CODY — The Wyoming Republican Party has new leadership, electing Sheridan resident Bryan Miller to be the new chairman at the party’s meeting here Saturday.
Miller beat out Jackson resident Rebecca Bextel by a 42-32 vote.
Before the ballots were counted, many in the room said they expected the vote to be particularly close. The fact that it wasn’t a nailbiter, Miller said, was a statement in itself.
“I am thrilled the that the body has that much faith in me to get the job done,” he told Cowboy State Daily.
Before the vote, Miller promoted his experience lobbying at the state Legislature and success growing the Sheridan County Republican Party as its chairman for about seven years.
Miller has been a familiar face in Wyoming Republican Party ranks for even longer, which is what he believes may have pushed his campaign ahead of the upstart Bextel.
“I think the experience had a lot to do with it,” he told Cowboy State Daily. “People know how I react to various things,and they’d like to see that repeated at the state level.”
Miller began his tenure holding the office at the end of Saturday’s meeting.
Bextel built her campaign around pursuing the will of the party’s grassroots and improving fundraising efforts.
Miller also touted his fundraising abilities, saying he already has a donor who’s committed $400,000. He also wants to help individual county parties raise more money for themselves.
A theme running through Saturday’s party election was unity, with many candidates calling for an end to infighting that has divided Wyoming Republicans.
Endorsements Didn’t Matter
Last fall, U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman endorsed Bextel and on Friday night, she doubled down with a second endorsement of Bextel through a letter submitted to party members and read aloud by outgoing Chairman Frank Eathorne on Saturday.
“I have known Rebecca for quite some time and know that she has the energy, charisma, sincerity, skills and conviction it takes to make a wonderful leader for our party,” Hageman wrote.
Also in the letter, Hageman may have dropped a clue that she won’t announce her future political intentions for some time, saying she’s not a fan of long, drawn-out campaigns.
Eathorne didn’t endorse a candidate in the race.
Outgoing Vice Chair David Holland also backed Bextel on Saturday, saying he was impressed with how she ran a Freedom Caucus congressional fundraiser.
Holland said he advised Bextel to run for chairman and Miller for vice chair.
“I just blessed them and asked them to run,” Holland said.
Similar Visions
Both Miller and Bextel share nearly identical conservative views, so Saturday’s election was more of a referendum on priorities and leadership visions.
Miller wants to facilitate a better relationship between the Legislature and the state party, an effort he said he’s already begun with Senate President Bo Biteman, R-Ranchester, and House Speaker Chip Neiman, R-Hulett.
By developing a better relationship with the Legislature, Miller said it will help the party avoid getting into lawsuits by passing laws more favorable to the party.
Miller wants to increase party unity by providing more opportunities for people to speak at and talk to each other. He believes the Republican Party platform is what binds the party together.
“I think the people of this party will come together over the platform,” he said.
As far as party unity, Bextel said she’s not looking to promote a unifying message but rather unity over the party’s platform.
“That’s what we have to unite about, treat each others with respect, but unite for the planks and platform in our legislative body,” she said.
Bextel, who said her personal hero is “daddy Trump,” referring to President Donald Trump, has become a major fundraiser for the Wyoming Republican Party and conservative candidates throughout the state over the last few years.
After the vote, Bextel posted to Facebook that she's was glad she lost and believes she would've been constrained as chair of the party.
"I LOVE calling out RINOs in Wyoming," she posted. "In my personal capacity, I had already been looking for candidates to primary some of the Democrats that are currently in office as Republicans. That would have all had to stop thanks to Title 22.”
She also resigned her position as revenue chair of the party.
What Did The Party Say?
Former interim Secretary of State Karl Allred supported Miller’s campaign, saying he will lead the party in a positive direction moving forward.
“He made his bones in the party and got his experience in the party,” Allred said. “His experience in this stuff is going to be very helpful.”
Cody resident Tim Lasseter encouraged central committee members to not “get caught in the weeds” and politics and support a candidate that they believe in their hearts and will lead the party forward.
Although he didn’t have a vote, Lasseter told Cowboy State Daily he supported Bextel’s candidacy, seeing her as a bold and fearless leader.
He worries that Wyoming, the reddest state in the nation, could turn blue like Colorado did to the south, and believes the state GOP needs to take an aggressive approach to stop this.
Wheatland resident Jill Kauffman implored the party to elect a leader who will keep election integrity in the forefront of their minds.
There were 74 voting central committee members Saturday, about half of which were new, including 11 new county chairmen.
Vice Chair Race
Meeteetse resident Bob Ferguson, outgoing GOP treasurer, won the position of vice chair on a 38-36 vote over Riverton resident Ginger Bennett after a first vote where the candidates ended in a 37-37 tie.
The close nature of this vote could get brought up in an ongoing lawsuit between the state GOP and four members of the Hot Springs GOP.
That lawsuit revolves around the state party refusing to elect two people in Hot Springs who say they were fairly elected in their county’s leadership elections.
Both Ferguson and Bennett represent solid conservative views.
“The role of government needs to be as small as humanly possible,” Ferguson said.
Eathorne commended Ferguson’s work as treasurer, calling him a “patriot Republican.”
Goshen County GOP Chairman Kirk Haas nominated Ferguson for vice chair.
Ferguson said he’s not as interested in talking about curing division within the party as a talking point, but said the state GOP needs to work on not stifling debate between people who disagree.
“Increase the communication, allow people to talk, proceed with our business in a civil manner,” he said.
He believes bringing in more outside speakers will allow the party to attract more volunteers and improve overall morale.
Ferguson also said even though the Legislature has a Wyoming Freedom Caucus majority in the state House, which accomplished many of its goals, he says more work needs to be done.
No More Name-Calling
Fremont County resident Mitch Benson nominated Bennett for vice chairman.
“Ginger has stood beside me before the county commissioners, the state Legislature,” Benson said. “She’s a fighter, she’s committed to these efforts and I highly recommend she be elected as the next vice chair.”
Bennett brought a tone of unity throughout her speeches Saturday, urging the party members to not get caught up with infighting and to work together to nominate leaders who represents Republican values. She said the party must put aside name calling if it wants to achieve its goals.
“This organization has to work together, some moderate, some conservative, to find the best value to determine our values,” she said.
Bennett said her plan to move Wyoming Republicans forward has already begun.
“We have to unite in order to get our platform governance accomplished and we cannot do that if we continue to fight,” she said.
Bennett wants the party to put money toward growing its grassroots and supporting candidates rather than fighting with each other.
Ferguson believes the state party can be more effective in this regard by increasing its visibility and outreach through a focused used of social media. That will engage many more people to lobby and further the party’s goals.
“Right now, the state Legislature doesn’t have to listen to us because they view us as 74 people sitting in a room,” he said. “But if we involve the grassroots, if we get people mobilized, if we have 1,000 calls by the people that we reach out to coming to the Legislature, they’re going to start listening.”
He also wants to give more money to candidates, but said the party will really have to increase its fundraising efforts if it wants to achieve this goal.
Ferguson said the party is too quick to pass resolutions it can’t act on and that the party develop an action plan for how it will mobilize them.
Donna Rice was reelected secretary without any opposition.
State Treasurer Curt Meier and Auditor Kristi Racines were at the meeting, as were state Sens. Cheri Steinmetz, R-Lingle, Dan Laursen, R-Powell, and Rep. Rachel Rodriguez-Williams, R-Cody.
Holland said it was a great pleasure working with Eathorne, and also gave a shoutout to former state legislator Marti Halverson, whom he called “one of the greatest heroes.”
He also criticized Gov. Mark Gordon for rejecting Halverson twice for interim vacancy appointments.
Leo Wolfson can be reached at leo@cowboystatedaily.com.
