A poll commissioned by the Casper Star-Tribune and Wyoming PBS says 52 percent of Wyoming’s Republican voters are undecided in the race for the state’s lone U.S. House seat. The seat is being vacated by Representative Cynthia Lummis, who has decided not to seek a fifth term.
The poll shows that Liz Cheney is supported by 21 percent of those contacted, while 9 percent support State Representative Tim Stubson and 4 percent support State Senator Leland Christensen. But with 52 percent of the voters undecided, Cheney’s lead is not as firm as it could be.
University of Wyoming Political Scientist Jim King says it is easier for candidates to draw support from undecided voters than it is to try to change the minds of decided voters.
“There are still an awful lot of voters out there who need to be convinced, whether it’s by Ms. Cheney, Mr. Stubson, Mr. Christensen, or by one of the other candidates. So there’s a lot to go in the three weeks before the primary.”
But King says candidates with name recognition have a strong advantage and he says Cheney clearly has that. She’s the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney and has raised the most money. While King says she has a strong lead he notes that less attention is paid to politics this time of year.
“Voters aren’t paying a lot of attention. That is one of the difficulties of having an August primary. It’s summer when people are traveling for vacations, where people in the agricultural industries are working extensively. It’s a very busy time for them.”
The primary election is August 16.