Wyoming’s top leadership positions remain solidly red.
The Associated Press declared Republican Eric Barlow as the gubernatorial winner right as the polls closed at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. He beat the Constitution Party’s Rebecca Bextel, who had positioned herself as an alternative candidate for conservative Republicans who were unhappy with their party’s nominee.
As of midnight, Barlow had 69% of the vote, compared to Bextel’s 17% and Democrat Ken Casner’s 15%.
Around 9 p.m., Barlow shared a press release thanking those who helped during his campaign and promising to work to earn the trust of voters who chose to vote for Bextel and Casner.
He also highlighted his commitments for when he takes office.
“Wyoming families deserve a government that listens, spends responsibly and delivers dependable service. We have work to do to improve access to healthcare, support our schools and strengthen the industries that sustain our communities. We must protect our water and respect private property rights while creating opportunities for new businesses and investment. Above all, we need a Wyoming where our young people can choose to build careers, raise families and make their futures here,” he wrote.
For secretary of state, Republican Robert Short carried about two-thirds of the vote. He beat Democrat Bryan McCarty and the Constitution Party’s Tamara Trujillo. As of midnight, with 95% of the votes counted, Short took 68% of the vote, McCarty took 24% and Trujillo took 8%.
In the race for state superintendent of public instruction, state lawmaker Republican Steve Harshman topped Democrat Ana Cordova with about three-quarters of the vote. As of midnight, with 95% of the votes counted, Harshman had 75% and Cordova had 25%.
State Treasurer Curt Meier and State Auditor Kristi Racines, both Republicans, will each have a third term after running unopposed in the general election.
A question of major party status
Major party status was on the line for a number of political parties during this general election.
Libertarians and the Constitution Party each needed to nab at least 10% of the total votes cast for the offices of U.S. House, governor or secretary of state to gain major party status.
According to University of Wyoming political science professor Ryan Williamson, that would mean a big change from nominating candidates through a convention.
“That would mean nominating candidates through the state primary in 2028, electing precinct committee members and building county party organizations just as the Republicans and Democrats do now,” he said.
The Constitution Party’s Rebecca Bextel had surpassed the 10% mark in the governor’s race, based on unofficial results as of midnight.
The Constitution and Libertarian parties both landed temporary major-party status in 2014, but lost it the next election cycle.
