The Wyoming Democratic Party on Wednesday announced it had hired Scott Merrifield, a longtime organizer and staffer to Colorado politicians, as its new executive director.
Merrifield, a U.S. Army veteran, directed the House Majority Project in Colorado, helping Democrats win seats in the state legislature.
He served as chair of the Jefferson County Democratic Party for about four years, chief of staff to Colorado State Sens. Nancy Todd and his father, Michael Merrifield, along with various other campaigns and political activity in that state.
Merrifield said in the party’s Wednesday statement that he’s optimistic about the job.
“Our team has a lot of work ahead as we build toward 2026, and I’m excited to partner with our county parties, elected officials, candidates, and volunteers to grow our reach and strengthen our impact across Wyoming,” Merrifield said in the statement.
In emailed comments to Cowboy State Daily, he said his main goal is to build capacity statewide, and focusing on “practical wins” of improving infrastructure, data, fundraising, and messaging.
“That means supporting our county parties with the tools, training, and communication they need to organize effectively in their own communities,” he wrote. “Wyoming Democrats have incredible people doing the work, often with very limited resources, so my job is to help connect and strengthen that network.”
Challenges And Changes…
The state Democratic Party has seen numerous changes this year. State Party Chairman Joe Barbuto stepped down in May to take a job with the Association of State Democratic Committees, where he’ll work with state parties across the country.
At a state party central committee meeting in Rock Springs in June, Lucas Fralick was elected chair. He could not immediately be reached for comment via call or text on Thursday.
At that same meeting, the state party treasurer said that the party had been losing about $5,000 per month in the beginning of 2025, and could be left with about two weeks’ worth of funding by year’s end.
The executive director of the state party is tasked with running its day-to-day operations, including fundraising. Merrifield told Cowboy State Daily that fundraising needs to be a top priority.
“ We’ll be expanding our donor outreach on several fronts: small-dollar online fundraising, recurring donor programs, and major donor engagement,” he wrote. “We’re also going to do a good job of telling our story, because people invest in what they believe in.”
…But Also Opportunity
Fralick voiced optimism in the party’s statement.
“Scott brings a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of what it takes to organize, build, and win,” said Fralick. “We’re thrilled to have him on board as we continue growing the Democratic Party in Wyoming.”
Wyoming House Minority Floor Leader Rep. Mike Yin, D-Jackson, told Cowboy State Daily that he spoke with Merrifield in recent days, and was excited to have a “refresh” of the party under his day-to-day leadership.
“From the conversation I’ve had with him, he has the energy to want to do the work of figuring out what Wyoming is like and how to grow the party,” Yin said.
Yin has been a vocal proponent for bridging gaps between Democratic public officials and Wyomingites across different communities and political viewpoints. He and Rep. Karlee Provenza, D-Laramie, launched a town hall series this summer in numerous Wyoming towns.
But they framed the gatherings as “listening” sessions, and asked attendees to opine on their concerns and vision for the state’s policy landscape.
In a news release, state party officials pointed to Merrifield’s leadership of Jefferson County Democrats in Colorado and across that state.
“Scott has managed campaigns across Colorado, built partnerships with labor and advocacy groups, and led field and fundraising operations for candidates from the local level up to legislative leadership,” officials said.
Merrifield wrote in an email that while much of his prior work was in Colorado, strong organizing principles travel well anywhere.
“In Colorado, I learned the value of investing locally and building trust over time,” he wrote. “In Wyoming, that means meeting people where they are, listening first, and building a culture of cooperation between the state party and the counties. The goal isn’t to copy what worked elsewhere, but to adapt those lessons to fit Wyoming’s values and geography.”
Steve Bohnel can be reached at steve@cowboystatedaily.com.
