Wyoming Republicans have formally nominated State Senator Eric Barlow, a former state House Speaker, as their candidate for governor. Barlow secured the nomination following Tuesday's primary election, positioning him as the frontrunner to succeed current Gov. Mark Gordon.
Given Wyoming's strong Republican political landscape, Barlow is widely anticipated to become the state's next chief executive when he takes office in January.
Governor Gordon had considered seeking a third term, which would have challenged Wyoming's two-term limit law, but ultimately decided against another campaign. This decision created an open contest for the Republican nomination. In the primary, State Superintendent Megan Degenfelder, who had received an endorsement from former President Trump, placed second behind Barlow. Brent Bien, a Marine Corps colonel and a gubernatorial candidate in 2022, finished third.
A Contested Primary Race
Barlow's victory came from a four-way primary contest that also included Degenfelder, Bien, and professional bull rider Curt Blake. Blake garnered less than 1,000 votes, with 26% of the total ballots counted at the time of reporting.
Barlow is now set to compete against Democrat Kenneth Casner in the general election on November 3.
In the lead-up to the primary, Degenfelder and Barlow were on relatively even financial footing. Campaign finance reports, as cited by The Associated Press, showed Degenfelder raising approximately $1.3 million and Barlow raising about $1.2 million. Bien's campaign reported raising around $192,000, while Blake indicated no funds raised.
Wyoming's Political Landscape
Republicans hold a significant electoral advantage in Wyoming as they head into the general election, currently occupying every statewide elected office.
The gubernatorial contest is one of several open-seat races at the top of Wyoming’s ballot this year. Other key elections include open contests for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, secretary of state, and superintendent of public instruction. This array of open seats suggests an unusually substantial shift in Wyoming’s political leadership for the upcoming term.