As soon as polls closed, the Associated Press called the race for Wyoming’s U.S. Senate seat for current U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman. As of 1 a.m. on Wednesday, with 97% of the votes counted, Hageman held 65% of them. Democrat James Byrd held only 35%.
Current Secretary of State Chuck Gray’s race for Hageman’s House seat, alternatively, took a couple hours to call. As of 1 a.m. Wednesday, with 96% of the votes counted, Gray held 55%. His closest competitor, Democrat Lisa Kinney, held 34%.
Both nabbed Pres. Trump’s endorsement, Hageman shortly after announcing her campaign last December and Gray four weeks ago.
But both will enter Congress facing strong headwinds, as Democrats flipped the balance of power nationally. According to University of Wyoming political science professor Ryan Williamson, the blue wave also affects Wyoming’s senior Sen. John Barrasso, the current majority whip.
“Come January, there's no Republican majority to whip. Even if he stays in his leadership role, his job shifts from passing an agenda to slowing one down, and Wyoming loses its seat at the table where the Senate's agenda gets set,” Williamson said.
“Hageman arrives as a freshman senator in the minority, picking committee seats late from a short list,” Williamson added. “Gray arrives arguably in the weakest spot of all. He's a freshman in the House minority, where the majority controls essentially everything. The room for influence is much less. So expect Wyoming's biggest issues to be fought more through executive action in the courts rather than through Congress.”
Hageman and Gray will be sworn into their new roles on Jan. 3, 2027.
