Every election season brings a familiar wave of promises: defend Wyoming values, cut taxes, stand up to Washington, protect our way of life.
But beneath all the slogans and posturing, there’s a deeper question we ought to ask of anyone seeking to lead this state: What kind of person are you?
Because if a candidate is willing to ruthlessly attack their political opponents to get elected, they will eventually turn that same ruthlessness on the people they’re supposed to serve to gain and retain power.
That’s why, in the race for governor, I believe Eric Barlow stands apart.
I served with Eric in the Wyoming Legislature.
We represented different parts of Campbell County, but we came from the same community and shared the same sense of responsibility to the people who sent us to Cheyenne.
I didn’t know him before I was elected, but I came to know him well through years of committee work, long debates, and difficult decisions. What I saw was a man who led with steadiness, humility, and genuine care for others.
I saw someone who, despite whatever faults, sought to follow and honor King Jesus
Prior to his rise in House leadership ranks, Eric chaired the Labor, Health & Social Services Committee with a calm, disciplined hand.
He didn’t hoard authority. He regularly rotated other members into the chair so they could learn, grow, and lead. That’s not the behavior of someone chasing power.
That’s the behavior of someone who wants to build people up.
He ran meetings with professionalism and respect. He knew people by name. He listened. He treated everyone with dignity, from lobbyists to staff to freshmen legislators.
And when our community faced the coal bankruptcies that shook Campbell County and the state, I watched him balance the needs of workers, taxpayers, and industry with fairness and clarity.
He understood the stakes for families, for local government, and for the long‑term health of our state. He approached those challenges with the seriousness they deserved.
But the moments that speak most to Eric’s character weren’t on the House floor or in committee rooms.
During a difficult season in my own family’s life, something we didn’t broadcast publicly, Eric and his wife showed up at our door with groceries and meat from their ranch.
No cameras. No press release. Just quiet, Christ‑centered compassion. When my wife almost died after the birth of our last child, Eric made meals for our family.
Again, not for attention. Not for political gain. Simply because he cared. It wasn’t just emotion. It was action.
That matters. In fact, it matters more than ideology.
Some criticize Eric for not being “conservative enough” or for voting against certain bills. But I’ve watched him approach legislation with care and integrity. He doesn’t rubber‑stamp poorly written bills just because they carry the right label. He reads the text.
He considers the consequences. He weighs the impact on people and on the state. Supporting an issue doesn’t mean every bill claiming to advance that issue is good policy. Eric understands that distinction, and he votes accordingly.
That’s not weakness. That’s wisdom. And it’s exactly the kind of judgment a governor needs.
Eric hasn’t asked for my endorsement, but I’m happy to give it because I think he would steward and serve our state with the same character and compassion as he has shown to people on a personal level.
Christlike character matters. It matters far more than the tribalism and the idolatry of power that some seem all too eager to bow before.
I also want to express my support for Robert Short, for Secretary of State.
Robert brings something that is increasingly rare in Wyoming politics: steadiness without theatrics.
He doesn’t treat the office as a platform for personal branding or as a weapon to punish political enemies. He understands that the Secretary of State’s job is not to inflame, but to administer; not to grandstand, but to safeguard.
Where some candidates chase headlines, Robert focuses on the work. Where some candidates use the language of crisis to justify power grabs, Robert talks about institutional integrity, transparency, and the quiet, unglamorous responsibilities that keep our elections trustworthy.
He is measured, professional, and grounded. He doesn’t need to tear others down to make his case. That alone sets him apart.
Wyoming needs a Secretary of State who will protect the process, not manipulate it. Robert is that kind of leader.
For the U.S. House seat, I’m watching Bo Biteman and Jillian Balow closely. Both bring different strengths, and both have shown seriousness about the responsibilities of federal office. I’m not ready to endorse, but I’m paying attention to the same thing I look for in every race: character.
How do they treat people? How do they handle disagreement? Do they elevate Wyoming, or do they inflame division for cheap applause?
Wyoming is at a crossroads. We can choose leaders who inflame, divide, and attack, or leaders who serve, build, and steward.
We can choose candidates who chase power, or candidates who carry it with humility. We can choose people who treat politics like blood sport, or people who treat public office as a trust.
For governor, the choice is clear to me. Eric Barlow is a servant leader, a steady hand, and a man whose character has been tested and proven. Wyoming would be fortunate to have him.
And for Secretary of State, we need someone who will pay more attention to the business of our economy while still protecting the integrity of our elections, all without turning the office into a stage for personal ambition. Robert Short is that leader.
This election is not just about policy. While important, for me it’s about the kind of people we want shaping the future of this state.
Wyoming deserves leaders who build rather than break, who heal rather than divide, and who remember that public service is exactly that: service. Not showboating, and not a kind of theatre to pursue idolatry of power.
