A Wyoming freshman lawmaker who is also a college professor and administrator is running for the Republican nomination in the state Superintendent of Public Instruction race this year, he told Cowboy State Daily on Wednesday.
Rep. Tom Kelly, R-Sheridan, is a 56-year-old college professor and administrator who chairs the American Military University’s department of political science, public administration and public policy.
He spent 10 years as a public school teacher, paraprofessional, or a mix of the two jobs, he said.
He has six children. Most of those are adults, but one is a special needs child currently in public school, said Kelly.
Kelly has a master’s degree in education and a PhD in political science.
He describes himself as a refugee from bad policies, saying he fled the left-leaning state of Illinois for Colorado, until Colorado became “just Illinois with mountains.”
He came to Wyoming in 2019 with his family, but felt that if Wyoming “went” to the political left there was nowhere left to flee.
“So I ended up in public office,” said Kelly.
Kelly pointed to his year of experience on the legislative House Education Committee and the Select Committee on School Finance Recalibration, saying both of those have refined his understanding of how Wyoming public schools run and are funded. He also said he’s become familiar with people working in that system.
Kelly said he hopes to loosen the regulatory requirements on school districts so they in turn can have more local control and need fewer administrators.
He supports school choice as a concept, and the idea of a school-choice voucher program fed by a fund apart from the account that funds traditional schools – like the Steamboat Legacy Scholarship Program the legislature enacted in 2024 and enlarged in 2025.
But that program is paused now for a court challenge, and Kelly said he’s waiting to see the end of that, and will stay within state constitutional confines.
Third Rodeo
Kelly sought the state’s top education position twice before, via different routes.
Kelly, Marti Halverson and Brian Schroeder were all nominated by the state Republican Party in 2022 to replace then-Superintendent Jillian Balow, who left office early to take the same post in Virginia.
Gov. Mark Gordon appointed Schroeder, who ran for the seat in the primary election that year.
Kelly challenged Schroeder, as did current Superintendent Megan Degenfelder.
But Kelly left that primary race early as it shaped into a contest between Schroeder and Degenfelder.
“Four years ago I believed I was the most qualified person to take over the vacancy. It wasn’t in the cards for me to win that year,” Kelly told Cowboy State Daily in a Wednesday phone interview. “I withdrew from the election, not wanting to be a spoiler.”
Now four years later, Degenfelder has announced a bid for the Republican nomination in the governor’s race, against Republicans state Sen. Eric Barlow and Brent Bien. Independent candidate Joseph Kibler and “Democrat In Name Only” candidate Gabriel Green have also announced they’re running for the seat.
“I’ve worked really well with the superintendent,” said Kelly of Degenfelder. “I think (her departure) leaves a big vacuum.”
Kelly said he’s had conversations with Degenfelder in which she nudged him to keep an open mind about running for the seat one day, and she voiced concerns that “her progress will be reversed if someone who doesn’t share her vision takes over for her.”
Degenfelder did not immediately return a voicemail request for comment.
Budget First Though
Kelly told Cowboy State Daily that he will not build a website, go out campaigning or fundraise until the Legislature’s budget-planning session concludes in March.
“That’s my job right now. I will do nothing (toward this race) but file for this candidacy, for the next month,” he said. “My focus is to do my job I was hired to do as a district representative.”
Yet, added Kelly, he’s declaring pre-session to answer both encouragements and concerns that another “strong” candidate could emerge early and claim the inner track.
Kelly endorses former Rep. Mark Jennings to fill the seat he’s vacating.
Jennings confirmed Wednesday to Cowboy State Daily that he is seeking the House District 30 seat, of Sheridan, which he held for 10 years prior to Kelly’s tenure.
… And A Maybe
Chad Auer, who is a senior policy advisor for Gov. Mark Gordon, a former public school educator and a former deputy superintendent in Schroeder’s Department of Education, told Cowboy State Daily on Wednesday that he’s “definitely thinking about” running for the superintendent seat.
Auer, a 54-year-old Republican, said, “I’ve been encouraged by a lot of people who I greatly respect. I’ve been talking to a lot of people around the state, including… administrators, teachers, parents – even spoken with some students and business leaders.”
“I think Wyoming deserves a superintendent that has the background in public education” and understands how both K-12 and higher education systems work, said Auer.
“I’ve been blessed with opportunities to serve in a variety of different roles,” he said.
In Gordon’s office currently, Auer’s focus areas include education, digital innovation, regulatory reform, housing and tribal relations.
He served two decades in educational leadership and as a teacher, principal and school improvement administrator before earning his law degree from the University of Wyoming, says Auer’s biography. He also has a master’s degree in education administration and a bachelor’s degree in biology.
He wrote that he has experience with traditional public schools, charter schools and online programs in rural, inner-city, suburban and Native American communities.
He served prior as the mayor of Firestone, Colorado and held other community leadership roles.
“Honestly, Wyoming won’t find anyone more passionate about the job,” said Auer. “I know firsthand that Wyoming has amazing students, parents and educators and no state is better positioned to overcome the challenges currently facing education.”
He said he believes Wyoming can improve literacy, expand trades education, implement school choice, modernize its accountability systems and keep safe and orderly classrooms “without falling into the trappings of partisan whiplash.”
“I'm a ruggedly independent, Reagan republican who believes in the mission of public education and it would be the honor of a lifetime to serve as Wyoming's state superintendent,” said Auer. “There is no job I would rather do. I plan to make a final decision in March.”
More About Jennings
Jennings, a 64-year-old Republican, described himself as very conservative and promised to vote his conscience as a delegate facing “God, the Constitution and my constituency.”
Jennings said he may vote along many of the same patterns as the Wyoming chapter of the Freedom Caucus, but he will not join that entity, which he emphasized is part of a national network of Freedom Caucus chapters.
“I’m not joining the national group, even if they align with my thinking on a majority of items,” said Jennings. “I don’t agree with some of their tactics.”
He described the Freedom Caucus’ formation as a reflex, however, to years of state House Republican leadership suppressing the more conservative delegates.
Jennings said he wants to forge relationships, sit down with stakeholders and constituents and “discuss ideas.”
“We need to talk. We need to have communities,” he said.
Jennings described himself as a man who emphasizes faith and family.
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
