Authorities are tight-lipped or uncertain over whether consequences could follow a mysterious text blast dispatched halfway through Wyoming’s Primary Election Day that asserted – falsely – that President Donald Trump had endorsed U.S. House candidate Reid Rasner.
The blast went out around 1 p.m. Tuesday, six hours before the polls were set to close.
Rasner competed in a field of nine Republican candidates for U.S. House.
Secretary of State Chuck Gray later won the nomination with 25% of the vote.
“I am proud to have President Trump’s ENDORSEMENT,” said the text, which concluded with “Paid for by Reid Rasner for WY.”
It came from the number 903-600-8771, which a Lexis Nexis reverse search says numerous businesses use.
Cowboy State Daily scoured X.com and Truth Social for any sign the president had sent Rasner an eleventh-hour endorsement, and found none.
The outlet contacted the White House, which called back quickly.
“I would just confirm that the president has just endorsed Harriet Hageman for Senate and Megan Degenfelder for governor,” said White House Political Director Matt Brasseaux. “And anyone else that has suggested that they have an endorsement is just incorrect and false.”
Rasner’s team did not respond to multiple messages Tuesday requesting comment and information about the text blast. His campaign manager also did not respond to a Thursday-afternoon text message.
The same phone number at 3:27 p.m. - after Cowboy State Daily's story published - sent a blast “Election update” text message featuring a photograph of Rasner.
“While President Trump’s endorsement has not been made in this congressional race,” the message says, “Reid Rasner is proud to stand with President Trump and support his America first agenda, Reid will continue fighting to deliver results for Wyoming.”
Rasner finished fifth in the primary.
Cowboy State Daily on Wednesday contacted U.S. Attorney for Wyoming Darin Smith to ask if the blast is being investigated. Smith declined to comment.
The FBI’s Denver office did not respond to a Wednesday request for comment by publication.
The Secretary of State’s Office did not immediately respond to a late-day comment Thursday.
And the U.S. Federal Election Commission’s deputy press officer Miles Martin said if the FEC received a campaign finance complaint tied to the blast, it wouldn’t be able to disclose that until the complaint was resolved.
Any criminal or civil matters outside campaign finance wouldn’t take the form of an FEC complaint, Martin added.
“I don’t know what, in that, would potentially violate FEC requirements,” he said.
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
