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Wyoming gubernatorial election, 2010
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In the Wyoming gubernatorial election of 2010, held on November 2, 2010, Republican Matt Mead defeated Democrat Leslie Petersen. Incumbent Dave Freudenthal, the Democratic Governor of Wyoming, was term-limited and sued to change the law and gain the opportunity to run for a third term. Though he won his case, in the end he did not run.
In the August 17, 2010 primary elections, Leslie Peterson won with just under half the vote share in a crowded primary field; her closest competitor was Pete Gosar. Among Republicans, Matt Mead, a former U.S. Attorney for Wyoming, only took 28.6%, but it was enough to secure the nomination over State Auditor Rita C. Meyer and former State Representative Ron Micheli
Inauguration and transition
Inaugural date
Governor-elect Matt Mead was inaugurated on January 3, 2011.
Transition team
Appointments in the Mead Administration
Governor-elect Mead said he would leave some appointments made by outgoing Governor Dave Freudenthal intact.
On November 22, 2010, Mead announced that Greg Phillips would take over as Wyoming's Attorney General.[1]
November 2, 2010 general election results
Elections results have been certifed and are official as of November 10, 2010[2]
| 2010 Wyoming gubernatorial general election | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote Percentage | |
| Democratic Party | Leslie Petersen | 22.94% | |
| Republican Party |  a Matt Mead
| 65.58% | |
| Libertarian Party | Mike Wheeler | 2.85% | |
| Other | write-in | 8.53% | |
| Total Votes | 188,463 | ||
August 17, 2010 primary
| 2010 Race for Governor - Democrat Primary[3] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Percentage | |||
| Pete Gosar (D) | 36.32% | |||
| Al Hamburg (D) | 4.78% | |||
 Leslie Petersen (D)
| 47.17% | |||
| Rex Wilde (D) | 4.57% | |||
| Chris L. Zachary (D) | 4.98% | |||
| (write-in) | 1.67% | |||
| Total votes | 22,825 | |||
| 2010 Race for Governor - Republican Primary[4] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Percentage | |||
| Alan Kousoulos (R) | 0.53% | |||
| Matt Mead (R)
| 28.60% | |||
| Rita Meyer (R) | 27.92% | |||
| Ron Micheli (R) | 26.33% | |||
| John H. Self | 0.28% | |||
| Colin Simpson | 15.74% | |||
| Tom A Ubben (R) | 0.41% | |||
| (write-in) | 0.19% | |||
| Total votes | 105,960 | |||
Race ratings
See also: Gubernatorial elections 2010, Race tracking
| 2010 Race Rankings Wyoming | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race Tracker | Race Rating | |||
| The Cook Political Report[5] | Solid Republican | |||
| Congressional Quarterly Politics[6] | Safe Republican | |||
| Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball[7] | Safe Republican | |||
| Rasmussen Reports Gubernatorial Scorecard[8] | Solid GOP | |||
| The Rothenberg Political Report[9] | Currently Safe Republican | |||
| Overall Call | Republican | |||
Changes
1. Cook Political Report moved race from "Likely Republican" to "Solid Republican" in its September 30th ratings.
Polling
| 2010 Race for Wyoming Governor - Rasmussen Reports | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date Reported | Mead (R) | Petersen (D) | Other | Don't Know | |
| September 30, 2010[10] | 61% | 25% | 5% | 8% | |
| August 18, 2010[11] | 58% | 24% | 6% | 11% | |
| (Sample)[12] | n=500 | MoE=+/- 4.5% | p=0.05 | ||
Candidates
| The November Ballot – Who Made It? Wyoming Governor[13] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominee | Affiliation | ||||
| Leslie Petersen | Democrat | ||||
| Matt Mead | Republican | ||||
| Mike Wheeler | Libertarian | ||||
| Taylor Haynes | Constitution | ||||
| This lists candidates who won their state's primary or convention, or who were unopposed, and who were officially certified for the November ballot by their state's election authority. | |||||
Democratic
- Pete Gosar
- Al Hamburg
- Leslie Petersen
- Rex Wilde
- Chris L. Zachary
Libertarian
- Mike Wheeler
Republican
- Alan Kousoulos
- Matt Mead, the U.S. Attorney for Wyoming from 2001 to 2007
- Rita C. Meyer, the Wyoming State Auditor, earned Sarah Palin's endorsement on July 29th.[14]
- Former State Representative Ron Micheli
- John H. Self
- Colin M. Simpson, member of the State House
- Tom A. Ubben
Key endorsements
Leslie Peterson (D)
General campaign endorsements
Primary campaign endorsements
- Wyoming Education Association[17]
Matt Mead (R)
General campaign endorsements
- Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY)
- Senator John Barrasso (R-WY)
- Congressman Cynthia Lummis (R-WY)
- Governor Mitt Romney
- Wyoming Outfitters and Guides Association
Primary campaign endorsements
- Casper Star Tribune
- Cheyenne Tribune Eagle
- Jackson Hole News and Guide[18]
- Wyoming Education Association[19]
Gubernatorial electoral history
| 1998 Gubernatorial Results[20] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Percentage | |||
| Jim Geringer (R) | 55.6% | |||
| John P. Vinich (D) | 40.5% | |||
| Dave Dawson (L) | 3.9% | |||
| Total votes | 200,990 | |||
| 2002 Gubernatorial Results[21] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Percentage | |||
| Dave Freudenthal (D) | 50.0% | |||
| Eli Bebout (R) | 47.9% | |||
| Dave Dawson (L) | 2.1% | |||
| Total votes | 184,459 | |||
| 2006 Gubernatorial Results[22] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Percentage | |||
| Dave Freudenthal (D)' | 69.99% | |||
| Ray Hunkins (R) | 30.01% | |||
| Total votes | 193,616 | |||
Presidential electoral history
| 2000 Presidential Results | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Percentage | |||
| George W. Bush (R) | 67.76% | |||
| Al Gore (D) | 27.70% | |||
| 2004 Presidential Results | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Percentage | |||
| George W. Bush (R) | 68.86% | |||
| John Kerry (D) | 29.07% | |||
| 2008 Presidential Results[23] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Percentage | |||
| John McCain (R) | 64.78% | |||
| Barack Obama (D) | 32.54% | |||
| 1992 Presidential Results | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Percentage | |||
| George H.W. Bush (R) | 39.70% | |||
| Bill Clinton (D) | 34.10% | |||
| 1996 Presidential Results | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Percentage | |||
| Bob Dole (R) | 49.81% | |||
| Bill Clinton (D) | 36.84% | |||
See also
