cheyenne raised the most money in the state at $85,735. That includes $55,000 Smith loaned himself.
State Rep. Barry Crago, R-Buffalo, raised $81,280 and spent $61,314 on his Senate campaign. Crago only gave $12,513 to his own campaign, so he could be looked at as the top money raiser for the primary election season.
These totals exceed what former legislator Drew Perkins raised for his 2022 primary campaign, which was the most for that election at $58,850.
House Speaker Albert Sommers, R-Pinedale, was the third-place finisher this year, raising $47,708 for his Senate campaign, of which Sommers gave $7,000 to himself.
Smith also spent a lot at $51,230, followed by Sommers at $42,704.
Fort Washakie resident Ivan Posey was the biggest Democratic money raiser, bringing in $18,854 for his general election campaign against Rep. Sarah Penn, R-Fort Washakie, who raised $24,559.
Of the candidates who made the Tuesday deadline for filing their finance reports, an average of $10,856 was raised and $7,941 spent in the 78 legislative campaigns.
Governor Busy
Gov. Mark Gordon’s political action committee, the Prosperity and Commerce PAC (PAC PAC), was the biggest Wyoming fundraiser of all PACs, bringing in $290,350, of which $150,000 was from the governor himself. The group also received a total of $4,500 from two out-of-state PACs.
The PAC spent $212,574 and gave $1,000 to $2,000 donations to many candidates aligned with the group of Republican legislators known as the Wyoming Caucus. In total, the PAC PAC gave $105,000 to state candidates for the Legislature.
Gordon also personally gave $33,481 to candidates around the state.
After Gordon, Casper resident Scott Wells was the second largest individual donor in the state, giving $96,500 to three PACs and House candidate Julie Jarvis, who raised $42,447 for her campaign.
Out-Of-State Groups
Libertarian group Make Liberty Win was the busiest out-of-state group in Wyoming’s 2024 elections, spending $371,260 on more than 40 races.
Make Liberty Win drew significant criticism for its mailers, some of which were riddled with errors and inaccuracies. The organization that oversees Make Liberty Win eventually took its Wyoming endorsed candidates off its website after information surfaced that its University of Wyoming chapter supports the legalization of marijuana.
According to the group’s Federal Election Commission filings, not a penny of the $8.7 million the group has raised over the past two years has come from a Wyoming source.
Also very busy was fellow Libertarian group Americans For Prosperity, which spent $334,603 in Wyoming election campaign efforts in 2024. This group also drew criticism from some for its mailers and the candidates it endorsed.
Other notable activity from out-of-state groups included the American Federation for Children, which spent $81,854 on Wyoming races. Convention of States Action spent $70,112, Gun Owners of America gave $21,000 and Students For Life Action supported candidates with $20,124.
Wyoming Caucus vs. Freedom Caucus
The Wyoming Caucus PAC raised $103,906 in 2024, falling short of the $131,495 it raised in 2023. However, the PAC carried over $126,041 from its 2023 haul and used that money to spend $199,464 during this year’s election season.
The farther right group of Republican legislators known as the Wyoming Freedom Caucus spent a smaller sum of $179,875.
The largest Wyoming Caucus donation came from Gordon, who gave $30,000 to the PAC on June 20.
Jackson residents Dan and Carleen Brophy were fairly busy as well, giving a combined $73,500 to farther right Republican candidates.
Casper resident Joann True, who has been active with helping the PAC, gave $25,000.
Sitting legislators giving to the PAC were Reps. Jerry Obermueller, R-Casper ($500), Lane Allred, R-Afton ($200), and Bill Henderson, R-Cheyenne, ($500). State Senate candidate Rob Hendry also gave $2,500 to the PAC and former legislator Jamie Flitner gave $520.51.
The Freedom PAC outraised the Wyoming Caucus in 2024, generating $168,392. However, this total includes a $25,000 donation from the Crook County Republican Party that it has since returned.
In addition, the Team Wyoming PAC, a branch of the Wyoming Caucus PAC, raised $30,400 and spent $21,900.
There was a clear divide between the two PACs when it came to the type and number of donations they received. The Freedom Caucus received significantly more donations, with most being $100 or less. Almost all of the Wyoming Caucus donations were $100 or more.
The Wyoming Caucus PAC did not receive any donations from other PACs or businesses.
Both groups received most of their donations from Wyoming residents.
Overall, 95% of the Wyoming Caucus’ donors live in Wyoming, compared to the 98.5% Wyoming Freedom Caucus donors that live in-state.
The Freedom PAC didn’t give directly to any candidate campaigns while the Wyoming Caucus gave to 22 campaigns.
The Caucus gave $5,000 each to Reps. Bill Henderson, R-Cheyenne; Dan Zwonitzer, R-Cheyenne; Dave Zwonitzer, R-Cheyenne; J.T. Larson, R-Rock Springs; Tony Niemec, R-Green River; David Northrup, R-Powell; Ryan Berger, R-Evanston; Bob Nicholas, R-Cheyenne; Ember Oakley, R-Riverton; Lloyd Larsen, R-Lander; Cody Wylie, R-Rock Springs; John Eklund, R-Cheyenne; Landon Brown, R-Cheyenne; Jon Conrad, R-Mountain View; and candidates Marilyn Connoly, Seth Ulvestad, Elissa Campbell, Cat Urbigkit and Gail Symons.
The PAC also spent $50,000 with Cowboy State Daily on advertising.
Local PACs
The Wyoming Realtors PAC, which has traditionally been one of the largest players in Wyoming elections, gave $147,750 to legislative and county commission candidates.
The Wyoming Way PAC, based in Lingle, spent $87,805 in 2024.
The Wyoming Hope PAC, another recent group on the political scene, gave $76,640.
The Colorado-based Western Way PAC was also reasonably busy, spending $47,800 in Wyoming elections.
Former state legislator Allen Jaggi’s Constitutional Issues PAC gave $21,527 to a variety of candidates that are members of or aligned with the Wyoming Freedom Caucus, assisted by a $24,000 donation from State Treasurer Curt Meier.
ActBlue Wyoming, a group dedicated to supporting Democratic candidates, raised $25,675 and spent nearly the same amount.
Dan Zwonitzer received the most PAC money at $26,400.
Candidates will have until Oct. 29 to submit their financial numbers for the remainder of their primary races and the general election campaign.
Leo Wolfson can be reached at leo@cowboystatedaily.com.
