RIVERTON — At Wyoming Public Television’s gubernatorial forum Wednesday evening, the Republican nominee Eric Barlow leaned on his experience, the Constitution Party nominee Rebecca Bextel maligned Barlow throughout the forum, and the Democratic nominee Ken Casner lamented what he cast as government obfuscation.
Bextel called Barlow, Wyoming attorneys, and the governors of the past several decades “swamp creatures.” She accused Barlow of numerous misdeeds, including voting for “scams galore” in his 14 years as a state lawmaker.
For the nearly hour-long production at Riverton High School, Barlow did not respond to Bextel at all, except to say, “Well, like a lot of times, with everything you believe, just because you say it louder or faster, does not make it any more true.”
Into The Issues
Barlow said he opposes Proposition 1, a ballot initiative that would add an alternate 50% residential property cut option to the various exemptions, such as a 25% cut on structures and land up to the first $1 million in home value, to state law.
Property taxes don’t go into the state coffers, they fund schools, local counties, communities, special districts, and community colleges.
People who support Prop 1 have called property taxation an immoral tax mechanism, and said the state can pull from its investment and savings accounts to make up the lost revenue.
People who oppose it have said it will hurt firefighters and other local entities that depend entirely or mostly on it, and the state’s investment and savings are already designated by law.
Bextel voiced support for the measure, saying “property tax is a scam. You’re renting your house.”
She also called property tax revenues a “free-for-all for whatever (local) elected officials want to spend money on.”
Casner did not take a position on Prop 1, but said he’s committed to upholding the state and U.S. Constitution.
Federal Lands
Bextel said she doesn’t want to do anything with federal lands in Wyoming.
“I love federal lands in Wyoming. The end,” she said.
Barlow said federal lands in Wyoming are very important to the economy and the way of life.
“But we get a seat at the table if they (the federal government) are not managing them properly, or want to make abrupt changes.”
Casner said federal lands should be protected.
The Feds
Bextel said, “I love ICE” Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Later, to a question about federal overreach, Bextel said, “I don't trust anything from the federal government”
She said she’d sign an executive order so that illegal aliens will no longer receive driver’s licenses.
State law bars illegal aliens from receiving driver’s licenses in Wyoming.
Barlow noted that the state already works with ICE.
Casner called the agency’s involvement in Wyoming federal overreach.
Health Care
On a question about health care, Bextel touted a program called MediShare, saying “it has saved our family a lot of money. I want to look at options like that.”
Barlow noted that he’d sponsored the legislation behind that program.
Casner said he wished Wyoming had adopted a state-run care plan for catastrophic incidents.
Qualifications
Casner said he’s spent 24 years in politics and believes in representation.
Bextel said she’s qualified to be governor because “I can spot bull crap from a mile away.” She pointed to Wyoming’s lower gross domestic product (second-last before Vermont as of 2025, according to World Population Review), and said that came “with the leadership of my opponent.”
Bextel had clarified early in the debate that she didn’t mean Casner when she said “my opponent.”
Barlow said he’s lived in Wyoming, worked in it, raised a family in it, owned business, and served numerous volunteer roles. He pointed to his service in the Legislature. Later, he noted his service in the Marine Corps.
Colorado River Compact
Wyoming is negotiating with other states to rework the Colorado River Compact, which is more than 100 years old. That’s amid extreme drought, and recent federal involvement in the question.
Bextel said “we need somebody that’s going to fight for Wyoming” and “renegotiate the Colorado Water Compact.”
Then Bextel accused Barlow of hiding behind a door during the vote on a bill unrelated to water, an education voucher bill, last year.
Barlow told Cowboy State Daily after the forum that he had opposed the bill and couldn’t remember whether he made it to the floor for that vote, but as for Bextel’s claim about him hiding, he had “no idea what she’s talking about honestly.”
“Well, there was a lot offered (by Bextel). The value of it, that’s unclear,” Barlow reflected after the forum. “I’m not spending time in her world.”
On the Colorado River question, Barlow had told the forum audience that Wyoming should fight for advantages using science and the law, to protect its industries, agriculture, and communities.
Casner said Wyoming should take revenues to redo water infrastructure.
Youth Retention
On a question about young people leaving the state at high rates, Barlow said Wyomingites should listen to them, engage with them and find ways to involve them in community workings.
Casner said, “let them tell us really, what they want to do, and where they want to do it. And we’ll help and encourage them to do it not by giving them money, but them earning that money.”
Bextel mocked Barlow’s answer, accused Barlow of cronyism, derided the Wyoming Business Council and said the University of Wyoming should get rid of its German studies program, which she cast as superfluous.
Wyoming Freedom Caucus
Wyoming Freedom Caucus-aligned candidates did not fare well against other Republicans in the Aug. 18 primary election.
Bextel said she’d do her job no matter who’s in the Legislature, but added, “I might do nothing but veto legislation for the next two years to stop us from being Colorado.”
Barlow said the role of the governor is straightforward, outlined in the Wyoming Constitution. He voiced confidence facing the Legislature, saying “relationships make things happen; make things better. It doesn’t matter… whether you agree with them or not.”
Bextel has shared alignments with the Wyoming Freedom Caucus, while Barlow has not been part of it.
Casner said Wyoming should redesign the Legislature.
Data Centers
Bextel said she’s the only thing standing in the way of Wyoming being taken over by data centers and “nuclear waste from other states.” She said she’d sign an executive order to “get rid of the warrantless mass surveillance of Flock cameras.”
The Legislature is working on a bill to rein in license plate reader cameras and tether them to stringent search laws. It’s unclear how an executive order would function in this area.
Barlow said Wyoming should protect its water from impacts by data centers, ensure communities can actually support them, have companies answer communities’ concerns and pay for their own energy demands.
“If they can do those things, then we don’t say no,” he said.
Casner voiced intense distrust toward data centers.
University of Wyoming
Barlow pointed to the governor’s role of appointing or removing University of Wyoming trustees as a key function.
Bextel, responding to a question about UW oversight, said a man “got in my face” a couple weekends ago, “foaming at the mouth” urging more money for UW.
She said the man was on the UW board and Wyoming Business Council Board. She called the man “Bruce.”
It’s unclear who she could have meant. Bruce Pivic is only on the Wyoming Business Council board, not the UW board. The two boards don’t currently share members, except for Gov. Mark Gordon.
Also Bextel described the man as much shorter than she, but Pivic is tall of stature.
Local Control
Barlow said the state funds schools, and local school boards deliver that money.
Casner said he wishes there was more oversight.
Bextel said the only thing the local districts should set is teacher salary.
Bextel and Barlow both touted the value of traditional energy sources in Wyoming. Casner said it’s time to try different things.
Bextel pointed to an incident decades ago when Barlow said it’s time to move toward more renewable models. Yet, Barlow has promoted coal and traditional energy repeatedly as a legislator.
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
