The Wyoming Democratic Party’s chair of eight years is leaving his position to take a role with a nationwide group that supports state Democratic parties.
Wyoming Democratic Party Chair Joe Barbuto in a Wednesday email to party members called his eight-year chairmanship “the highlight of my political life” and an “immense honor.”
Barbuto is stepping down from his seat May 22, to “begin a new role” with the Association of State Democratic Committees.
There he’ll work to strengthen state parties across the country, he wrote.
Party Vice-Chair Erin O’Doherty will serve as acting chair until the State Central Committee elections are held June 1 in Rock Springs, the letter says.
Barbuto’s letter says he’s struck by how much the party has accomplished together but also how much it has endured in Wyoming, which has the most Trump-friendly voting population in the nation.
“We’ve navigated some truly unexpected circumstances,” wrote Barbuto. He listed:
· The COVID-19 pandemic, which redefined how the party organizes,
· Right-wing operatives trying to infiltrate Democratic functions, and
· “The strange reality of a Republican congresswoman from Wyoming becoming one of the most prominent voices standing up to (President) Donald Trump.”
Barbuto said Democrats have stood together through these surprises, organizing, protesting, running for office, knocking on doors and touting “our shared belief that Wyoming deserves better.” Advancing these efforts takes financial support, wrote Barbuto, adding “that’s the hard truth” and a request for donations to the cause.
“If you can give a little, give what you can,” he wrote. “If you can give a lot, give what you should.”
Barbuto did not immediately return a Cowboy State Daily voicemail request for additional comment and more details about his new position.
The Staff, The Money, The Delusion Of Solitude
O’Doherty told Cowboy State Daily she knows of potential candidates for the chairmanship but declined to name them Wednesday, saying she wanted their consent first.
She tipped her hat to Barbuto.
“Joe’s worked hard to try to build the party and help our grassroots volunteers and to have a strategic plan – and be a voice nationally,” she said.
Democrats in other states know that Wyoming Democrats are “scrappy, and that we’re sincere,” she said.
A candidate is exponentially more likely to win a public office in Wyoming if the candidate has an “R” next to his or her name. Other than in the state’s rare blue legislative districts – generally throughout Teton County, some parts of Albany County and, off-and-on, the Wind River Indian Reservation – Republicans are likelier to win state legislature seats.
Six Democrats hold seats in the state House of Representatives compared to 56 Republicans. Two Democrats occupy the state Senate compared to 29 Republicans.
That mismatch and the fear that faux Republicans will wield the beneficent "R" has led Republicans to subject one another to orthodoxy tests and factions, with some calling others "Republicans in Name Only."
“People (here) don’t become Democrats to, you know, to climb some political ladder,” said O’Doherty. “In this state, people who are Democrats are Democrats because they’re sincere about wanting to help people, and having Democratic policies that keep people from falling through the cracks when they have hardship.”
O’Doherty said she has been vice-chair throughout Barbuto’s eight years as chair.
The state party’s biggest accomplishments during that time, said O’Doherty, have been to install three full-time staffers who remain throughout the years, not just during election years; working with the Democratic National Committee to get more money to the embattled state party, and reminding Democrats in rural places and red counties that they’re not alone, and they should galvanize.
The party now runs on about $20,000 per month, which includes the priority of paying staffers “a living wage” and organizing other efforts, she said.
But, O’Doherty added, a budget of $40,000 or $50,000 per month would help the party disburse field staff throughout the state, who could then prop up more volunteers, events and campaigns.
Bryan Miller, newly-elected Chair of the Wyoming Republican Party, congratulated Barbuto on the move, adding "and (I) hope that his replacement will carry on the best traditions of the Democratic Party."
Text of Barbuto's farewell email is below:
To My Fellow Wyoming Democrats,
Over the past eight years, I’ve had the immense honor of serving as Chair of the Wyoming Democratic Party. Looking back, I’m struck not only by how much we’ve accomplished together—but by how much we’ve endured. We’ve navigated some truly unexpected circumstances: a global pandemic that redefined how we organize, right-wing operatives attempting to infiltrate our ranks, and the strange reality of a Republican congresswoman from Wyoming becoming one of the most prominent voices standing up to Donald Trump. Through it all, we stood together—united by our values, our resilience, and our shared belief that Wyoming deserves better.
Being a Democrat in this state isn’t easy. In fact, it’s probably the hardest place in the country to be one. But we’ve never let that stop us. We’ve organized, protested, run for office, knocked on doors, and held the line. We’ve raised our voices when it mattered most. And we’ve never given up. There’s always more we wish we’d accomplished—there always will be—but I’ve never doubted our commitment or our courage.
Serving as Chair has been the highlight of my political life. But now it’s time for a new chapter. On May 22, 2025, I will officially step down as Chair of the Wyoming Democratic Party. That day, I’ll begin a new role with the Association of State Democratic Committees, where I’ll continue working to strengthen state parties across the country. I take this step with gratitude for the experiences we’ve shared and excitement for the road ahead.
WDP Vice Chair Erin O’Doherty will perform the duties and exercise the powers of the Chair until state party elections are held on June 1, 2025, in Rock Springs.
I don’t know who the next elected Chair will be—but I do know this: whoever takes on the role will need your support. Not just your encouragement, but your financial support. That’s the hard truth. Vision alone won’t build a movement. It takes resources. If you can give a little, give what you can. If you can give a lot, give what you should. Because this isn’t just about electing Democrats—it’s about building a Wyoming that is stronger, more just, and ready for the future.
Thank you for letting me be part of this journey with all of you. I’ll never stop believing in what we can achieve together.
Onward and upward,
Joe M. Barbuto
Wyoming Democratic Party
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
