While last month’s primary decided more than three-quarters of Wyoming’s legislative races, the balance of power between the two factions of the Republican Party will come down to about a dozen contests in November’s general election.
The hard-line Republican Wyoming Freedom Caucus is aiming to build on the momentum of the primary, when it gained ground and ousted several prominent Republican incumbents. Eight of those Freedom Caucus-endorsed primary winners face general election opponents in races of varying competitiveness.
For the caucus to claim control of the House — without needing to rely on a few “swing” Republican lawmakers who don’t reliably vote with their bloc — it will need to win at least five of those contested races.
Here’s a closer look at the races that will decide control of the statehouse for the next two years.
Most competitive
Democrat Jen Solis fell 221 votes short of winning House District 41 in 2022. This year, Solis has a political asset she lacked before — a full-length campaign cycle.
Two years ago, Solis decided to run as a primary election write-in against Rep. Bill Henderson (R-Cheyenne) after she realized the race would otherwise be uncontested. She gained enough support to appear on the November ballot, but that only left her with the months between the primary and the general to ramp up a campaign.
Solis faces a new opponent this year after Freedom Caucus-endorsed Gary Brown beat Henderson with about 54% of the vote. The district encompasses a section of north-central Cheyenne.
Just south of there, House District 11 is another race to watch in Laramie County. Rep. Jared Olsen (R-Cheyenne) has represented the district since 2017, but opted to seek a seat in the Senate this year, clearing the way for other candidates.
Before Olsen’s election, the seat had been represented by Democrats for at least the previous 28 years, according to Legislative Service Office records.
Former lawmaker and Democrat Sara Burlingame hopes to turn the district blue again, but will have to defeat Freedom Caucus-backed Jacob Wasserburger, who fended off Seth Ulvestad in the primary.
Burlingame previously represented House District 44 in South Cheyenne, but is running in HD 11 after moving across town.
A race in central Wyoming will determine whether the 68th Wyoming Legislature includes any Indigenous representation.
Eastern Shoshone tribal member and Democrat Ivan Posey is challenging Freedom Caucus member Rep. Sarah Penn (R-Lander) for House District 33.
The district’s constituency is majority Indigenous including major Wind River Indian Reservation communities of Fort Washakie, Ethete and Arapahoe.
Andi Lebeau, a Northern Arapaho tribal member and Democrat, previously represented the district, but lost her 2022 reelection bid to Penn.
Republican strongholds
Rep. Jeremy Haroldson (R-Wheatland), a Freedom Caucus member, is expected to seek a leadership role in the lower chamber, but he will first need to defeat Democrat Charles Randolph for House District 4.
Randolph previously told WyoFile in an email that he plans to canvass and hold several meet and greets, but the Democrat faces an uphill challenge. The district, which encompasses Platte County and a northern section of Laramie County, has voted Republican since at least 1977.
Two years ago, Haroldson beat independent candidate, Dan Brecht, by more than 1,100 votes.
Catty-corner to House District 4 is Albany County’s House District 46, where Freedom Caucus-backed incumbent Rep. Ocean Andrew (R-Laramie) faces Democrat Chris Lowry. However, Lowry told the Laramie Boomerang in August he was considering dropping out.
Andrew beat Democratic challenger Merav Ben-David in 2022 by more than 1,400 votes.
Write-in candidates
Three Democrats secured the requisite 25 write-in votes in the August primary to appear on November’s ballot. Each will now face a Freedom Caucus-backed Republican.
One of those races will be a rematch between Rep. Ken Pendergraft (R-Sheridan) and Martha Wright for House District 29 in Sheridan. The two candidates faced off in the 2022 general election with Pendergraft securing 65% of the vote.
Larry Alwin will challenge Rep. John Winter (R-Thermopolis) for House District 28, a lengthy district that runs from Cody’s outskirts south to Shoshoni.
Carmen Whitehead, meanwhile, will oppose Marlene Brady for House District 60 in Green River. Brady beat incumbent Rep. Tony Niemiec (R-Green River) by 46 votes.
Whitehead was one of three Democrats to launch a write-in campaign in early August in Sweetwater County, according to Sweetwater Now.
Albany County’s Democratic incumbents
While Teton County’s two Democratic representatives will run unopposed, all three of Albany County’s face Republican challengers. It remains to be seen, however, whether the Freedom Caucus will weigh in on any of the three races.
Shane Swett will oppose Rep. Ken Chestek (D-Laramie) for House District 13, which covers a south-east section of Laramie. In central Laramie’s House District 45, Rep. Karlee Provenza (D-Laramie) will seek a third term against Paul Crouch.
The two districts have historically leaned to the left. High-profile Republicans represented House District 14 for decades, however, until Rep. Trey Sherwood (D-Laramie) flipped the seat in 2020.
The district covers the northern, rural section of Albany County and includes the communities of Albany, Bosler and Rock River.
Joe Giustozzi will challenge Sherwood for the seat.
The general election is Nov. 5.
Correction: This story has been updated to reflect that 15 statehouse races will be contested in general election.
What happened to the “Wyoming Caucus” that is no longer mentioned by the media? What happened to their social medial and website?
Martha Wright is my choice for House of Representative from Sheridan. Martha is offering the voters a choice between an incumbent Wyoming Caucus candidate or herself, a single woman who has worked for many non profits throughout her adult career. Originally from Cheyenne Martha decided to become involved in today’s WY politics that she sees as dictatorial and judgmental. Martha is pro choice, pro education, pro family, pro mental health, and pro banning automatic weapons used in mass shootings.She is honest and hard working. Her opponent is a Trump supporter and Martha is not.
I hope local democrats are offering all they can to support these candidates, whether it’s time or money. It takes more than voting for them.