Elections
Trump-Backed Candidate Loses Wyoming GOP Governor Primary
PN Team • 2 months ago
State Sen. Eric Barlow won Wyoming's Republican gubernatorial primary, defeating President Trump's endorsed candidate, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder, along with retired Marine Col. Brent Bien and rodeo producer Curt Blake. Barlow, a rancher, veterinarian, and former Wyoming House speaker, prevailed despite attacks from the party's right flank labeling him too moderate and despite Degenfelder having nearly matched his campaign fundraising. Degenfelder had Trump's backing as well as support from Rep. Harriet Hageman, who separately won Wyoming's U.S. Senate primary the same night.
Barlow will face Democrat Kenneth Casner and Constitution Party candidate Rebecca Bextel in November, but is heavily favored in a state where Republicans outnumber Democrats roughly 7-to-1 and no Democrat has won the governorship since 2006. The race is one of several open contests in Wyoming this cycle, following term-limited Gov. Mark Gordon's departure and Sen. Cynthia Lummis' decision not to seek reelection, creating simultaneous open races for governor, Senate, and the state's House seat for the first time in over three decades.
Sources:
Sentiment
- Donald Trump Trump's endorsed candidate lost, reflecting a setback to his political influence in the race.
- Wyoming Republican Party Depicted as internally divided, with its right flank attacking the eventual winner as too moderate.
- Democratic Party (United States) Mentioned only factually as the party of Barlow's general election opponent and as a minority party in Wyoming.
- Republican Party (United States) Referenced as the party holding the primary, with dominant political power in Wyoming, a neutral factual mention.
- United States Marine Corps Mentioned only as the retired military branch of a losing candidate, a neutral factual detail.
- United States Senate Referenced neutrally as the office contested in a separate primary won by Hageman.
- Wyoming Wyoming is the neutral setting for the primary election described in factual detail.