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By Leo Wolfson, political reporter
Leo@CowboyStateDaily.com

Thirteen votes were all that separated State Rep. JD Williams, R-Lusk, and challenger Allen Slagle in their Republican primary race for the State House Tuesday night, with Slagle pulling out a narrow, 13-vote victory. 

The election was so close in House District 2 that under Wyoming law, a recount of the 3,624 votes cast in this race must occur. State law designates that a recount shall occur when a candidate wins a race by 1% of the vote or less. Slagle, a Newcastle resident, won this race by 0.4% of the vote. 

“It’s only the closest races that the law would trigger,” said Monique Meese, a communications officer with the Wyoming Secretary of State’s office.  

Meese said her staff was busy recounting the ballots cast in the race as of Wednesday afternoon. She said there were no other state races that fell within a 1% margin between the winning candidate and their next closest competitor. 

Williams said he doesn’t care much about the recount and would not have requested one if it wasn’t mandatory under state law. He said he doesn’t expect the 13 votes separating him and Slagle to change. 

“I’ve worked with our county clerks in Weston, Niobrara and Goshen counties and have full confidence in our state’s elections,” he said. 

Becky Hadlock, Weston County clerk, said she expects the results to return by the end of the day Wednesday. She said her staff have performed recounts for county commissioner elections in the past. 

A recount can also be requested by any candidate as long as they provide an affidavit signed by 25 electors from their district and pay all costs of the recount. These costs will be reimbursed to the applicant if the recount changes the election outcome. 

Candidates have until Aug. 26 to request a recount of their state-level election. Those running in county and city-level elections have until two days after their county canvass board certifies the results of their elections.  

If Slagle’s win stands after the recount, he will advance to the general election where there is no Democratic challenger running. 

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By Leo Wolfson, political reporter
Leo@CowboyStateDaily.com

Many incumbent Wyoming legislators had a target on their back in this year’s primary election, advancing to the general election, in some cases, only by the skin of their teeth, if at all. 

State Rep. Dan Zwonitzer, R-Cheyenne, said he saw it as a down-ballot, “red wave” effect, with many voters taking a lead from U.S. House candidate Harriet Hageman’s campaign, which has promoted the idea that people need to vote for particularly conservative candidates to “save Wyoming.” 

Nearly every Republican race around the state featured a very conservative candidate. 

“They’re promoting this idea that Wyoming is on the cusp of being a liberal utopia, which is certainly not the case,” Zwonitzer told Cowboy State Daily. “Wyoming is the most conservative state in the nation with the least gun control. The majority of people are proud of being right of center.” 

State Rep. Cyrus Western, R-Big Horn, had one of the closest elections of the night, winning by 137 votes. He said he takes all his races and opponents seriously and was poised for a potentially close race. 

Western will now advance to the general election in his bid for a third term. He is one of a number of legislators labeled as a RINO – ‘Republican In Name Only’ – by political rating website Wyorino.com, a designation given to lawmakers perceived to be not conservative enough by a group who have not disclosed their identity.  

“Really, it’s a catch-call phrase for people they don’t like,” Western said. “These are silly names made by anonymous individuals.” 

He defended his voting record to Cowboy State Daily on Wednesday afternoon, describing himself as staunchly pro-Second Amendment, pro-life and supportive of low taxes. 

The website relies on elected officials’ votes on 10 bills to judge whether legislators are “real” Republicans and vote with “conservative” values. 

“This methodology wouldn’t pass a freshman political science class,” Zwonitzer said. 

All 15 Republican incumbents labeled as “RINOs” by Wyorino.com lost their elections or won by less than 500 votes. Twenty-three candidates overcame this designation to win their elections, while eight did not.

A number of candidates around the state promoted their 100% rating with the site as part of their campaign, like Clarence Styvar, who won the Republican nomination for House District 12, and Rep. Bill Fortner, R-Gillette, who lost his campaign for Senate District 1. 

Close Calls 

The closest election of the night was in House District 2, where challenger Allen Slagle beat Rep. JD Williams, R-Lusk, by 13 votes. Williams described Slagle as “a great guy” and said the two competitors engaged in a very clean campaign. A recount of this election began on Wednesday afternoon.  

Williams, a Niobrara County resident, attributed his loss to Weston County voters showing a preference for electing an official from their own county. He lost Weston County by 110 votes. 

Williams had been appointed by his local county commissioners to fill the vacant seat left by former Rep. Hans Hunt, who resigned in October 2021. He said he is not a politician and not concerned with Republican Party politics or equating serving in politics to serving God. 

“People get their politics and religion mixed up,” Williams said. “I have a little different mindset.” 

A handful of other incumbents lost, such as Sens. Drew Perkins, R-Casper, R.J. Kost, R-Powell, and Reps. Pat Sweeney, R-Casper, Joe MacGuire, R-Casper, Aaron Clausen, R-Douglas, Shelly Duncan, R-Lingle, John Romero-Martinez, R-Cheyenne.  

Zwonitzer said he considers some of these legislators like Perkins, to be standard, middle of the party spectrum Republicans. He and others were particularly surprised that the second-term senator, Perkins, lost his primary to Bob Ide. Perkins lost by 302 votes, about a 5% margin. 

Zwonitzer said legislative redistricting played a role in these elections as well, making incumbents relatively unknown figures to many people in their newly formed districts. 

“That had a huge bearing on the outcome,” he said.  

Rep. Sandy Newsome, R-Cody, edged out challenger Nina Webber by 83 votes, the closest win by any incumbent. This race was a rematch of the 2020 election. Both races have featured significant mudslinging between the candidates. 

“It was just a tough race,” Newsome said, adding she was pleased with the outcome. 

Webber repeatedly characterized Newsome as not adhering to the Republican Party platform during the campaign. 

Newsome said she was going to spend Wednesday out of the house, giving herself a “much deserved” break from the campaign action. 

Sen. Ogden Driskill, R-Devils Tower, won his primary bid for a fourth term, but not before sweating it out against two challengers with their own political standing. It was not until the last precincts were called from Campbell County that Driskill pulled out his 137-vote win over second place challenger Roger Connett, chair of the Crook County Republican Party. 

“I can’t tell you how lucky I feel that I am able to fulfill my last term,” Driskill said. 

Fortner and Connett accused Driskill of not being conservative enough. 

“I can darn sure tell you (Driskill) he’s a RINO,” Fortner said in a prior interview with Cowboy State Daily. “He represents himself more than constituents.” 

Driskill also had a close race in 2014, only beating primary challenger Judy McCullough by 54 votes in that election. 

Driskill said he plans to run for Senate President this year.  

Rep. Steve Harshman, R-Casper, had a close race as well, beating challenger Steve Bray by 202 votes.  

In Fremont County, Sen. Cale Case, R-Lander, won by 482 votes over challenger Shawn Olmstead. Case is the second longest serving member of the Wyoming Legislature, first elected in 1998. 

Rep. Bob Nicholas, R-Cheyenne was given a 0% rating from Wyorino, the lowest possible score on their scale. He won his election over Rick Coppinger by 364 votes. 

Outside Influence 

Zwonitzer had a close race as well, winning his race over Clayton Mills by 171 votes. He said Mills and many other candidates like State Senate candidate Evie Brennan, canvassed alongside Hageman staff, forging a connection in voter’s minds between the state and federal campaigns, and a perceived shared ideology. 

“They’re telling people you have to vote for us to save Wyoming, they’re playing on people’s fears,” Zwonitzer said. 

Zwonitzer said he found constituents much more interested in his position on Hageman’s race against U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney than more locally focused issues such as education, gas and wildlife.  

“To say all politics is local, that long-standing truth didn’t hold,” he said. 

Zwonitzer has served in the House since 2005.  He is chairman of the House Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Committee. He said he wasn’t worried about his chances in the primary until the last week of the campaign. Zwonitzer is a Cheney supporter and along with a handful of other candidates statewide, received money from her political action committee for campaign efforts. 

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By Jimmy Orr, Cowboy State Daily

It wasn’t called until after 11pm but a win is a win is a win.

Senate Majority Floor Leader Ogden Driskill, R-Devils Tower, survived two challengers to win the Republican primary on Tuesday night and will likely go on to lead Wyoming’s State Senate.

Driskill beat challengers Roger Connett and Bill Fortner receiving 2,547 votes while Connett had 2,105 votes and Fortner receiving 1,735 votes.

“I can’t tell you how lucky I feel that I am able to fulfill my last term,” Driskill told Cowboy State Daily. “The world has been dang nice to me. I had a feeling this red wave was coming and I would be a part of it.”

Driskill, who has the second highest office in the state senate, said he wasn’t taking the likely ascension to senate presidency for granted. He said he knows he’s going to have to work for it.

“I definitely want to be senate president,” Driskill said. “I want to be the second president of the senate in Crook County history. I am going to try to go get it.”

“But it’s a matter of votes and I know there are some people who do not want me to have it,” he said. “But I’m going to work for it.”

Former State Sen. Bruce Burns, a longtime legislator from Sheridan, said Driskill’s victory was a big loss for the Wyoming Gun Owners group (WYGO) who had Driskill down as enemy number one.

“Not a good night for the Dorr Brothers,” Burns said, alluding to the trio of siblings who run the gun advocacy group. “Their number one target was Ogden.”

Burns said Albert Sommers’ (R-Pinedale) victory in his primary and Anthony Bouchard’s third-place finish in the U.S. House race was further evidence of WYGO’s bad evening.

“They were also after Albert Sommers.  He prevailed,” Burns said. “And Anthony Bouchard just got flat-out embarrassed.”

Bouchard had 2.6% of the vote in the U.S. House race.

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By Wendy Corr, Cowboy State Daily 

Dan Laursen’s win in the primary race for Senate District 19 wasn’t certain until the results were posted on Big Horn County’s website early Wednesday morning. 

When all the votes were tallied for the district’s two-county coverage area, Park and Big Horn Counties reported very different results in the three-way race between Laursen, incumbent R.J. Kost, and former legislator Ray Peterson. Laursen ultimately came out the winner. 

A Tale of Two Counties 

In Park County, Kost, the incumbent, received just over 35% of the votes (1,137); Peterson just over 12% (396); and Laursen had the most at 52.5% (1,697).  

Although Laursen’s lead was significant, the outcome couldn’t be certain until Big Horn County results were reported. 

Once those votes were made available early Wednesday morning, Laursen did come out the winner – although the results of the two races were significantly different. 

In Big Horn County, which is what makes up the majority of the Senate district, Peterson won the most votes, with 1,161. Laursen came in second, receiving 883 votes to Kost’s 729.  

Laursen’s total of 2,580 votes beat out incumbent Kost’s 1,866, and Peterson’s total of 1,557. 

Switching Chambers 

Laursen is giving up his seat as representative for House District 25, which he has held since 2015. 

“I wanted to bring my conservative values to the Senate from the House,” Laursen told Cowboy State Daily. “I didn’t appreciate the way (incumbent R.J.) Kost was voting for sure. It was probably one of the biggest reasons.” 

Laursen said property taxes are among the items at the top of his list of issues to address in his new role, as is the issue of school choice. 

“I think the dollar should follow the student,” he said. “And where they want to go, then the dollar should go.” 

Trading Places 

House District 25, which Laursen has represented for the last eight years, is a tiny segment of northeast Park County that will now be represented by David Northrup.  

Northrup, who has not held office for the last two years, previously served in the Wyoming Legislature for eight years as the representative for House District 50, which covers a majority of the northeastern part of Park County.  

Northrup’s win in yesterday’s primary came after a four-way race between Troy Bray, Chris Good and Rex Rich. Northrup was the clear winner, taking a 41% share of the total votes. 

Northrup’s former district is now represented by Rachel Rodriguez-Williams, who ran uncontested for House District 50 in yesterday’s primary. 

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By Clair McFarland, Cowboy State Daily

Lingle man Scott Smith defeated incumbent Rep. Shelley Duncan in the Republican Primary for the state House district representing Goshen County.  

Smith won by about 250 vote leads, with 1,794 votes to Duncan’s 1,546, according to preliminary results from the Wyoming Secretary of State’s office.  

There is no Democratic candidate challenging Smith in the upcoming general election.  

“I’m feeling optimistic and excited to see what we can do to keep the federal government at bay with out state,” Smith told Cowboy State Daily on Wednesday morning.  

Originally from Detroit, Smith has lived in Wyoming for a decade, saying city life is not for him. He worked as a missionary teacher at an orphanage in Honduras after living in Detroit.  

“Wyoming is a pleasant change and I chose to come here,” he said.   

Smith manages the financial accounts for a mechanical repair shop and runs office scheduling and service writing.  

Because of his current career and his past work managing budgets for a Christian camp and a Christian school, Smith said he feels confident in his ability to help Wyoming stay within its budget. He also worked as a teacher at the Christian school, and said one of the ways in which he managed the school’s budget was by having kids and teachers help with custodial work to cut personnel costs. He noticed an increase in pride and responsibility in the kids after this decision.  

The biggest issue he wants to tackle in the state House is property tax reform.  

Property taxes in Wyoming skyrocketed this year with rising real estate prices. Multiple legislators have said it could take a change in the Wyoming Constitution to make a more stable tax structure for Wyoming residents.  

Smith also said he’d like to equip the state to push back against federal government guidance that could lead to incoming mandates to adopt gender-identity policies such as transgender bathroom use and school sports participation. If the guidance becomes an official rule, Wyoming could lose about $40 million per year in school meals funding. 

Duncan did not respond Wednesday morning to a voicemail from Cowboy State Daily. Also from Lingle, she is finishing out her second term in the House.

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By Wendy Corr, Cowboy State Daily 

Less than 100 votes separated incumbent Sandy Newsome from opponent Nina Webber in the race to claim the seat in Wyoming House District 24, which represents a significant portion of Park County.

When all votes were counted, Newsome came out the winner in the primary, with 1,810 votes to Webber’s 1,727.  No Democrat filed to run for that seat, so Newsome will be unopposed in November’s general election.

Newsome and Webber had run a tight race, and it was anybody’s guess who would come out on top once precincts started reporting in around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday night. 

Webber, who is the current Wyoming Republican National Committeewoman and president of the Wyoming Federation of Republican Women, ran against Newsome and former legislator Scott Court for the same seat in 2020.  

During the most recent race, Webber, the former Hot Springs County Clerk, called Newsome “in the dark” and “out of touch” with her constituents. 

Newsome, who was first elected to the seat in 2018, told Cowboy State Daily that property tax reform and education are the issues that are at the top of her list. 

“We need to deal with property tax reform, for sure,” she said. “I mean, that’s top on the list of things to get done. And then, I’m on the education committee, and we need to really work on getting our kindergarten through third graders to be able to read.” 

In the 2022 legislative session, Newsome advanced several bills that would fund scholarship programs, create cash reserves for public education and investment funds for community colleges, and support programs devoted to childhood reading development. 

“I just want to thank the voters of House District 24,” she said after election results had been posted, “and I’m grateful that they chose me to represent them once again.” 

Newsome expressed her gratitude to her campaign team and donors who contributed to her campaign. 

“I look forward to serving two more years,” she said. 

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By Clair McFarland, Cowboy State Daily

In a squeaker, incumbent state Sen. Cale Case won the Republican Primary Election for his Lander district.  

Case was challenged this season by Shawn Olmstead, a Riverton man hailing from Colorado who billed himself as an ultra-conservative political candidate. 

Though registered Republican, Case often describes himself as a Libertarian thinker.  

There is no Democratic candidate for the same district to challenge Case in the General Election this November.  

As Lander, the Wind River Indian Reservation towns, and Riverton numbers rolled in to the Fremont County Clerk’s office late Tuesday night, Case trailed consistently by a slim margin.  

Then came the tally of the absentee voters.  

Ultimately Case, who has been a state legislator for 30 years, won the vote with 2,632 to Olmstead’s 2,150.  

In his interview he said he was humbled and hoped to bridge the gap between polarized political groups.  

“I’ve reached out to both sides; I believe our future involves everybody working together and we can’t be polarized. I believe it sincerely,” said Case. “I’m grateful for the win, for all the people who supported me.” 

Olmstead did not return a voicemail Tuesday evening requesting comment. 

Case’s district is one of the most politically diverse usually, with heavy Democratic presence on the Wind River Indian Reservation, significant Democratic presence in Lander, and prevailing Republican presence in his district’s portion of Riverton and surrounding rural areas.  

One of a handful of pro-choice Republicans in the Wyoming Legislature, Case believes his record on the issue may have played a role in how close his race was.  

State legislators now have more power over abortion policy than they have in nearly 50 years, with the U.S. Supreme Court overturn of Roe vs. Wade in June.  

Case told Cowboy State Daily early on Tuesday – before his close win – that he hopes to get the state’s budget in line before the American Rescue Plan Act funding runs out, by making the state “fiscally responsible.”  

He also said Wyomingites should figure out how to deal with the U.S. Congress’ recently passed Inflation Reduction Act, which Case called “a gross misnomer” that will not reduce inflation but will harm the economy.  

Case has been a longtime proponent for imposing higher taxes on renewable energy companies setting up shop in Wyoming, particularly wind farms.   

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By Clair McFarland, Cowboy State Daily
Clair@CowboyStateDaily.com

Self-described conservative candidate Sarah Penn has won the Republican nomination for House District 33, centering on the Wind River Indian Reservation.  

Penn still has to challenge Democratic incumbent Rep. Andi LeBeau in the General Election to win the seat.  

This district is the only legislative district in Wyoming that must have a majority of racial-minority voters, by law. It’s about 67% American Indians.  

Penn was the only one of the three Republican contenders who is not a tribal member. She was challenged by Northern Arapaho tribal member Valaira Whiteman and Eastern Shoshone tribal member Wade LeBeau.  

She doubled her competitors’ votes combined, winning 842 votes to Whiteman’s 250 and LeBeau’s 138.

Penn said she was “pretty dang excited,” but also knew she had put in the legwork, and was grateful to those who helped her.  She added that there’s still a lot of work ahead heading into the November General Election.  

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By Clair McFarland, Cowboy State Daily
Clair@CowboyStateDaily.com

Wyoming House Majority Floor Leader Albert Sommers has won the Republican nomination for his district in and surrounding Pinedale.  

Sommers won with 2,113 votes Tuesday night against Mike Schmid, who had 1,193, and Bill Winney, who had 156.  

Sommers told Cowboy State Daily on Tuesday morning – hours before the voting ended – that he was too busy cutting hay to be nervous. He was also fixing a tractor.  

He said he hoped for a chance to fight for Wyoming water rights, the Sublette County economy, school funding and property tax reform.  

Local governmental control, as with school boards and other entities, is very important to him, Sommers said.  

“I’m so appreciative of all the people that have helped me during this campaign and have believed in me, and helped me carry this workload of what was a very substantial campaign,” he added.   

He also praised his constituents, saying when he knocked on doors people were “very civil,” even when they said they didn’t plan to vote for him.  

“I was pleased at that.”   

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Cowboy State Daily’s live election coverage begins at 7pm. Join us on our live blog.

By Leo Wolfson, political reporter
Leo@CowboyStateDaily.com

Some of the biggest national names in the Republican Party have been campaigning for U.S. House candidate Harriet Hageman in the final days of her primary campaign. 

On Monday, former President Donald Trump and Minority Speaker Leader of the House Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., both assisted with her Hageman’s campaign efforts. Incumbent U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney has been an adversary of Trump and McCarthy. 

Trump attended a telephone rally for Hageman on Monday night, but said few words besides thanking the audience. 

That same day, McCarthy was campaigning for Hageman in Jackson and did an interview with Fox News in front of the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort ski lift. Jackson is an area of strength for Cheney, as she and her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, own homes in Teton County, a county that tends to lean Democrat politically.  

Hageman has repeatedly criticized Cheney for participating in the Jan. 6 Committee. McCarthy, an outspoken critic of Cheney, described Tuesday’s primary as a “referendum” on the committee, which Cheney serves as vice chair of. 

“”The principle philosophy is less government, an idea of freedom in the aspect that just the concepts of a country that’s conceived in liberty and dedicated proposition that we’re all it has,” McCarthy said “and her (Cheney) whole focus has been against one individual, whether she has information or not, instead of focusing on her district itself.” 

Cheney described McCarthy’s comments as a “word salad” that doesn’t make sense.  

“Was there an actual sentence in there somewhere?” she questioned. 

She has said it’s her Constitutional duty to speak out against Trump, his attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, and his conduct related to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. 

McCarthy said he expects Hageman to win. He said this victory will give the Republican Party momentum nationwide and believes Republicans will win back a majority in the House, a feat that has not occurred since 2016.

“We’ll win the majority, and I’ll be speaker,” McCarthy said. 

Former U.S. Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas, said Trump had asked him and other Republicans to travel to Wyoming to canvas for Hageman, Fox News reported.  

McCarthy is one of a handful of Republican congress members to endorse Hageman or donate money to her campaign. A few moderate Republican and Democrat members of congress have endorsed Cheney.

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By Leo Wolfson, political reporter

Cowboy State Daily’s live election coverage starts at 7pm. Join our live blog.

Primary Election day is here in Wyoming.

With polls opening at 7 a.m. around the state Tuesday morning, voters have flooded their local polling places, electing candidates they believe will make Wyoming a better place.

Cheney vs. Hageman

The Republican primary for the U.S. House race between Rep. Liz Cheney and leading challenger Harriet Hageman has received national attention for months, with major media outlets writing hundreds of stories about the challengers. 

Recent polls suggest Hageman has a comfortable lead in the race but pre-election surveys are not always correct. One great example of this was in the 2016 presidential election, where very few polls predicted that former President Donald Trump would win.

Cheney will likely need a strong turnout from her supporters in the highly populated Natrona and Laramie counties, as well historic crossover voting from people previously registered as Democrats and Independents. 

A recent University of Wyoming poll suggests she does not have Independent voter support and not enough Democrats exist in the state to help her win. 

Many notable Democrats throughout the state have pledged support for Cheney, leading many to believe the election will feature historic levels of crossover voting.

Many, including the candidates, have made Trump a focus of the race, with Cheney speaking against the former president and Hageman supporting Trump and earning his endorsement.

Gray vs. Nethercott

The Secretary of State race is getting some of the most attention on a state level currently, as mudslinging between State Rep. Chuck Gray, R-Casper and State Sen. Tara Nethercott, R-Cheyenne has increased in the weeks leading up to primary day. 

Over the weekend, Gray released an advertisement featuring a number of false claims against Nethercott, including that she is being sued for defamation and under investigation for campaign finance violations. Nethercott has not been served with any lawsuit and the Secretary of State office has confirmed no investigation is taking place of her for campaign finance issues.

Gray did not respond to requests for comment to explain his allegations. 

He did file a complaint against her for failing to include the “paid for” line on her campaign signs, but this is not a legal requirement in Wyoming elections.

Nethercott has attacked Gray for his sources of campaign funding. Former Wyoming Secretary of State Max Maxfield, a Nethercott supporter, filed a Federal Election Commission complaint against Gray related to his 2021 U.S. House campaign, a document that was leaked to the media.

This document and finances for Gray’s current campaign show he has received a significant portion of his funding from his father. Nethercott and her supporters have criticized Gray for this.

Gordon vs. Bien vs. Rammell

The Republican primary for the Wyoming Governor’s race has not received nearly as much attention as it did in 2018, when Gov. Mark Gordon was elected.

Gordon’s opponents have mostly criticized him for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, with leading opponent Brent Bien saying the governor’s handling of this event was his main inspiration for running. Gordon has defended his handling of the pandemic and has cited the fact that Wyoming was one of the first states in the country to reopen its public schools in August 2020.

The majority of mudslinging in this race has been between Bien and fellow challenger Rex Rammell. Rammell has accused Bien of being ineligible to run in the race because he was recently serving in the military overseas. Last week, Rammell said he planned to file a lawsuit against the Secretary of State’s office for failing to take action on the matter.

Besides management of the pandemic, which both Rammell and Bien have said they would not have initiated shutdowns for, the candidates are fairly similar politically. Rammell is the most conservative of the three, saying he will confiscate all federal lands from the U.S. government immediately upon taking office.

Key State Legislature races

Western Wyoming

• Republican Senate 25: Cale Case (incumbent) vs. Shawn Olmstead
• Republican House 20: Albert Sommers (incumbent) vs. Mike Schmid vs. Bill Winney
• Republican Senate 15: Wendy Schuler (incumbent) vs. Bob Wharff
• Democrat House 23: Liz Storer vs. Ryan Sedgeley

Central Wyoming

• Republican Senate 29: Drew Perkins (incumbent) vs. Bob Ide
• Republican House 37: Steve Harshman (incumbent) vs. Steve Bray
• Republican House 58: Pat Sweeney (incumbent) vs. Bill Allemand

Northeast Wyoming

• Republican House 1: Ogden Driskill (incumbent) vs. Bill Fortner vs. Roger Connett
• Republican Senate 23: Eric Barlow vs. Patricia Junek (write-in candidate)
• Republican House 3: Rusty Bell vs. Abby Angelos

Southeast Wyoming

• Republican House 5: Shelly Duncan (incumbent) vs. Scott Smith
• Republican House 9: Landon Brown (incumbent) vs. Alan Sheldon vs. Dean Petersen
• Republican House 44: John Romero-Martinez (incumbent) vs. Michael Reyes vs. Tamara Trujillo
• Democrat House 11: James Byrd vs. Marguerite Herman

Northwest Wyoming

• Republican House 40: Barry Crago (incumbent) vs. Richard Tass
• Republican House 51: Cyrus Western (incumbent) vs. Bryan Miller
• Republican Senate 19: R.J. Kost (incumbent) vs. Dan Laursen vs. Ray Petersen
• Republican House 25: Chris Good vs. David Northrup vs. Troy Bray vs. Rex Rich

Cowboy State Daily will have non-stop, live primary election coverage beginning at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Tune in for a live blog of political analysis, the most up-to-date election coverage in the state and expert political analysis from the Cowboy State Daily team.

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By Jimmy Orr
Editor, Cowboy State Daily

Today is the day.  After what has seemed to be a never-ending primary season, Wyoming voters go to the polls on Tuesday.

Even on Tuesday morning, mobile phones were getting messages from candidates and PACs urging citizens to vote one way or the other.

Cowboy State Daily will start election coverage shortly before 7pm.

The live blog will be anchored by Jimmy Orr and Bill Sniffin with contributors from all around the state.

Leo Wolfson, who has been guiding you through the election season as our chief political reporter, will take point.  He will not only be writing the big stories but will be coordinating all of the data we’ll be getting in from our reporters from around the state.

Wendy Corr will be covering northwest Wyoming. Clair McFarland will handle western and central Wyoming. Josh Wood has southwestern Wyoming covered. Jen Kocher has the northeast. Ellen Fike has southeast Wyoming. Mark Heinz has more central Wyoming coverage.

It just wouldn’t be an election without commentary from Rod Miller and Cat Urbigkit. They’ll be here too offering up their colorful opinions.

What to expect from us:

The live blog will updated constantly.  When Bill and I get new information, we’ll post it.

Leo and others will be writing longer form stories as they develop.

We’ll start at 7pm and the coverage will be constant.

See you tonight.

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By Leo Wolfson, political reporter
Leo@CowboyStateDaily.com

At the age of six-years old, Secretary of State candidate Tara Nethercott saw the impact of politics firsthand. Her father and the rest of the officers with the Pinedale Police Department had just been laid off. 

“We (her family) immediately lost all of our income,” Nethercott told Cowboy State Daily on Sunday. “There was no consideration for the public service of the officers who had served the community and the force for a number of years, or the families they were supporting.” 

This experience stays with Nethercott today, she said, teaching her the value of serving as a thoughtful and patient lawmaker, leaving no stone unturned when voting for and crafting legislation. 

“It’s important to have good, kind, considerate people run for office,” she said. “There are real impacts on people’s lives.”  

Nethercott, a state senator from Cheyenne, is currently engaged in a vitriolic primary race with frontrunner challenger State Rep. Chuck Gray, R-Casper. Both parties have engaged in mudslinging and personal attacks against each other.  

Many see the race as a question on whether Wyoming’s elections are secure. Nethercott has said they are and has committed to managing the state’s current elections laws. Gray said these laws need to be tightened and has committed to enacting and lobbying for stricter regulations. 

Moving Up 

Nethercott has risen through the ranks for most of her life. After graduating from Riverton High School, she attended Central Wyoming College and the University of Wyoming. At UW, she also attended the school of law, where she served as student body president. 

Following law school in 2009, Nethercott started practicing law at a Cheyenne law firm and became a partner there in 2012.  

“I just was really focused on practicing law and community involvement and issues in Cheyenne,” Nethercott said. 

In 2016, former State Sen. Tony Ross announced he would not seek reelection. After receiving some prodding from community members, Nethercott decided to make her first run at the State Legislature. 

She said the general election of that campaign, when she ran against Democrat Ken Esquibel, reminds her in some ways of her current campaign for Secretary of State. 

“My Democrat opponent had some of the same tactics,” Nethercott said. 

She won the election by more than 20% of the vote.  

Once reaching the Legislature, Nethercott requested to be put on the Corporations, Political Subdivisions and Elections Committee because of her past experience in corporate law. She has been formally trained in securities regulation and has prosecuted securities crimes. 

“I think this is where I’m most useful and what I have the most interest in,” Nethercott said. 

She was granted that request and appointed to the Judiciary Committee. She has continued serving on both committees over the past five years. 

As a member of the Judiciary Committee, Nethercott has worked on establishing enhanced penalties for child sex traffickers, Medicaid fraud, strengthening laws against government waste and abuse, anti-trust amendments against meat packers, mental health injury coverage for first responders and sponsored a Bachelor’s degree program for Wyoming community colleges, a bill Gray co-sponsored. 

Nethercott has also served on the Plan for Aging Voting Equipment (PAVE) Task Force in 2017, a group that studies options for replacing Wyoming’s voting equipment safely. 

Gray has claimed Nethercott voted against his voter ID bill in the past. Nethercott never voted on the bill prior to voting for and co-sponsoring it in 2021.  

“This is not a bill you can get wrong on the first try because the end result you will get is the wrong one, disenfranchisement of legal voters,” Nethercott explained. 

Gray and other detractors of Nethercott have used this bill to argue that she waits to support legislation until she is confident a bill will pass.  

Nethercott both voted for and against the crossover voting bill in this year’s legislature, voting for it in her last vote from the Senate floor.   

She denies the characterization that she plays politics with bills and rather, argues she is patient and methodical with the development of bills, from crafting of the first draft to legal enactment. 

“It’s easy to be responsive to immediate fears, it’s easy to look for immediate gratification but ignore larger issues at place,” she said. “I want to feel like I’m doing something where I’m getting all the facts, which then usually means I’m acting in the most responsible way of serving Wyoming.” 

In 2021 Nethercott was awarded Legislator of the Year by Wyoming County Commissioners Association and in 2020, received the Person of the Year Award by the Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce. 

In May, Nethercott, 40, and Gray, 32, filed to run for Secretary of State when Ed Buchanan announced he would not run for reelection. No matter whether Nethercott or Gray win the race, Wyoming will have a young Secretary of State. 

“I think it’s good to have diversity in our elected officials,” Nethercott said. 

Current Race 

Gray has criticized Nethercott for having a lack of vision for the job because she does not want to make significant changes to current election laws and policies. 

“I’m not concerned about fraud in other states, I’m concerned about local elections,” Nethercott said. “Now, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be mindful of risks and that does not mean there can’t be challenges to how things are done in Wyoming.” 

Ballot drop boxes have been a major topic of the race as well. Gray adamantly opposes the boxes and has shown free screenings of the “2000 Mules” movie during his campaign. This movie argues that the 2020 Presidential election was fraudulent because people allegedly stuffed outdoor ballot boxes in key battleground states. 

Nethercott said Gray’s showing of this movie has sowed unwarranted doubt about the security of Wyoming’s elections. No footage from Wyoming was shown in the movie and Nethercott maintains that she does not think there is any fraud in Wyoming’s elections.  

“It’s a real disservice to undermine the public’s confidence in duly-elected county clerks,” Nethercott said. 

There were nine Wyoming counties that used ballot drop boxes during the 2020 election. Natrona County, where Gray calls home, kept theirs inside the elections office, the device was only accessible during business hours. 

Gray has clarified that although he doesn’t think Wyoming elections are currently fraudulent, he believes laws need to be enacted to keep it that way. Nethercott, in contrast, has said she wants to make the Secretary of State’s Office “boring again” by focusing on the statutory duties of the position. 

Nethercott has consistently expressed confidence in the security of Wyoming’s elections, citing the work she has done with the state’s 23 county clerks while serving on the Legislature. 

She said she would support legislation that Gray has proposed, preventing private donors like Facebook’s Mark Zuckerburg from donating funds to help the state run its elections. The funds Zuckerberg donated to Pennsylvania in 2020 were for nonpartisan, get-out-the-vote type efforts. 

But Nethercott said the Secretary of State doesn’t have the power to enact these and other changes. 

“The Secretary of State is not a lawmaker and that lies within our Wyoming Legislature,” she said during a July forum. “You have given them the power of your vote to make those laws. The Secretary of State is a rule follower, following the laws set by the Wyoming Legislature in the wake of the judicial branch, and it’s important that your Secretary of State knows that role and honors it, it is the rule of law.”  

Despite the focus on elections in this race, there are many other duties the Secretary of State is responsible for overseeing. 

The Secretary of State is responsible for all corporate formations and serves as a regulatory body for securities exchange, providing solutions to citizens who fall victim to financial fraud, the latter a sector Nethercott has about a dozen years of experience working in. The Secretary of State also serves on the State Board of Land Commissioners, State Building Commission and State Lands and Investments Board. 

Nethercott has expressed skepticism in the idea that foreign oligarchs are taking advantage of Wyoming’s lenient limited liability corporation and trust laws. The abuse of these laws was extensively detailed in a 2021 Washington Post report, which Gray has complimented. 

Gray has criticized Nethercott for receiving funding from political action committees, while he has received 95% of his campaign funding from his father.  

Nethercott has denied the categorization that she received significant amount of money from PACs. She has received $53,550 in PAC money during her campaign, 16% of her overall contributions. The Momentum 307 PAC was her biggest donor, giving her $24,000 over the course of the campaign through Aug. 9.  

Western Conservatives, a Colorado-based PAC has also supported her campaign significantly. 

Nethercott has received support from some of the biggest names in the Wyoming Legislature, with 10 current legislators, numerous former legislators and State GOP leaders donating to her campaign.  

State Sen. Dan Dockstader, R-Afton, an early candidate in the Secretary of State race, suspended his campaign in July and endorsed Nethercott. 

Also supporting Nethercott has been former Wyoming Secretary of State Max Maxfield, who filed a Federal Election Commission complaint against Gray. 

Although Gray hasn’t won as much support in the State Legislature, he has earned an endorsement from former President Donald Trump. 

Gray’s has taken notice of Nethercott’s support. He has used it to further his argument that she is part of a group of “insiders” within the State Legislature he vehemently opposes and led to his voter ID bill being shut down three times before passing.  

The “insider” accusation is one that Nethercott has responded to inconsistently throughout the campaign. After a July forum in Casper she found no fault with the description. 

“If being a fifth-generation Wyomingite who is respected then I’ll take the label,” Nethercott said. “I think that means I’m an effective lawmaker.”  

But during her Sunday interview, Nethercott said she does not consider herself to be an insider or part of the “political machine.” 

Gray has crafted campaign literature claiming Nethercott is being sued for slander and “lying” and that she is being investigated by the State of Wyoming for violating finance laws.  

Monique Meese, a communications director with the Secretary of State office, said no campaign finance investigation is taking place of Nethercott. 

Despite the nature of this race, Nethercott said she has enjoyed this campaign. 

“The experience has been humbling,” she said, expressing gratitude. “To engage with people around the state like this is something that I’ve never experienced before. It’s been overwhelming and enriching.”

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By Leo Wolfson, political reporter
Leo@CowboyStateDaily.com

State Rep. Chuck Gray’s passion for politics is undeniable. As one of the youngest members of the State Legislature, the Casper lawmaker has chosen political public service as a venue for where he would like to make a difference in society.  

He spoke about his views on the current state of politics during a forum at a Boys and Girls Club in Casper Aug. 8. 

“When someone stands for the truth against the insiders, they will do anything to maintain their power, anything,” Gray told the youth audience.   

Gray’s desire to run for Secretary of State of Wyoming is built on a distrust of elections in Wyoming and America. If elected, he said he will do everything in his power to make them more secure. The Secretary of State is in charge of managing the state’s elections. 

 “Election integrity is something that’s in my blood,” he said during a July forum. 

If elected, Gray promises to ban ballot drop boxes and make ballot harvesting a felony in Wyoming. To prove the need for these actions, he has been hosting free screenings of “2000 Mules” during his campaign, a movie that claims ballot boxes were stuffed in key, swing states, leading to President Joe Biden’s illegitimate election.  

These claims, which Gray has promoted, have caused a massive schism in the Secretary of State race. Gray’s leading opponent, State Sen. Tara Nethercott, Cheyenne, has vehemently pushed back on Gray, saying there was no significant fraud in American elections in 2020. She has promoted  her past collaboration with the state’s county clerks and plans to continue the existing election laws enforced in the state. 

Nethercott supports ballot drop boxes and sees removing these devices as an infringement on the public’s right to vote. 

Gray has attacked Nethercott for being weak on election security because of this stance. He claimed in some campaign literature that Nethercott would allow insecure drop boxes in Wyoming elections if elected. Nethercott said this claim is misleading and she supports the use of outdoor ballot boxes only as long as they are supervised, and their security can be guaranteed. Gray countered again, explaining he finds all drop box ballot boxes to be insecure. 

Nine counties in Wyoming offered outdoor ballot boxes during the 2020 election. No footage from Wyoming was shown in 2000 Mules. 

 Nethercott has said the Secretary of State does not have the power to eliminate drop boxes or enact measures Gray has promised. 

“If the Secretary of State thinks they want to make a felony, then they’re running for the wrong office and need to run for the Wyoming Legislature,” she said during a July forum between the candidates. “So, if you want to ban ballot boxes, you should run for the Wyoming Legislature.”   

After the July forum, Gray clarified to Cowboy State Daily that some of his election plans would have to take place through lobbying legislators, a move Nethercott said is appropriate only under certain circumstances.  

Mudslinging between the candidates intensified since that event, with Gray’s source of financial income coming under heavy scrutiny.  

Raised For Politics

For 12 years, Natrona County Republican Women Chair Kim Walker worked for Gray’s father, Jan Charles Gray, at Mount Rushmore Broadcasting, which owns seven Wyoming radio stations.  

Chuck Gray would come out to Wyoming each summer and stay with his father while growing up. Walker chaperoned Gray a few times as a child, remarking that he didn’t seem to like Wyoming in those years.  

Chuck Gray grew up outside Los Angeles and was homeschooled by his mother, who Jan Charles Gray divorced, Walker said. During the July forum, Gray reflected on the events that led up to him living with his mother. 

“I come from a divorced family, like many people in our country,” Gray said. “A judge said I was to live in a different place, but my dad lived here, built a business here, and I spent my summers here during the time that was allocated by the judge.” 

Walker said Jan Charles Gray was obsessed with the idea of his radio station impacting legislation in Washington, D.C. 

Gray graduated high school in 2008 and was accepted into the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business. 

During the Aug. 8 forum, Gray remembered the bleak outlook on the future he felt during the 2008 economic crash, saying he was particularly disturbed by the large corporate bailouts that occurred. 

“I’ll never forget the looks on those faces of all those people studying I-banking, I really decided then I didn’t want to do it,” he said. “I wanted to be a citizen that was going to be involved in my Republic.”  

While attending the Ivy League school, Gray also wrote a political column for the school’s student newspaper, The Daily Pennsylvanian. This platform was in many ways a precursor to the political ideology he espouses today.

His writings were consistent with the conservative views and passion for politics he holds today. He expresses concern with election security, opposes Obamacare, and advises Occupy protestors to “Get Better – not bitter.” 

He also revealed a tender side in one Valentine’s Day piece, referencing a love letter former President Ronald Reagan sent to his wife Nancy Reagan. 

“Some of us may never have the extraordinary luck to find a Valentine Life,” Gray wrote. “But if it is obtained, a Valentine Life does not only last one day. A Valentine Life is forever.” 

In his biography for the paper, Gray is listed as being from Casper. 

Gray graduated from the school in 2012 with a Bachelor’s degree from the business school and another from the university’s School of Arts and Sciences.  

By 2013, Gray was living in Wyoming full time and hosting a conservative talk show on his family’s 1230 AM KVOC. During the Casper forum, Gray said it was this medium that gave him a final push into his political career. 

“Started talking about conservative issues. That got me involved in politics,” Gray said during the July forum.  

Political Life 

Gray ran for State House in 2014 against former representative Thomas Lockhart. He lost the election, but only by 49 votes to the longtime legislator. 

Lockhart retired after his next term, clearing the way for Gray to win the House District 57 seat by a healthy margin.  This district encompasses East and Central Casper. He has won every election since by a landslide. 

Gray has staked his claim in the Legislature as one of the most conservative lawmakers. He is a five-time Conservative Political Alliance Conference award winner, and has won other awards from various conservative groups.

Gray sponsored Wyoming’s first ultrasound bill in 30 years and stopped the University of Wyoming from covering abortion in their student healthcare plans with a budget amendment. For efforts like these, he was awarded the Platinum Award from Wyoming Right to Life.

“I’ve watched Chuck’s integrity,” said Rep. Mark Jennings, R-Sheridan, who has endorsed Gray’s Secretary of State campaign. “I believe he’s very sincere, very in-depth always making sure his thoughts are put together.”

Gray proposed voter ID bills in 2019 and 2020 that did not pass before the Legislature.

During the July forum, Gray expressed frustration with the “insiders” at the State Capitol who he accused of preventing his bill from getting passed. He included Nethercott in this group.

“The coalition of the Democrats and the insiders that unfortunately, do one thing in Cheyenne and then come back home and run on something different, three times in a row they stopped that bill,” he said.

With the help and collaboration of a few other legislators, Gray was able to pass his voter ID bill in 2021.

It was shortly after this success, Gray announced his candidacy for U.S. House, vowing to bring down Cheney.

Gray campaigned throughout the state that summer but failed to receive an endorsement from Former President Donald Trump, support seen by many at the time as key to beating the congresswoman. Six days after Harriet Hageman received Trump’s endorsement, Gray announced he was pulling out of the race.

“Distractions”

During the Secretary of State race, the source of Gray’s campaign funding has come into question. 

Jan Charles Gray funded nearly all of his son’s U.S. House run and gave him $500,000, 95% of his total funding, for his current Secretary of State campaign. 

Gray’s father also poured $50,000 into Gray’s State House campaign a few days after the legislator announced he was forgoing that seat to run for Secretary of State.

In an interview with Cowboy State Daily Wednesday, Gray said he is grateful for his family and the help they’ve provided him.

“I’m grateful to my family for stepping up to counter these liberal attacks with funds from family businesses that I helped to build,” he said. “Family business is key to Wyoming’s success and people in family businesses should be able to run for office.”

Walker said Mt. Rushmore Broadcasting had a long history of not paying debts, souring many people’s impression of Jan Charles Gray. 

In 2016, The FCC fined the station $25,000 in 2016 for not staffing the stations during business hours.

The company was also ordered to pay back wages in 2015 to former employees, after it was sued by the U.S. Department of Labor. 

“People in small business, we don’t have a lot of salary, our income is off our business,” Gray said during an Aug. 8 forum. 

Mt. Rushmore received more than $28,000 in federal dollars through the federal COVID-19 relief Paycheck Protection Program but Gray voted this year against a bill allowing the state to spend pandemic relief funds.

Despite only making around $10,000 a year working at the radio station, and only a slightly higher annual wage working at the State Legislature, Gray made a nearly $300,000 donation to his own U.S. House campaign fund. He has said this money came as the result of an inheritance from his grandfather and has denied all allegations of fraudulent activity.  

“Those funds were my funds,” he said during the forum last Monday. “Shame on Ms. Nethercott for taking advantage politically of my grandfather’s passing. I’m not taking money from PACs like my opponent. I’m not bought and they know that.”  

Jennings said he finds it hypocritical that many people expressed support in 2016 for former President Donald Trump self-funding most of his presidential campaign, but now those same people are attacking Gray for doing the same thing. 

Gray framed himself as coming from a small family business background during the Aug. 8 forum. He has described questions about his finances as a distraction from the race and a way to avoid looking at Nethercott’s voting record. 

In addition to overseeing elections, the Secretary of State registers and authorizes all businesses operating in the state. It also regulates the state’s securities industry and enforces securities law and serves on the State Board of Land Commissioners, State Building Commission, State Loan and Investment Board and serves as chair of the State Canvassing Board. 

“I define economic development … in terms of funding key infrastructure projects that our state needs so that our communities continue to grow around them,” Gray said during the July forum. Gray said he doesn’t view economic development as picking winners and losers, which he said “insiders” are guilty of.

Gray has kept a contentious relationship with the media throughout the campaign, only responding to questions by text messages and accusing the Casper Star Tribune and Cowboy State Daily of conspiring against him. 

Last week, Gray received Trump’s backing in his Secretary of State campaign, an endorsement that he has sought since his 2021 U.S. House campaign. Like Trump, Gray has sowed doubt about the security of America’s elections. But during the July forum, Gray explained that he sees many of his future plans as ways to get ahead of a problem. 

“We need someone that is going to be vibrantly getting things done,” Gray said during the Casper forum. “Not someone who says, ‘everything’s fine, let’s look away.’”

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By Clair McFarland, Cowboy State Daily
Clair@CowboyStateDaily.com

An established legislative leader and a determined write-in candidate are vying for the State Senate District 23 seat, for Campbell and Converse Counties, in Tuesday’s Republican Primary Election.    

Speaker of the Wyoming House of Representatives, Rep. Eric Barlow, R-Gillette, announced his resignation from the House last year. By this spring, he had announced his run for the Senate seat, for which Republican incumbent Sen. Jeff Wasserburger has chosen not to run.   

Write-in candidate Patricia Junek is challenging Barlow. She also lives in Gillette and describes herself as a solid conservative.   

Junek said she never intended to run for office, but has been displeased with Barlow’s voting record.  She said legislator-ranking site Wyorino.com shows Barlow as voting along the Republican Party platform about 10% of the time throughout his career.    

She said voters in the region noticed her while she was volunteering as an activist for election integrity bills in the Wyoming Legislature.    

“People… asked me to run,” said Junek. “At first I said ‘no,’ over and over, and in the end, when no one else filed to run against Barlow, we just could not let him go unopposed.”    

Transgender Legislation   

Specifically, Junek disputed Barlow’s vote not to introduce the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act on the final Tuesday of the legislative session in March. The bill would have barred biological males from competing in girls’ school sports.    

Junek believes Barlow’s position, that there wasn’t enough time to cultivate the bill, was an excuse for what she called a pattern of “not representing the people of Wyoming.”   

“In my doorbell campaigning, maybe 98% of the people I talked to, hands down, believe that boys should not be competing in girls’ sports,” said Junek.    

‘Not A Vote On The Merits’   

Barlow did not return two voicemails and an email requesting comment.    

However, another House Rep. Ember Oakley, R-Riverton, told Cowboy State Daily that for many of the 37 representatives voting not to introduce the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act, including herself, the vote was about deadlines.    

“There is an agreed-upon deadline between the House and the Senate in which to consider bills,” said Oakley, adding that deadlines are “especially important” in the shorter budget sessions occurring on even-numbered years. In the year following a census, legislators also have a duty to approve a re-districting of the legislative voter districts.    

“Based on both very real-time limitations and statutory deadlines, legislators will vote ‘nay’ on the further introduction of bills,” Oakley continued. “It is not a vote on the merits of the bill; often (the bills) are good. This is a basic function of the Legislature – and to assert that many of these bills were voted against because of the content of them is false.”   

Oakley looks forward personally to working on the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act in the upcoming legislative session, which begins in January.    

Sen. Wendy Schuler, R-Evanston, who sponsored the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act, wrote a March op-ed in Cowboy State Daily calling its failure “disappointing.” As it stands, the Wyoming High School Athletics Association has a permissive appeals process by which transgender students can compete in the sport of their choice.   

Small Government   

Junek describes herself as an advocate for small government who is also “pro-life, pro-God, pro-Second Amendment and pro-family.”    

She would not vote for Medicaid expansion, Junek added.    

“It would take a lot for me to ever vote to increase government reach into our personal lives,” she said.    

Junek is a retired small-business owner and college instructor. Her former business, a cleaning business, grew from 500 customers when she bought it to 5,000 customers when it was sold.  She and her husband Mark now own The Lodge – A Wyoming Man’s Salon, in Gillette.  

Junek learned about how burdensome “government overreach” can be while running her business, she said.   

She has lived in Wyoming for eight years and in Gillette for six. She is originally from the eastern portion of Washington state, but said she’s always been a Wyomingite in her heart.    

“My entire adult life, my conservative views in any state or national election didn’t matter, didn’t count,” she said. “So I was thrilled and excited to move to Wyoming, to a state that represented who I have always been.”    

Junek said she has no agenda except to serve the people of Wyoming.    

“I am simply trying to step up and give voters a choice,” she said.    

One Decade In   

Barlow was first elected to the House in 2012 and has been serving since 2013. He was assigned to chair his first committee in 2017 and has held multiple leadership posts since. He became Speaker of the House – the chamber’s highest rank – in 2021.    

He is a veterinarian and rancher by trade and served as a US Marine in the Cold War era, from 1984-1988. 

Barlow co-sponsored several bills this year and last. Some of these include:   

A bill to decriminalize and cultivate medical marijuana;    

A bill requiring employers to extend COVID-19 vaccine mandate exemptions to their employees;   

A bill making it a felony to ingest methamphetamine while pregnant;    

A bill expanding the state’s ability to fight the federal government’s actions to stifle the coal industry;     

A bill banning abortionists from providing abortions solely because of fetal disabilities or abnormalities, the baby’s sex, race, or ancestry. (This bill was crafted before it was constitutionally possible to ban abortion outright.)   

These did not pass, but one of Barlow’s sponsored bills, House Bill 123, requiring the environmental quality council to establish rules for uses and disposal of waste in non-coal mining sites did pass this year, and has become law.    

Another bill co-sponsored by Barlow that passed was House Bill 82, which extends Wyoming veteran honorable-discharge benefits to military veterans who were discharged from the service for refusing to take the COVID-19 vaccination.    

Barlow voted in favor of Wyoming’s trigger ban, that is, a ban on nearly all abortions. The trigger ban couldn’t pass into law until the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade in June.    

Although deemed legal by the Wyoming Attorney General and certified by the governor in late July, the state’s trigger ban has now been paused as a coalition of abortion advocates are challenging its constitutionality in Teton County District Court.    

“If elected I will continue listening, learning, and finding solutions that serve your needs, and Wyoming’s best interests,” Barlow wrote on his Facebook campaign page.    

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By Leo Wolfson, political reporter
Leo@CowboyStateDaily.com

In her last ad of the primary election cycle, Wyoming’s U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney never directly asked people to vote for her. She does ask them to join in her fight against former President Donald Trump.  

“We are stronger, more dedicated, and more determined than those trying to destroy our Republic,” Cheney said in the ad released last Thursday. “This is our great task and we will prevail. I hope you will join me in this fight.” 

Trump is the focal point of the commercial, and in many ways, has been the focus of her entire U.S. House reelection campaign. Cheney has repeatedly referred to standing up for the Constitution as her motivation to speak out against Trump while representing a state he won by a larger margin than any other in the 2020 election. 

The ad is called “The Great Task,” sharing a similar title to the Great Task Political Action Committee, which has raised money on her behalf during the current campaign. 

In the ad, Cheney criticizes Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election. 

“America cannot remain free if we abandon the truth,” Cheney said. “The lie that 2020 presidential election was stolen is insidious. It preys on those who love their country.” 

Never mentioned in the commercial is Cheney’s lead opponent, Harriet Hageman. 

Hageman has been endorsed by Trump and has fully embraced his platform, recently announcing for the first time at a forum that she believes the 2020 election was rigged. 

““Absolutely the election was rigged. It was rigged to make sure that President (Donald) Trump could not get reelected,” Hageman said during the event hosted by the Natrona County Republican Women Aug. 3. 

Choosing to not mention one’s opponent, while referencing a third party not running in the race, is a mostly unprecedented political move, particularly in a candidate’s final messaging of their campaign. 

Cheney has spoken against Trump since he started questioning the results of the 2020 election. She is currently serving as vice chair of the Jan. 6 Committee. 

“I will work everyday to ensure that our exceptional nation long endures,” Cheney said in the ad. “My children and your children must grow up in an America where we have honorable and peaceful transitions of power. Not violent confrontations, intimidation, and thuggery.” 

Towards the end of the two-minute-and-20-second commercial, Cheney tries to bridge a connection with Democrats and Independents for her cause. 

“No matter how long we must fight, this is a battle we will win. Millions of Americans across our nation – Republicans, Democrats, Independents – stand united in the cause of freedom,” she said. 

Cheney has been encouraging Democrats to change their party affiliation to vote for her in the Republican primary.  

A recent University of Wyoming poll shows that she has been unsuccessful with gaining the support of a large majority of Independent voters, a demographic UW Political Science professor Jim King finds key to her chance of reelection. 

Last week on Fox News the Cheney team started airing a different ad.  It featured an endorsement from her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney. In the ad, Dick Cheney refers to Trump as a “coward.” 

“It’s important not only for Fox News viewers, but for the network’s hosts and top executives, to hear former Vice President Cheney’s warning about the ongoing danger Donald Trump and his lies pose to our constitutional republic,” Cheney spokesman Jeremy Adler said in a press release. 

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By Jimmy Orr, Cowboy State Daily

It’s a weird conclusion to a weird congressional race.

Former U.S. Sen. Al Franken on Saturday announced he was endorsing Wyoming’s Liz Cheney in her re-election bid.

While doing so, the longtime comedian and one of the most liberal members of Congress in his short-lived stint in public service, said sarcastically that his endorsement will certainly boost Cheney’s campaign.

“I’ve decided to endorse Liz Cheney for the Republican nomination for the House seat In Wyoming,” Franken tweeted.  “It’s my first time endorsing in a GOP primary. But I think Al Franken’s support will carry a lot of weight with WY Republicans.”

Franken, who had a more successful career on Saturday Night Live than he did in the U.S. Senate, lasted 10 years in Congress resigning in early 2018 after sexual misconduct allegations.

Not surprisingly, Cheney did not retweet his support although many Republicans did and not in flattering ways.

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, who has already endorsed Cheney challenger Harriet Hageman, said “Kinda says it all,” in his retweet.

Conservative columnist Kurt Schlichter acknowledged the endorsement as well prefacing his retweet by saying, “Noted sexual harasser makes his choice.”

While Sirius XM radio host and fellow comedian Tim Young tweeted the photo which doomed Franken along with the words “That’s a very gripping endorsement, Al.”

The primary election in Wyoming is on Tuesday, August 16.

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By Leo Wolfson, political reporter
Leo@CowboyStateDaily.com

The race for House District 3 in Gillette is like many others throughout the state, an election between a more experienced politician and anti-establishment candidate.

“I’m not involved with a lobbyist and I’m not “experienced” in politics,” Republican challenger Abby Angelos said.

It’s a sentiment shared by a number of candidates statewide this year, promoting their lack of political experience as a reason why voters should elect them.

Angelos considers herself a “statesman” rather than a politician.

“Politicians are only looking to the next election, where a statesman is looking to the future,” she said.

Angelos is taking on challenger Rusty Bell, a current Campbell County commissioner,  in the Aug. 16 primary. Current HD 3 Republican Rep. Eric Barlow is running for the State Senate.

Both Bell and Angelos are Gillette natives.

The Candidates

Bell, a taxidermist, is also a member of the Wyoming Game and Fish Wildlife Task Force. He is a founding member of the Wyoming Sportsmans Group non-profit, a member of the Campbell County DUI Taskforce and Co-chair of the Governor’s Council for Impaired Driving. He is also on a business committee for the Campbell County Chamber of Commerce.

“I’ve worked on a lot of individual or bills related to this experience through the legislature,” he said.

Bell has provided assistance to legislators on the severance tax reduction for the coal industry and the 90/10 once in a lifetime change for moose, sheep, mountain goat, bison and grizzly bear hunting tags.  

Currently, the Task Force is also considering 90/10 license allocations for nonresident elk, deer and antelope tags in harder-to-draw areas, which are those with a 30% chance or less drawing odds. There has also been consideration for a weighted bonus point system for drawing moose and bighorn sheep licenses.  If initiated, this would broaden the opportunity for more people to have a chance at drawing one of the most coveted licenses — even those with fewer preference points.

These issues have been highly contentious, drawing more than 4,000 comments from the public.

“Sometimes what people want is the status quo,” he said.

Bell is also a member of the Wyoming County Commissioners Association (WCCA) Executive Board and a chair on the WCCA’s Revenue Committee.

“I’m just experienced,” he said. “I’ve got the demeanor and temperament to help Campbell County work through some of the issues.”

Angelos runs a gunsmithing and firearms business with her husband in Gillette. 

“My reason for running comes down to what does the future of Campbell County and Wyoming look like?” Angelos questioned. “Will the Wyoming way of life and our conservative values be protected for not only my children but all our children?”

Angelos, a mother of three, said she is concerned about “radical” gender ideology, Critical Race Theory, the war on fossil fuels and too much dependence on federal funds, in Wyoming’s future.

Angelos has expressed some strong views on her campaign Facebook page. She has attacked the Wyoming Education Association and said in one post that “the family unit (is) being destroyed by media, some radicals in education and government policies.”

Angelos is firmly pro-life and has an endorsement from Wyoming Right To Life. She also has been endorsed by Gun Owners of America. 

She was one of many candidates targeted statewide in an ad campaign put out by the Western Conservatives political action committee, which accused her of being “All Hat, No Cattle,” lacking a voting record on taxes, spending or parental control in education.

“Of course, candidates have every right to compare and contrast themselves to their opponent, but these mailers were absurd, reckless, and potentially offensive,” Angelos said in a Facebook post. 

She said Bell personally reached out to her and apologized for the mailers and said he had nothing to do with this campaign.

Business/Energy

Angelos said she wants to cut business regulation and continue to harness Campbell County’s large energy industries.

“Wyoming has the benefit of low taxes due to the extraction industries and is the home of the hardest working people,” she said. “Lower taxes, less government regulation and less red tape. Simple, let’s keep the government and regulations out of the way to allow Wyoming residents to start those small businesses that drive an economy.”

Angelos said she differs from Bell on fiscal responsibility and depending on federal funds.

“We have become so dependent on federal funds and we are now seeing the current administration dictate how we use those funds, we all know (Washington) D.C. does not share Wyoming’s values and every time we take federal funds we tie a string right back to D.C. to dictate how they want us to use them,” she said.

Although Bell acknowledges the world is starting to move away from coal, he said it will continue to be a necessary fossil fuel in America’s long term future. 

“Coal and natural gas are really vital for the U.S. power grid,” he said.

Bell is optimistic about the future of coal and said carbon capture and sequestration, carbon dioxide storage, and hydrogen energy could all provide many opportunities for Wyoming.

“Wyoming can continue to lead in all energy categories,” he said.

Bell said if elected, he will continue to work on alleviating burdens on the mining industry and its infrastructure,  a matter he has testified before the joint minerals committee on. 

Although he supports green energy and said the global marketplaces is moving to support these industries, he said there needs to be a better system put in place for storing these alternative types of power before Wyoming and the country can become too dependent on those sources.

Angelos does not want the state to move away from its dependence on fossil fuels for revenue, a source for about 50% of Wyoming’s income. 

“There is nothing wrong with being reliant on fossil fuels, they are needed and our current power grid cannot survive without them,” she said. “No one in the country does fossil fuels cleaner, more efficiently, and better than our Wyoming residents that work in the industries.” 

Education

Bell said he would consider consolidating smaller school districts in Wyoming. A recent study found these consolidation efforts would save the state around $13 million.

“That’s a lot of money,” Bell said.

Angelos opposes the teaching of CRT and gender ideology in Wyoming’s schools.

“I have been talking with hundreds of parents in my district and they are concerned about this political ideology,” Angelos said. “We are all created equally with the same opportunities. Teaching our young people that some are privileged because of skin color and some will never be able to make anything of themselves because all of society is racist and against them is wrong.”

She said tackling gender ideology in schools will be a priority for her if elected. In 2021, a transgender magician was prevented from performing a show at a Gillette library.

“This entire push to teach radical gender ideology to children should be left up to parents at home, not the schools,” Angelos said.

She also supports the “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act,” a bill proposed in this year’s legislature that would have made it illegal for youth athletes to compete in a sport opposite from the gender of their  birth. The bill passed the State Senate but was not considered in the House.

“This had support from both sides of the aisle and we need to pass legislation to protect our students, some of whom are sisters, daughters, granddaughters, and nieces,” Angelos said.

Bell said he wants to protect education but make budget cuts possible. He is concerned about the exodus of young people leaving the state each year.

“We can’t continue to export that,” he said. “It’s detrimental for Wyoming. We have to keep that in Wyoming.”

There is no Democratic candidate running in this race.

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By Leo Wolfson, political reporter
Leo@CowboyStateDaily.com

Two Wyoming legislators are speaking out against Secretary of State candidate Chuck Gray’s claims that Gray was the reason a voter ID bill passed in 2021. 

Gray, a Republican representative from Casper, was the lead sponsor on this bill. Reps. Evan Simpson, R-Afton and Dan Zwonitzer, R-Cheyenne, have come out publicly in recent days, saying Gray mostly took credit for a similar bill Simpson had written. 

“It was clear we had different motives,” Simpson wrote in a letter to the editor in Cowboy State Daily on Thursday. “Mr. Gray wanted the glory and prestige of being the “author” of the bill; I simply just wanted a clean bill that would pass the legislature (t)his time and be easy to implement.” 

Gray has made the voter ID bill one of his crowning achievements while campaigning for Secretary of State. The bill fits squarely within his platform to strengthen election security, promising to remove ballot drop boxes and make ballot harvesting a felony if elected. 

Gray crafted voter ID bills in 2019 and 2020 that did not pass. Zwonitzer said these bills failed because they were too restrictive and did not have the support of lobbying groups such as AARP, which represents senior citizens. This is a demographic that often does not have up-to-date driver’s licenses, one of the requirements Gray was pushing for in his earlier bills.

Lawmaking 

After two years of waiting, Simpson said he wanted to get a voter ID bill through that could pass, so he drafted his own in 2021.  He did not consult Gray prior to doing so. Gray had already created his own voter ID bill that session, for the third year in a row. 

“I did the research on voter ID laws and drafted a bill that was straight forward and effective,” Simpson wrote. 

Simpson said when Gray caught wind that he was drafting a similar bill, the Casper representative was not happy. 

“It was at that time that I received a phone call from Mr. Gray,” Simpson said.  “He was upset and quite condescending.  He demanded to know what I was doing. He had drafted yet another bill and felt that he had earned the privilege to be the sponsor.” 

Zwonitzer said it’s common for two similar bills to be created in the same legislature but said the sponsor of these mirror bills typically collaborate with each other. They work on the bill that has the best chance of passing. 

Simpson said Gray agreed to have Gray remove the verbiage from his bill and insert the main language from Simpson’s bill and coordinate with AARP and other lobbyists, with Gray taking lead sponsorship. 

“This was a decision I now regret seeing how he is taking all the credit for writing and passing the voter ID bill,” Simpson wrote, saying these claims raise questions about his honesty and integrity. 

Zwonitzer, chair of the House Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Committee, said Gray also called him and demanded Zwonitzer pull Simpson’s bill. Zwonitzer said he thought Simpson’s bill was better, so he refused. 

Zwonitzer said he spoke with Simpson about the matter, and the two had concerns Gray might vote against Simpson’s voter ID bill. 

Angry And Combative

Simpson said after refusing to give in to Gray’s demands during the first call, Gray called him a few days later and continued to “badger” him about dropping his bill, becoming angry and combative.  

“I told him I would hang up if he didn’t calm down to discuss the issue,” Simpson said.

Zwonitzer said this behavior is consistent with the way Gray typically carries himself in the legislature. He said Gray has never been concerned with the traditional decorum expected of the body, lacking emotional empathy, tactfulness, and interpersonal social skills. 

“He’s very self-centric, not a mover-shaker,” Zwonitzer said. “He’s more, ‘agree to my demands,’ and if you don’t, ‘why don’t you agree with me?’ He’s not very smooth.” 

“It’s his way or the highway,” Zwonitzer said. 

Bad Reputation

Zwonitzer said also plaguing Gray’s bills, is his reputation within the Legislature. Zwonitzer said about 50% of the state’s legislators refuse to work with Gray on any bill. 

“He’s burned that many bridges,” Zwonitzer, the most senior member of the House, told Cowboy State Daily on Friday morning. 

But Gray does have the support of Rep. Mark Jennings, R-Sheridan, Rep. Jeremy Haroldson, R-Wheatland, and Rep. John Bear, R-Gillette. Gray is also supported by most of the House Freedom Caucus, State Treasurer Curt Meier and former President Donald Trump. 

Gray has often cast his opponents and his leading Secretary of State opponent, State Sen. Tara Nethercott, R-Cheyenne,  in a negative light as “insiders.”

“In the last days of our campaign the (U.S. Rep.) Liz Cheney/Tara Nethercott establishment and the Cowboy State Daily are pulling out all the lies they can,” Gray told Cowboy State Daily Friday morning.

“Not Qualified”

Rep. Landon Brown, R-Cheyenne, also spoke out against Gray on Thursday. 

“Be smart, recognize that Chuck is not qualified for this level of authority,” Brown said, endorsing Nethercott. “His inability to work with his own colleagues in the House proves his inability to accomplish anything.” 

Zwonitzer did compliment Gray as being intelligent and passionate about his job and said Gray will let old disagreements pass with people who agree to work with him in the present.  

Gray responded to Zwonitzer and Simpson’s account of events without addressing their comments and instead said it was a personal attack by Cowboy State Daily. 

“Wayne Hughes, who is funding the secretive PAC attacking me, is the main investor for the Cowboy State Daily paying the editor and reporter printing lies about me,” he said.

The “secretive” organization Gray refers to is the Wyoming Hope Political Action Committee, which Cowboy State Daily owner Wayne Hughes Jr. donated money to. This PAC has endorsed Nethercott and given $10,000 to her campaign, which meets disclosure laws.

Gray has been under scrutiny for alleged failures to comply with federal disclosure laws for the U.S. House race before he dropped out to run for secretary of state. Gray has denied these allegations and said he got the funds in an inheritance from his grandfather.

Recent Wyoming disclosures show he also has 95% of his campaign funding from a single source with $500,000 coming from his father, who himself is reportedly out of compliance with the Secretary of State business division for failure to file statutory business disclosures.

In describing the mission of Wyoming Hope, chairman Diemer True said it’s approach is, “Let’s back right-minded, proven conservative candidates who can govern effectively for Wyoming people.”

Attack The Media

Criticizing the media or saying the media is involved in a conspiracy against him for questions or stories that Gray doesn’t like has been a standard response for the candidate.

According to WyoFile, Gray declined to answer questions about his past employment, professional experience, or other qualifying attributes for the Secretary of State job. He has repeatedly criticized the Casper Star Tribune, which he describes as the “Red Star,” for that publication’s coverage of him. 

Gray described a Federal Election Commission complaint filed against him as an attempt by the Casper Star Tribune and the complainant to smear him and his candidacy. Former Wyoming Secretary of State Max Maxfield, filer of the complaint, has endorsed Nethercott’s candidacy. 

Gray will typically only answer questions when they are sent to him over cell phone, which is what he instructed Cowboy State Daily and WyoFile to do following a debate held in Casper earlier this month. 

Zwonitzer, who is supporting Nethercott, said he has found her to be an easier legislator to work with. 

“With Nethercott I have more of a long-term relationship,” he said. “She builds bridges and works towards more respectful interactions. It’s a different approach.” 

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By Leo Wolfson, political reporter
Leo@CowboyStateDaily.com

U.S. House candidate Harriet Hageman’s lead has grown against U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney, according to a University of Wyoming survey released Thursday morning.  

According to a July 25-Aug. 6 survey that yielded 562 responses, Hageman is now leading Cheney by 28 points. This is up from the 22% lead Hageman held over Cheney in a Casper Star Tribune poll conducted in mid-July. 

The survey did not use registered voter lists and only surveyed people who said they were likely to vote in the Republican primary. 

“Given the unique attention this race is receiving, and the accompanying increases in voter registration and potential party switching, we decided to field this survey to a random sample of all Wyoming residents on cellphones and landlines and work to identify likely voters in the GOP primary,” said Brian Harnisch, director of the Wyoming Survey and Analysis Center. “When looking only at residents who say they are Republican and likely voters in the primary, we actually see Hageman leading by roughly 50 points.” 

In the most recent poll, 57% of voters expressed support for Hageman, while 28% said they planned to vote for Cheney. 

“The race for the Republican nomination appears to be a referendum on Cheney, as it usually is when an incumbent seeks reelection,” said Jim King, a professor of political science at UW, in a press release for the poll. 

Of those who expressed support for Hageman, 16% said President Joe Biden’s election was legitimate and 72% percent said there is solid evidence of widespread voter fraud. This was compared to the 94% of Cheney supporters who said Biden’s win was legitimate and the 3% of her supporters who thought there was widespread voter fraud. 

The margin of error for the primary survey is plus or minus 4 percentage points.  

Sixty-six percent of people supporting Cheney said they were voting for her solely on her qualifications. Of those voting for another candidate, 41% said they were doing so as a vote against Cheney.

Among Wyoming residents who identify as Democrats and likely voters, roughly half said they will vote in the Republican primary. Among this group, Cheney received 98% support. Among people who identify as Republican and are likely to vote in the primary, 15% said they will be voting for Cheney.  

Based on the survey results, King does not expect crossover voting to play a major role in the final primary election results. 

Of those surveyed, 8% were Democrats, and 21% Independents. A total of 88% said they are currently registered as Republicans. 

Cheney holds a 2% lead among Independent voters. 

King has said previously he considers the support of Independent voters a more significant predictor of Cheney’s success than Democrats. He said Cheney’s inability to dominate Hageman among Independents and remain competitive with her among Republicans is not a good sign for the congresswoman’s re-election hopes. 

In the 2020 primary election, 61% of registered voters turned out to vote.  If 60% of people registered to vote turn out for Tuesday’s primary, which is about how many did in 2020, it would still not be enough for party switchers to change the election outcome, according to Harnisch.

“Back-of-the-napkin math says that number could represent as many as 20,000 votes in the GOP primary from currently registered Democrats, compared to as many as 200,000-plus votes from registered Republicans,” Harnisch said. 

State Sen. Anthony Bouchard, R-Cheyenne finished third in the race with 1.7% of the poll vote, while 9.8% of people saying they did not know who they will vote for.  

In the UW survey for the Wyoming governor’s race, Gov. Mark Gordon won by a healthy margin, beating top contender Brent Bien by 40% of the vote. Other challenger Rex Rammell earned 3.5%. 

There are still many undecided voters in this race, with 24.7% saying they are unsure which candidate will win their support, according to the poll. 

A news website or mobile application was the most common source of political information for the surveyed voters. Cable television followed this medium, with print media in a distant third. 

Most of those surveyed had at least some college education.

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