Wyoming Primaries and 2026 Election

Overview

It’s summer in Wyoming, and people across the state are gearing up for an exciting election season as candidates hit the campaign trail. This year, Wyomingites will vote on an open U.S. Senate seat, its lone congressional seat, and all statewide elected positions, including governor.

Wyoming is an ultra-conservative state, so at first blush it might seem like a sleepy election cycle with Republicans likely to dominate. After all, all of Wyoming’s congressional delegation and statewide elected officials are Republicans. Further, both chambers of the legislature hold a Republican supermajority, with 29 of its 31 Senate seats and 56 of its 62 House seats held by the party. As a result, most elections will be decided in the primary election on Aug. 18, 2026.

But the races are anything but dull. In Wyoming, political alliances within the Republican Party often pit candidates viewed as more moderate against hard-right party loyalists. Decoding who’s who on the conservative political spectrum can be tricky for those who don’t live in the Cowboy State. However, candidates who talk about finding “Wyoming solutions to Wyoming problems” tend to be more moderate, while hard-right candidates often adopt slogans and principles aligned with the Wyoming Freedom Caucus.

The Freedom Caucus controlled the Wyoming House chamber this last session, indicating they had backing from at least 32 members to elect leaders such as Speaker Chip Neiman, Majority Floor Leader Scott Heiner, Speaker Pro Tempore Jeremy Haroldson and Majority Whip Ocean Andrew. However, the Freedom Caucus publishes a list with only 15 House members, prompting questions about the identities of the other supportive legislators. The caucus has openly acknowledged that it does not disclose all of its members; Rep. John Bear, emeritus chairman of the Freedom Caucus, has stated, “We’re never going to tell everybody who all the members are.” As a result, legislative races are shaped less by party labels and more by where each candidate lands along Wyoming’s broad and often opaque conservative spectrum.

This election could affect the business climate in Wyoming, particularly for the state’s energy industry. For example, the state has welcomed data centers in recent years, and some new projects will rely on new natural gas-fired generation, thereby supporting the state’s oil and gas industry. Despite President Trump’s call to advance American artificial intelligence (AI) innovation to strengthen America’s cybersecurity, protect critical infrastructure, and ensure the United States remains the global leader in AI innovation, some self-proclaimed conservative candidates have pledged to ban data centers—a position that aligns with legislation introduced by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) imposing a moratorium on the construction on new data centers. The linear political spectrum certainly becomes more circular when hard-right and hard-left politicians align.

Wyoming voters would be wise to exercise due diligence when candidates come knocking on their doors.

U.S. Congress

Earlier this year, U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis(R) announced that she was not going to seek reelection. U.S. Congresswoman Harriet Hageman (R) considered running for governor but ultimately announced she would run for the U.S. Senate to replace Lummis. Hageman has strong connections within the Trump administration. In addition to Hageman, four other Republican candidates have filed for this open seat, including Jim Edwards of Laramie, Jimmy Skovgard of Casper, John Allan Holtz of Laramie and Sam Mead of Jackson. Mead is the nephew of former Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead.

Two Democratic candidates have also filed: Billy Benavidez of Sheridan and Jim Byrd of Cheyenne. Given Hageman’s current position in the House, she is the front-runner to win this seat.

Hageman’s decision to run for the U.S. Senate has created a highly coveted open U.S. House seat. There are currently 10 Republican candidates who have filed and two Democratic candidates. Of the 10 Republican candidates, the following individuals have been previously elected to political office:

• Chuck Gray of Casper – Secretary of State; former state representative.
• Bo Biteman of Ranchester – current president of the Wyoming Senate, who has served in the legislature for the past 10 years.
• Jillian Balow – former state superintendent of public instruction; resigned in 2022 to lead Virginia’s education department.
• Keith Goodenough of Casper – served in the House (1989–93) and Senate (1995–2005) as a Democrat.

The following individuals have also filed, including Republican candidates David Giralt of Casper, Frank Chapman of Moran, Kevin Christensen of Casper, Reid Rasner of Casper, Richard Dodson of Sundance, Steve Friess of Jackson and Democratic candidates Elena Del Real of Lander and Lisa Kinney of Laramie.

The list of candidates includes political newcomers, some of whom have strong financial resources and ties to the Trump administration, making them more viable candidates.

Reid Rasner, who was previously in the media for offering to buy TikTok, is running a highly visible campaign, utilizing billboards and social media ads. He is almost always seen wearing a red “Make America Great Again” hat. Rasner has been very vocal in attacking Chuck Gray, describing him as “China Chuck” because Gray authorized business licenses to 56 Chinese companies in his role as secretary of state. Rasner has also called out Gray for approving “woke wind” projects.

Earlier this week, Gray responded to attacks by citing polling data indicating he was the frontrunner in the race. However, media reports have since revealed that Gray’s alleged lead was based on a message-testing or push-poll that leveled disparaging claims about Rasner and Friess.

Meanwhile, Friess—the son of businessman and GOP donor Foster Friess, a 2018 gubernatorial candidate—has already sent at least seven statewide mailers, showing he has the resources to build name recognition. Gray and Rasner have also sent multiple mailers.

With several candidates with deep pockets, this may be Wyoming’s most expensive congressional campaign yet.

Statewide Races

Wyoming has five statewide elected officials, three of which are open seats in the 2026 election: governor, secretary of state and superintendent of public instruction.

The open seat for governor has fewer candidates than the U.S. House race. Republicans Megan Degenfelder of Casper, Eric Barlow of Gillette, Brent Bien of Cody, Curt Blake of Cody, and Democrat Kenneth Casner of Elk Mountain have filed. Degenfelder is currently serving as the state superintendent of public instruction and has been endorsed by President Trump and Rep. Hageman. Although Degenfelder has been endorsed by House leadership Freedom Caucus members, she has also been endorsed by traditional Wyoming Republicans Eli Bebout, Diemer True and Bruce Hinchey—all former legislators who have worked decades in the oil and gas industry.

Barlow is a former speaker of the House and most recently served in the Wyoming Senate. He is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and large-animal veterinarian who grew up on his family’s ranch in Campbell County. Barlow is viewed as the more moderate candidate in comparison to Degenfelder and Bien. Bien served in the U.S. Marine Corps and ran for governor unsuccessfully in 2022.

The five Republican candidates for the secretary of state open seat are CJ Young of Cheyenne, Jason Fearneyhough of Cheyenne, Qwenton Eagle Oviatt of Hudson, Rachel Williams of Cody and Robert Short of Douglas. Young and Fearneyhough have worked in state government. Young has worked in the Wyoming secretary of state’s office and had worked for the Wyoming Department of Corrections. Fearneyhough had served as the director of the Wyoming Department of Agriculture. Williams is currently serving in the Wyoming House of Representatives. She is the chairwoman of the Wyoming Freedom Caucus. Short has served as a Converse County commissioner since 2014. There is one Democratic candidate, Bryan McCarty of Worland.

The five Republican candidates for secretary of state are CJ Young (Cheyenne), Jason Fearneyhough (Cheyenne), Qwenton Eagle Oviatt (Hudson), Rachel Williams (Cody) and Robert Short (Douglas). Young and Fearneyhough have state government experience: Young worked in the secretary of state’s office and Department of Corrections; Fearneyhough led the Department of Agriculture. Williams serves in the Wyoming House and chairs the Freedom Caucus. Short has been a Converse County commissioner since 2014. The sole Democratic candidate is Bryan McCarty (Worland).

Incumbent Curt Meier, state treasurer, will face challenger Scott Smith of Lingle, who currently serves in the Wyoming House and is a member of the Wyoming Freedom Caucus. Meier served in the legislature for 24 years and was first elected to treasurer in 2018.

State Auditor Kristi Racines, who was first elected in 2018, is running unopposed.

The statewide elected officials play an outsized role in Wyoming’s political and regulatory landscape because they collectively serve on both the State Loan and Investment Board (SLIB) and the State Board of Land Commissioners (SBLC), giving them direct influence over many of the state’s most significant economic development, energy, infrastructure and natural resource decisions.

In this capacity, they oversee state trust lands, mineral leasing, investment of permanent funds and various financing and grant programs that support projects across Wyoming. For companies pursuing major energy, infrastructure, data center, mining, carbon management or industrial development projects, engagement with these elected officials is often as important as engagement with the legislature or regulatory agencies because their decisions frequently control access to state lands, project financing and other critical approvals.

Wyoming Senate

There are 31 members of the Wyoming Senate and they serve four-year staggered terms. In 2026, senators representing odd-numbered senate districts (SD) are in cycle.

As a result, there are 17 races in the Wyoming Senate, which includes an additional race for Senate District 6, a seat vacated when former Sen. Darin Smith resigned to serve as the U.S. attorney for the District of Wyoming.

Although the Wyoming House has become a battlefield for members to identify with either the “Wyoming Caucus” or the “Freedom Caucus,” the Senate has generally refrained from adopting such official allegiances. That may change this election cycle with several vocal Freedom Caucus members running for Wyoming’s upper chamber.

Open Seats

• SD 5 – Lynn Hutchings was first elected to the Wyoming House from 2013 to 2015 and the Senate from 2019 to 2026. There are four Republican candidates for the open seat and one Democratic candidate for this seat, which is located in Laramie County. Ben Hornok, a former member of the House who served from 2023 to 2025, will face Republicans Lauren Schoenfeld, Meagan Herrington and Ronald McCleary. Democrat Ted Hanlon is the sole Democrat running for this seat.
• SD 7 – Stephan Pappas served SD 7 since 2015 and will retire this year. Dr. Mark Rinne, who has served on the Cheyenne City Council for more than 38 years, is running unopposed as the Republican candidate. He will face Democratic challenger Jim Lee.
• SD 11 – Larry Hicks has served SD 11 since 2011. Rep. Bob Davis has filed as the Republican candidate, and Jim Wilson has filed as the Democratic candidate.
• SD 19 – Dan Laursen has served SD 19 since 2024, and prior to that, served eight years in the Wyoming House. Rep. Paul Hoeft, Freedom Caucus member, and former Sen. RJ Kost have filed to fill this open seat. Kost is a former senator who held the seat for one term until Laursen defeated him in 2022.
• SD 21 – Bo Biteman was first elected to the Senate in 2018 and served one term before that in the House. Biteman is the current Senate president and is running for the U.S. House of Representatives. Republican Rep. Ken Pendergraft, a Freedom Caucus member, has filed to fill the open seat and will face Melissa Butcher in the primary.
• SD 23 – Eric Barlow was elected to the Senate in 2022, and prior to that served 10 years in the House, including a stint as the speaker. Barlow is running for governor. Republican House member Abby Angelos has filed to fill the open seat, and she will face Republican Dwayne Dillinger in the primary. Although Angelos is not listed as a member of the Freedom Caucus, she joined other Freedom Caucus members serving on the Joint Appropriations Committee in wearing red coats to raise awareness about projected budget shortfalls and the need to reduce government spending.
• SD 27 ‒ Bill Landen of Casper is retiring from the Senate after first being elected in 2006. There are three Republican candidates who have filed to replace him—Jim Corkery, Kevin Helling and Marcia Neumiller.

Incumbents facing challengers

• SD 1 – Ogden Driskill was first elected to this seat in 2010 and assumed office in 2011. He served as Senate president from 2023‒2025. Chip Neiman, the current speaker of the House and member of the Wyoming Freedom Caucus, will challenge Driskill. This will be one of the most contested seats. Driskill has been a vocal critic of the Wyoming Freedom Caucus. Political insiders view this race as the “Crook County Showdown,” pairing two heavyweight political figures against one another.
• SD 6 – Taft Love currently serves in this even-numbered seat. He was appointed to the seat vacated by Darin Smith. Love will be running to fulfill the remaining two years of the term. This district covers eastern Laramie County and Platte County. He will face Roy Birt of Wheatland in the primary.
• SD 15 – Wendy Schuler of Evanston is the current Senate member. A former educator and coach, she chairs the Senate Education Committee. She will face three challengers in the Republican primary—Chris Katzl, Jen Hegeman and Tina Johnson.
• SD 25 – Cale Case of Lander is one of the longest-serving senators. He served in the House from 1994 to 1998 before moving to the Senate in 1999. Case has chaired the Senate Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Committee. He will face Republican challenger Lisa Wilson in the primary.
• SD 29 – Commercial real estate developer Bob Ide of Casper currently represents SD 29 and has served that district since he was first appointed in 2022 to fill a vacancy. He will face Republican Lisa Engebretsen in the Republican primary.
• SD 31 – Nurse Evie Brennan is seeking her second term to SD 31, which is located in Laramie County. She will face House member Daniel Singh in the Republican primary and, if successful, Shifa Hamid, a Democratic challenger, in the general. Singh has been aligned with the Freedom Caucus.

Incumbents running unopposed

• SD 3, Cheri Steinmetz of Torrington
• SD 9, Chris Rothfuss of Laramie
• SD 13, Stacy Jones of Rock Springs
• SD 17, Mike Gierau of Jackson

Wyoming House

There are 62 members of the Wyoming House and they serve two-year terms.

Of these races, 17 seats are open. Of these open seats, 10 of the current office holders are leaving the House to seek a statewide office or a seat in the state Senate. The remaining seven House members are retiring from public office, or in the case of Rep. Joel Guggenmos (R-Fremont), he decided not to run after the Fremont County clerk opined that he did not meet residency requirements. Further, of these 17 open seats, there are two candidates running unopposed: Republican Eamon O’Toole who is running for HD 47 held by Bob Davis, and Republican Carl Manning who is running for HD 55 held by Joel Guggenmos.

Notably, former two-time Speaker of the House Steve Harshman will be leaving the House after having served 24 years—one of the longest tenures for a House member. Former Speaker of the House Albert Sommers is also hoping to reclaim his House seat, which is currently held by Mike Schmid of Sublette County who is not seeking reelection. Former House member Mark Jennings is also hoping to return to the House to replace Tom Kelly who is running for state superintendent of public instruction. Former House member Bill Fortner is also hoping to regain this seat currently held by Reuben Tarver who is retiring.

In addition to these 17 open seats, 31 incumbents will face challengers in the primary, general or both. There are several political rematches. For example, incumbent Rep. Julie Jarvis will face Jeanette Ward who served one term from 2023‒2024. Ward, a member of the Freedom Caucus, has been described as the “Joan of Arc” of the Wyoming Legislature.

Incumbent Marlene Brady will face Tony Niemiec, who served in the House from 2022‒2024. Brady, a Freedom Caucus member, defeated Niemiec by 46 votes. Brady was among four House members who found themselves in hot water this last legislative session for accepting campaign contributions on the floor of the Wyoming House, a scandal referred to as “CheckGate.”

Additionally, a few former county commissioners are hoping to unseat incumbents in their districts. Former Converse County Commissioner Jim Willox is challenging incumbent Tomi Strock and former Natrona County Commissioner Rob Hendry is challenging incumbent Jayme Lien.

Of the remaining races, 14 incumbents do not face challengers.

Open Seats (17)

• HD 1 Chip Neiman, running for Senate
• HD 3 Abby Angelos, running for Senate
• HD 5 Scott Smith, running for State Treasurer
• HD 9 Landon Brown, retiring
• HD 11 Jacob Wasserburger, retiring
• HD 17 JT Larson, retiring
• HD 20 Mike Schmid, retiring
• HD 25 Paul Hoeft, running for Senate
• HD 28 John Winter, retiring
• HD 29 Ken Pendergraft, running for Senate
• HD 30 Tom Kelly, running for State Superintendent
• HD 37 Steve Harshman, running for State Superintendent
• HD 47 Bob Davis, running for Senate
• HD 50 Rachel Rodriguez-Williams, running for Secretary of State
• HD 52 Reuben Tarver, retiring
• HD 55 Joel Guggenmos, retiring
• HD 61 Daniel Singh, running for Senate

Incumbents facing challengers (31)

• HD 6 Tomi Strock
• HD 7 Bob Nicholas
• HD 8 Steve Johnson
• HD 10 Justin Fornstrom
• HD 13 Ken Chestek
• HD 14 Trey Sherwood
• HD 18 Scott Heiner
• HD 19 Joe Webb
• HD 24 Nina Webber
• HD 26 Dalton Banks
• HD 27 Martha Lawley
• HD 31 John Bear
• HD 35 Tony Locke
• HD 36 Art Washut
• HD 38 Jayme Lien
• HD 40 Marilyn Connolly
• HD 41 Gary Brown
• HD 41 Rob Geringer
• HD 43 Ann Lucas
• HD 46 Ocean Andrew
• HD Darin McCann
• HD Robert Wharff
• HD Laurie Bratten
• HD 53 Christopher Knapp
• HD 54 Lloyd Larsen
• HD Elissa Campbell
• HD 57 Julie Jarvis
• HD 58 Bill Allemand
• HD 59 JR Riggins
• HD 60 Marlene Brady
• HD 62 Kevin Campbell

Incumbents running unopposed (14)

• HD 2 JD Williams
• HD 4 Jeremy Harroldson
• HD 12 Clarence Styvar
• HD 15 Pam Thayer
• HD 16 Mike Yin (D)
• HD 21 McKay Erickson
• HD 22 Andrew Byron
• HD 23 Liz Storer (D)
• HD 32 Ken Clouston
• HD 33 Ivan Posey (D)
• HD 34 Pepper Ottman
• HD 39 Cody Wylie
• HD 44 Lee Filer
• HD 45 Karlee Provenza

Keep an eye on a couple of interesting races shaping up in HD 8, 24, 46 and 58.

HD 8 is currently held by Steve Johnson who tends to align with the Freedom Caucus. Johnson defeated incumbent Rep. Dave Zwonitzer in 2024 by 48 votes. Johnson will face Luke Reiner, retired commanding general of the Wyoming Military Department and director of the Wyoming Department of Transportation for this seat that covers northern Cheyenne/Laramie County.

HD 24 is currently held by Nina Webber, another Freedom Caucus-leaning member. Webber has attracted headlines over the years. In 2022, she was charged with reckless endangerment stemming from an elk hunt in Park County. In 2025 she was sued by her ex-boyfriend who alleged that she cheated him out of $6,000 for a Zimbabwe leopard and elephant hunting trip. She will face Quin Blair of Cody who serves as chief marketing officer and general manager at Blair Hotels in Cody, one of the largest private employers in Park County.

The Republican side for the HD 46 race includes incumbent Ocean Andrew, as well as RJ Lennox and Cam Wright. Wright is the former dean of the University of Wyoming’s College of Engineering and Physical Sciences who was ousted in April 2025 following a very public dispute with the soon-to-depart UW President Ed Sidel over $500,000 of engineering funds Sidel allegedly insisted be transferred to the university’s School of Computing, which was led by Gabrielle Allen, Sidel’s romantic partner. Although he has continued as a faculty member since his demotion, Wright subsequently filed suit against UW for retaliation and has launched his campaign for the HD46 seat with gusto. The winner of the Republican primary will face Democrat Gary Wilken in the general election.

Finally, Rep. Bill Allemand currently represents HD 58 in Natrona County. Allemand was charged with driving under the influence in December 2025. Law enforcement stated that Allemand had admitted to drinking two beers before he was stopped in Johnson County. He had an open can of beer in his center console, a loaded pistol and other unopened beers in the passenger seat. Although a blood test taken 1.5 hours after his arrest showed a 0.24% block-alcohol content, three times the legal limit, Allemand has continued to fight the charges. Allemand, a member of the Freedom Caucus, has also been a vocal opponent against a proposed nuclear storage facility project near Bar Nunn. Barr Nunn Mayor Peter Boyer announced he will challenge Allemand in the primary.

For a full list of candidates, visit the Wyoming Secretary of State’s website at: https://sos.wyo.gov/Elections/Docs/2026/2026_WY_Primary_Election_Candidates.pdf.