Three-term Democratic state Rep. Trey Sherwood held her Laramie-based House District 14 seat Tuesday, defeating Republican challenger Emily Study.
Sherwood directs the nonprofit group Laramie Main Street and has worked as a legislator to fund economic development and community enterprise. She holds a rare seat of power for a Wyoming Democrat, as a member of the House Appropriations Committee.
She told The Laramie Reporter that if reelected, she’d make a major push for affordable housing.
Sherwood sponsored a bill in 2025 that sought to send $10 million of state money initially — and $20 million after the first year — into an account for building affordable housing and rehabilitating existing houses for affordable housing.
The bill failed.
Had it passed, it also would have funded “transitional housing projects for unhoused persons,” first-time homebuyer assistance, and rental vouchers.
Emily Study
Study, a naturalized U.S. citizen who came to Wyoming from the Philippines s a child, announced her run as an effort to find practical fixes in policy.
Her website says she sought to keep young people in the state, make better use of money in education, focus on technical and vocational education, and ensure that agencies have clear standards and government is accountable to taxpayers.
Tough One
Sherwood’s district is a rare “purple” region in Wyoming, and she’s often faced Republican competition.
She defeated GOP nominee Matthew Burkhart for the seat by fewer than 100 votes in 2020, then beat Bryan Schuster by about 300 votes in 2022.
Sherwood secured another 300-vote win in 2024, against Republican Joe Giustozzi.
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
