The Wyoming campaign finance reports filed as of Wednesday morning show Wyoming Republican gubernatorial nominee Eric Barlow has out-fundraised his Constitution Party opponent Rebecca Bextel nearly four-to-one in the general election cycle, while the Democratic nominee Ken Casner, raised and spent zero dollars.
Bextel told Cowboy State Daily, however, that she'll soon be filing an amended report reflecting a much higher fundraising figure, at about $500,000 - from mostly Wyoming-based individual sources.
"My parents and siblings also contributed, as well as a few other out of state donors in small donation amounts," said Bextel.
Barlow, a state senator from Gillette, received tens of thousands of dollars from the coal, oil and gas sector, among other political action committee (PAC) sources. Since he started campaigning in 2025, he also has raised a record-high $1.55 million from individual contributors.
That figure includes both the primary and general election totals, and eclipses the prior record Gov. Mark Gordon set, of $1.1 million.
“Kelly and I started this campaign by showing up, listening and asking people to be part of Wyoming’s future,” Barlow said. “Through the primary and into the general election, people have continued to show up for us. We are grateful for their support and for the trust they have placed in us.”
Bextel did not take any PAC contributions. Her current report says she generated all money except her own $100 self-donation from other individuals.
Regarding Casner’s complete lack of financial activity, Wyoming Democratic Party spokeswoman Mandy Weaver said in a text message, “Ken Casner has been running his own campaign his own way and has chosen not to accept donations. We’ve helped Ken with a few things when he asked and we’re still here for him if he needs us.”
Casner’s phone returned an unreachable message multiple times when Cowboy State Daily tried Tuesday to contact him.
Barlow
Barlow carried $186,180.78 forward from his primary election run, where he defeated Trump-endorsed Megan Degenfelder, Wyoming GOP-endorsed Brent Bien and rodeo-production professional Curt Blake.
He added to that starting balance $2,500 from federal political action committees (PACs), $61,500 from federal/out-of-state PACs, $5,000 from his mother, $232,540.48 from individual donors, and $26,500 from Wyoming PACs.
Barlow also posted $800 in cash people gave anonymously, and $5,762 .62 in goods and services amounting to in-kind contributions.
That totals $334,603.10 in contributions in the general election.
He had raised around $1.15 million in contributions in the primary election.
He has spent $195,150.13 on his general-election campaign – a sliver of the $1.36 million he spent on the primary election from Jan. 1 to mid-August.
His Sources
Public figures proliferate Barlow’s list of numerous individual donors.
Those include Gov. Mark Gordon, former state House Speaker Albert Sommers, former Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow, and the former GOP Chair Jack Speight, who helped run the 1966 campaign of the late Gov. Stan Hathaway.
Of the campaign’s 2,048 individual donors over both cycles, 1,926 are Wyoming residents representing all 23 counties, the Barlow team said in a Tuesday statement.
"Nearly half of Wyoming individual donors gave $250 or less, demonstrating strong grassroots support of Barlow," the statement says.
“Kelly and I started this campaign one community and one conversation at a time,” Barlow said. “As the General election approaches, I respectfully ask for your vote. When successful, I will keep showing up, listening, and staying connected to the people I serve.”
Barlow’s PAC sources bear a concentration from the traditional energy sector that is noteworthy, because Bextel has accused him of opposing fossil fuels.
The Wyoming Mining Association gave $3,000, the Williams Companies PAC (oil and gas) gave $10,000, Exxonmobil PAC gave $5,000, OneOK Inc PAC gave $500, DINO PAC gave $3,000, Ramaco Resources Inc PAC gave $2,500, and Devon Energy Corporation PAC gave $5,000.
A Renewable energy PAC, Clearway Energy Inc. PAC, also gave $2,500 to Barlow.
Other PACs in Barlow’s report represent mental health, tobacco, hospital, energy utility, accountants, railroad, realtors, hospitals, Wyoming public employees and phone communications interests.
Bextel
Bextel carried no money forward because she did not have to mount a primary election campaign. She is a minor party candidate: The Constitution Party’s delegates nominated her at its June convention.
She changed party from Republican to Constitution in mid-May to launch her campaign as an “insurance policy against Eric Barlow.” She said Degenfelder or Bien would make a great governor, but she’d run a general election campaign against Barlow if neither won.
Barlow won every Wyoming county Aug. 18.
Bextel donated $100 to herself and raised another $88,853.95 from individuals, totaling $88,953.95 in contributions, her current report shows.
If she files an amended report Wednesday to reflect greater figures, Cowboy State Daily will update this story.
Bextel spent $12,369.40, the report says, and has a $76,584.55 balance going into the final week before the Nov. 3 election.
Her sources also contain multiple public figures, including House Majority Floor Leader Scott Heiner, Powell City Councilman Troy Bray, the Gore-Tex heiress Susan Gore, former GOP chair Frank Eathorne, and state Rep. Joe Webb.
"Around Wyoming, Patriots were kicking in five dollars a week to my campaign in automatic donations," said Bextel in a Wednesday text message. "I also ended up with multiple jars of honey, gorgeous russet potatoes, needlework, beef jerky, prayers, hugs and kisses."
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
