Secretary of State Chuck Gray on Tuesday won Wyoming’s lone U.S. House seat, defeating Democratic nominee Lisa Kinney, Libertarian Shawn Johnson, and Constitution Party nominee Jeff Haggit.
Gray’s election follows six years in the state Legislature, one term as secretary of state, and one of the most contentious U.S. House campaigns in Wyoming memory.
Gray, 36, declared his run in late December, after Sen. Cynthia Lummis announced her retirement. Lummis’ decision not to run prompted U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman to run for Senate.
That left the at-large House seat without an incumbent heading into election season.
Gray faced nine, and later eight, Republican opponents in the primary.
He campaigned on stopping data centers, and cast himself as one of President Donald Trump’s “strongest defenders nationwide” and a defender of coal, oil and gas.
Teton County philanthropist Steve Friess and Casper businessman Reid Rasner outspent Gray in the primary election cycle, spending $2.5 million and $2.26 million, respectively, to Gray’s $1.38 million.
On the periphery, however, well-funded independent PACs backed Gray and attacked Friess, and vice versa.
Gray’s spending slowed but continued in the general election.
As of Oct. 14, he’d raised just over $2 million and spent $1.85 million.
Kinney had raised 5% of that at $99,131, and had spent 3.6% of Gray’s disbursements at $66,050.
In Legislature
In the Legislature, Gray was an early co-founder of the Wyoming Freedom Caucus.
He sponsored a variety of bills, including:
- A successful bill to ban the University of Wyoming from funding elective abortions or insurance for such, for students;
- An unsuccessful bill to rename state Highway 258 “President Donald J Trump Highway;”
- An unsuccessful bill to ban the teaching of critical race theory;
- A successful bill specifying acceptable identification for voting in person;
- A vetoed bill authorizing the Legislature to sue for coal export terminal permits.
As Secretary Of State
Controversy goaded Gray’s one term as secretary of state.
He fought with and criticized Gov. Mark Gordon nearly throughout. He lobbied the Legislature for a lengthy slate of election bills, some of which passed.
He engaged in multiple spats with other officials on the State Board of Land Commissioners and State Loan and Investment Board.
Playing on these events, incoming Secretary of State Robert Short campaigned this year on the slogan, “Make the Secretary of State’s Office Boring Again.”
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
