Republican Jacob Wasserburger beat LGBTQ advocate and former Democratic state legislator Sara Burlingame by 293 votes for the House District 11 seat in Cheyenne in Tuesday’s general election.
Wasserburger, 32, wants to bring significant reform to property taxes and reduce overall governmental regulation. He also supports school choice.
“This is a big step forward for Wyoming and House District 11,” Wasserburger told Cowboy State Daily. “I’m proud to have earned the support of voters in my district.
He beat Seth Ulvestad in the Republican primary by about 90 votes.
Who’s Wasserburger?
This is Wasserburger’s first time running for the Legislature but he has some past political experience and connections. He is the nephew of former Gillette state legislator Jeff Wasserburger
Jacob Wasserburger was endorsed by Gun Owners of America and the National Rifle Association in his campaign.
Wasserburger wants property taxes assessed at acquisition value, one of the most aggressive approaches that could be taken on this issue.
He is anti-abortion but doesn’t support government regulation of the matter.
Burlingame is pro-abortion.
When The Dust Cleared …
Both candidates ran aggressive, high-dollar campaigns, sending negative mailers against each other.
In one, Burlingame attacked Wasserburger for a somewhat embarrassing YouTube video he made in the past, wearing no shirt and saying, “This is what I wear when I leave the vortex and destroy the matrix.”
Wasserburger told Cowboy State Daily early Wednesday morning that although he grew some gray hairs as a result of the campaign, it feels gratifying to come out on top after all the mudslinging and that voters in his district are clearly “ready to leave the vortex.”
He also hopes to bridge the divide that currently makes up the Wyoming Republican Party and is open to working with anyone in order to get legislation passed.
After losing two consecutive bids to get her House District 44 seat back in the 2020 and 2022 elections, Burlingame moved to HD 11.
Leo Wolfson can be reached at leo@cowboystatedaily.com.
