Wyoming gubernatorial election, 2018 (August 21 Republican primary)

Elections in Wyoming, 2018

• General election: Nov. 6
• Voter registration deadline: Oct. 22
• Early voting: Sept. 27 - Nov. 5
• Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6

• Online registration: No
• Same-day registration: Yes
• Voter ID: No
• Poll times: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

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2022 → ← 2014
Governor of Wyoming
Democratic primary Republican primary General election
Election details
Filing deadline: June 1, 2018
Primary: August 21, 2018 General: November 6, 2018 Pre-election incumbent(s): Matt Mead (Republican)
How to vote
Poll times: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voting in Wyoming
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Solid Republican Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe Republican Inside Elections: Solid Republican
Ballotpedia analysis
Federal and state primary competitiveness State executive elections in 2018 Impact of term limits in 2018 State government trifectas State government triplexes Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018
Wyoming executive elections
Governor Secretary of State Treasurer Auditor Superintendent of Public Instruction

State Treasurer Mark Gordon defeated five candidates in the Republican primary. Gordon received 33 percent of the vote. Foster Friess was second with 26 percent.

The six Republican candidates ran for a chance to replace term-limited Gov. Matt Mead (R) in what was the most expensive Republican gubernatorial primary in Wyoming history.

Multimillionaire Republican donor Foster Friess entered the race in April 2018, saying he would spend "whatever it takes." Finance reports through August 7 showed him with the most contributions at $2.5 million, $2.2 million of which he donated to his campaign. He said in his candidacy announcement that he would use his contacts to bring companies to the state. President Donald Trump endorsed Friess on the day of the primary.

Mark Gordon was the only Republican primary candidate who had served in elected office. His campaign messaging focused on his time as treasurer; he stated that he "grew state investments by $1.17 billion over the 2016-2017 fiscal year." He was second in fundraising with $2.1 million raised.

Two polls from August showed Friess and Gordon leading the other four candidates.

Businessman Sam Galeotos raised $1.8 million in contributions through August 7, 2018. Galeotos campaigned on preparing students for the workforce, creating high-paying jobs in the state, and increasing Wyoming's control over its natural resources.

Gordon and Galeotos were in competition for moderate Republican votes, according to Arno Rosenfeld of the Casper Star-Tribune, and challengers Harriet Hageman and Friess may have been vying for more conservative voters.

An attorney, Hageman pointed to her record specializing in environmental and resource management law, describing herself as the candidate best equipped to reduce federal involvement in the state's governance. She had the fourth-highest contribution amount at $1 million and the highest amount of contributions from PACs at $615,000.

Businessman Bill Dahlin and former surgeon and rancher Taylor Haynes also ran in the primary race.

The seat was rated as Safe Republican. The winner of the Republican primary was expected to become Wyoming's next governor.

Candidates and election results

The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for Governor of Wyoming on August 21, 2018.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Governor of Wyoming

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Mark Gordon	33.4	38,951
		Foster Friess	25.6	29,842
		Harriet Hageman	21.5	25,052
		Sam Galeotos	12.5	14,554
		Taylor Haynes	5.6	6,511
		Bill Dahlin	1.5	1,763

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 116,673
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Top candidates

The candidates below either led in polls, received support from elected officials, or were mentioned by media coverage as top contenders. They are listed in alphabetical order.

Foster Friess

Friess is a businessman and philanthropist. He launched Friess Associates in 1974, which was named one of the decade's top mutual funds in the 1990s. His philanthropic work includes issuing a $2.5 million grant to fund Rachel’s Challenge, an organization founded by the parents of the first Columbine victim. For decades, Friess has contributed to Republican candidates, political action committees who favor Republican candidates, and the Republican National Committee. He has invested in The Daily Caller, a website founded by conservative commentator Tucker Carlson.

Friess' campaign messaging focused on how he could use his experience as a businessman to attract new businesses to Wyoming. He stated on his campaign website, "The primary role of the government is to create a conducive environment in terms of taxation, infrastructure, and education so that the private sector is encouraged to develop and create the high paying jobs for Wyoming families."

Friess received endorsements from President Donald Trump, former Sen. Rick Santorum (R), and Sen. Rand Paul (R).

Sam Galeotos

Galeotos' professional experience includes serving as the executive chairman of the board for Green House Data Corporation. He has started ranching, farming, and retail businesses in multiple Wyoming counties. He has also served as president and CEO of Galileo International and CEO of Cheap Tickets, Inc.

Galeotos has served on multiple boards, including those for The Boys & Girls Club of Cheyenne, Cheyenne Regional Medical Center, and the University of Wyoming College of Business Advisory Council. He graduated from the University of Arizona with a bachelor's degree in business administration.

Galeotos' campaign website focused on preparing students for the workforce, creating high-paying jobs in the state, and increasing Wyoming's control over its natural resources as priorities. He was endorsed by former Rep. Cynthia Lummis (R) and state Sen. Affie Ellis (R).

Mark Gordon

Gordon first became the Wyoming State Treasurer in 2012. His campaign website highlighted his time in the office, stating that he grew state investments by $1.17 billion over the 2016-2017 fiscal year, modernized the state treasurer's office, and improved transparency.

Prior to his time as treasurer, Gordon served on the board of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City from 2008 through 2012. He has experience running small businesses in Buffalo and Sheridan and has worked in the oil and gas industry.

Gordon's campaign emphasized his support for reducing the size of government and decreasing spending, increasing state control over Wyoming's natural resources, and defending conservative values. He was endorsed by former Sen. Alan Simpson (R) and four former state representatives.

Harriet Hageman

An attorney by trade, Hageman attended Casper College and the University of Wyoming College of Law before clerking for Judge James Barrett of the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. As of the 2018 election, Hageman operated a law practice where she specialized in environmental and resource management law.

Hageman's legal experience includes work on an interstate water rights lawsuit, a challenge to regulations regarding road construction in roadless forests, a challenge to restrictions on the use of snowmobiles in Yellowstone National Park, and suits involving the relationship between surface water and groundwater rights.

Hageman's campaign emphasized her support for reducing overhead and administrative costs for public education, reducing federal regulations on the coal industry, and reviewing regulations on firearms. She was endorsed by state Rep. Cheri Steinmetz (R).

Endorsements

Republican primary endorsements
Endorsement	Sam Galeotos	Mark Gordon	Foster Friess	Harriet Hageman
National figures
President Donald Trump			✔
Donald Trump Jr.			✔
Former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.)			✔
Federal officials
Sen. Rand Paul (R)			✔
Former Rep. Cynthia Lummis (R)	✔
Former Sen. Alan Simpson (R)		✔
State officials
Former state Rep. Amy Edmonds (R)	✔
State Sen. Affie Ellis (R)	✔
State Rep. Cheri Steinmetz (R)				✔
Elections Committee Chairman Dan Zwonitzer		✔
Former Wyoming Secretary of State Max Maxfield		✔
Former state Reps. Pete Illoway, Clarene Law, Frank Moore, and Ruth Petroff		✔
Organizations
Mountain West Credit Union Association		✔
Family Research Council			✔
PACs
Tea Party Patriots Citizens Fund			✔

Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls

Wyoming governor 2018, Republican primary
Poll	Mark Gordon	Sam Galeotos	Harriet Hageman	Taylor Haynes	Foster Friess	Bill Dahlin	Undecided	Margin of error	Sample size
University of Wyoming[28] August 17-19	25.7%	10.1%	17.6%	9.2%	19.9%	1.2%	14.7%	+/-4	357
Trafalgar Group August 11-14	20%	9.5%	16.2%	5.7%	21%	2.2%	19.9%	+/-2.4	1,775
AVERAGES	22.85%	9.8%	16.9%	7.45%	20.45%	1.7%	17.3%	+/-3.2	1,066
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.

Wyoming governor 2018, Republican primary
Poll	Mark Gordon	Sam Galeotos	Harriet Hageman	Taylor Haynes	Foster Friess	Bill Dahlin	Undecided	Sample size
Wyoming Public Media/Wyoming PBS/University of Wyoming June 18-20	19%	14.4%	10.7%	10%	6.6%	1.2%	34.8%	596
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.

Campaign contributions

The figures below show campaign contributions to candidate committees through August 7, 2018. Pre-primary contribution reports were due August 14.

Campaign finance reports, released August 14, 2018
Candidate	Contributions
Bill Dahlin	$53,068
Foster Friess	$2,511,419
Sam Galeotos	$1,809,774
Mark Gordon	$2,070,733
Harriet Hageman	$1,013,703
Taylor Haynes	$70,954

Where did the money come from?

Self-funding

• Friess donated $2.2 million and loaned an additional $183,722 to his campaign (of his total $2.5 million).

• Mark Gordon and his wife loaned his campaign $1.5 million (of his total $2.1 million).

• Galeotos loaned his campaign $1.5 million (of his total $1.8 million).

• Hageman and her husband loaned her campaign $150,000 (of her total $1 million).

• Haynes donated $22,124 to his campaign (of his total $70,954).

PACs

• The PAC Right for Wyoming contributed $615,000 to Harriet Hageman's campaign committee (of her total $1 million).

• Galeotos received $105,000 from the PAC Momentum 307 (of his total $1.8 million).

• Gordon reported receiving a total of $12,500 from three PACs (of his total $2.1 million).

• Friess, Dahlin, and Haynes did not report PAC contributions.

Debates and forums

August 1, 2018 debate

On August 1, all six candidates participated in a debate sponsored by the Star-Tribune, Wyoming Public Radio, and Casper College.

"2018 Wyoming Republican Primary Gubernatorial Debate" August 1, 2018

July 12, 2018 debate

Six candidates participated in Republican debates hosted by Wyoming PBS and Wyoming Public Media on July 12, 2018. The six candidates were split into two groups of three: Harriet Hageman, Mark Gordon, and Sam Galeotos, followed by Bill Dahlin, Foster Friess and Taylor Haynes. You can view both below.

"Wyoming Republican Gubernatorial Primary Debates - 2018" July 12, 2018

June 9, 2018 forum

The candidates participated in a Republican forum hosted by the Republican Women of Fremont County PAC on June 9, 2018. You can view it below.

"Republican Women of Fremont County PAC Forum for the Republican Candidates for Governor" June 9, 2018

Wyoming Tribune Eagle interviews

All six Republican candidates were interviewed by the Wyoming Tribune Eagle. Click their names below to watch the interviews.

• Bill Dahlin
• Foster Friess
• Sam Galeotos
• Mark Gordon
• Harriet Hageman
• Taylor Haynes

Campaign themes and policy stances

Foster Friess

Friess’ campaign website stated the following:

“	Accountability Our number one focus has to be on creating a pro-business, pro-job environment. Along with creating an environment where the private sector can thrive, we must get our financial house in order. I will aggressively work to have Wyoming become the 48th state to reveal its checkbook to the people. It is an embarrassment to the state that we have not done so. Even with the little financial data, the state does release we found that the Department of Education spent $35,000 on a magician to entertain teachers during a STEM conference. Another $717 million dollars was spent on “no-bid” contracts, many to out-of-state vendors. While managing over $15 billion dollars, I knew where every dollar went. In order to stabilize and streamline the state budget, we have to know where your tax dollars are going. As Governor, I will work with the legislature to have Wyoming open the books and join the 47 other states that have full transparency. We will stop the practice of no-bid contracts and instead decide what spending is “necessary” and what is “nice.” Our state budget is closely tied to how well our businesses do. Improved performance provides more tax revenue. This allows our state to continue to: Update infrastructure Adequately fund education Provide critical services (i.e. fire and police departments, public streets, schools, transportation, utilities, etc.) without enacting an income or corporate tax. Oil, gas, and coal remain critical parts of our state’s economy. Our state’s budget is intricately tied to their success, generating 70 percent of the state’s total revenue. Oil and natural gas will grow if more public lands are opened up for responsible mineral development. The coal industry needs to continue its work on clean coal technology and a key priority is to open up a port on the west coast for exporting coal to Asia. Longview Washington has an effort to try to make that happen which we should support. The free enterprise system can and will solve many problems. With public/private programs such as the Carbon X-Prize and The School of Energy Resources at the University of Wyoming, we’re already on our way to the next generation of Wyoming energy. While managing over $15 billion dollars, I knew where every dollar went. In order to stabilize and streamline the state budget, we have to know where your tax dollars are going. As Governor, I will work with the legislature to have Wyoming open the books and join the 47 other states that have full transparency. We will stop the practice of no-bid contracts and instead decide what spending is “necessary” and what is “nice.” Diversify & Grow The primary role of the government is to create a conducive environment in terms of taxation, infrastructure, and education so that the private sector is encouraged to develop and create the high paying jobs for Wyoming families. With 40 years of business experience, I have the unique opportunity to attract new businesses from all over the world to Wyoming and help existing Wyoming businesses expand. By diversifying, we will supplement core industries: Energy Tourism Agriculture Along with new industries looking for affordable energy. While extending efforts to diversify our economy, we cannot lose sight of the importance of our key industries, primarily oil and gas, which generate such a huge percentage of our revenues. Our first focus should be to make sure that it is enhanced and nurtured by making their activity to drill and produce easier. Taking the mineral industry’s share of the state’s revenue from 70 percent to 80 percent would require less effort than trying to get an extra 10 percent from new businesses. In order to take the boom/bust phenomena out of our budget we simply budget for the low periods, and when the boom period comes along we put the money into a “rainy day fund.” Managing over $15 billion was not a one-man job and neither is being Governor. Together, we will empower each part of the state to pursue their community’s economic visions by: Improving our state’s infrastructure Expanding access to high-speed internet Fast-tracking “shovel-ready” sites — Tom Lubnau, Speaker of the Wyoming House of Representatives suggests “pre-permitting” sites. So, permits could be issues in 24 hours for new investors. Promoting vocational training and apprenticeships Education Wyoming’s education system has been a point of pride for decades. Last year, Education Week ranked Wyoming the 7th best state in the country. Continuing that tradition is absolutely critical to a prosperous future. I stand on the shoulders of my grade school teachers, the most important part of our educational system. We have to ensure as much of the taxpayer dollars are going towards our teachers and our students as possible. A school without great teachers is akin to a beautiful hospital with no doctors. Part of attracting high paying jobs to Wyoming is a world-class educational system, from K-12 to our vocational schools and colleges. The legislature’s decision to add Computer Science to the required curriculum this year is the perfect example. Having young coders and engineers will provide the well-educated workforce modern companies are looking for. As Governor, I will work to match our world-class colleges and vocational centers with businesses to create programs to complement their specific needs. Our state has lost 60 percent of its 18 to 25-year-olds. Our resources are exported to other states and along with them, our kids, and their jobs. As Governor, I’ll put Wyoming first. Together, let’s give our young people a reason to stay in the great state of Wyoming, to work and raise their families here! Public Lands I do not support transferring federal lands to state control. Here’s why, our public lands are extremely valuable to the people of Wyoming, to our hunters, the thousands of Wyoming families that rely on tourism to support their household, the guides and outfitters, our legacy resource industries and fellow citizens who love our wide open spaces. My main concern with transferring lands from the federal government to the state government is that it will be easier for special interest to lobby the state to turn public access lands into private controlled lands. Wyoming’s record of transparency is dismal, we’re one of only three states that has not opened the state checkbook for everyone to see and we had over $700 million dollars in no-bid contracts last year. In addition to my concerns regarding the state’s ability to maintain public access, I’m also concerned about our ability to pay to maintain these lands. I worry that when hard times hit, these lands will be shut-down to save money or worse sold off to special interest. The federal government’s management of our lands is less than perfect, but we should use the opportunity with President Trump and Secretary Zinke to lock into law protections for our state, rein in zealous BLM bureaucrats and eliminate ridiculous and onerous land regulations. I like what Governor Butch Otter of Idaho did when he negotiated the designation of Bogus Basin as a landscape treatment area in which private companies could bid on contracts to remove the beetle kill in the area, and the state of Idaho then splits with the federal government the proceeds from that management. No change in ownership of the land takes place. I also strongly support The Federal Land Freedom Act that would allow states to prove they have the capabilities to oversee oil and gas permitting, leasing and production on available federal land brought to the floor of Congress last year by Rep. Liz Cheney. I want to protect these lands for future Wyoming generations, like my 15 grandkids! Immigration We are a country of laws. I oppose sanctuary cities, open borders and I support President Trump’s efforts to crack down on illegal immigration. Immigration is a perfect example of the dysfunction of Washington, D.C. – President Trump has generously offered to provide a pathway to legal status for the “dreamers” in return for fixing our broken system (chain migration, visa overstays, and the border). I support these efforts to reach a bi-partisan common-sense solution and enforcement mechanisms like E-Verify. Our immigration system must put Americans first, those waiting legally in line second and send a clear signal to those who choose to come illegally.	”
—Foster Friess’ campaign website (2018)

Sam Galeotos

Galeotos’ campaign website stated the following:

“	Prepare Students for the WorkForce As the leader of one of Wyoming’s premier technology companies Sam is committed to closing the gap between what our businesses need in employees and what our Wyoming schools teach our kids. Sam has a plan to ensure our kids have the skills necessary to get good-paying jobs right here in Wyoming. Create High-Paying Jobs in Wyoming As the successful leader of both national and global billion-dollar technology businesses, Sam has a history of turning around troubled companies, creating high-paying jobs, and managing thousands of employees across the globe. Get Government Out of the Way Sam knows all too well that competition drives progress but government can stop both. As a self-made successful businessman, Sam understands firsthand the need for government to work with business, not against it, to create more good-paying jobs for the people of Wyoming. He’ll work with the Trump Administration to increase Wyoming’s control over all of our natural resources. Pardons Pardons will be considered on a case by case basis. Generally speaking, pardons will only be issued in exceptional circumstances. 2nd Amendment I support the right to keep and bear arms and does not believe that any further regulation of firearms is necessary or warranted. 10th Amendment The Tenth Amendment is key to defining the proper role of the federal and state governments and is an important basis for pushing back against improper federal overreach. Unvetted refugees I believe it is important that we know the identity and background of anyone seeking refugee status and supports rigorous background checks and vetting for all applicants prior to their admission to the United States. I also believe that it is important that Wyoming have access to all available data and information on any refugees present in Wyoming. 1st Amendment I support the freedom of speech and the freedom to practice one’s faith free of government interference or coercion. This means both the freedom to worship and act in accordance with ones faith and the freedom not to be forced to act in opposition to it. It also means that the government should not punish those for their beliefs or for advocating for those beliefs, even if those beliefs are unpopular. Convention of States, Article V of the US Constitution I support a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Our nation continues to spend beyond its means, and the only way to force the federal government to rein in its out of control spending is through a Constitutional amendment. Congress has refused to act on this necessary amendment, so it is up to the states to lead the way. I support an Article V convention solely for the purpose of proposing a balanced budget amendment. State Employees First and foremost, I grew up in Cheyenne, my father and uncle and other family members and friends were all state employees. I have people on my campaign team that are state employees. I care deeply about the state’s workforce and I know that for any governor to be successful its the employees that make it work. As with any large organization, my first and foremost priority is to ensure state employees have the tools to do their job and are rewarded for their work as a team for the benefit of the people of Wyoming. My plan is to look at the operations of state government for effective practices and efficiencies, and part of that is ensuring that we have employees who are compensated at a fair rate. I would be interested in finding funding for an employee investment study to be conducted to identify where we are at on a competitive basis with salaries and benefits with both the private sector and other government entities in the region. I would also like to explore how we can use PMI to once again implement a merit pay system for state employees. Public lands Growing up in Wyoming, I was raised to love public lands and cherish my access and time on public lands. Having said that, I do not support the transfer of federal lands to the state of Wyoming. As Governor, I will work night and day to make sure that Wyoming has the most control possible of the public lands within our state to promote the full use and enjoyment of those lands for all Wyoming citizens. I will work cooperatively with the Trump Administration to restore as much decision-making ability to the State of Wyoming as is possible using a strict multi-use model. This means more of the decisions on how Wyoming’s lands are managed are made right here – in Wyoming, by the people of Wyoming. Marijuana I do not support the legalization of recreational marijuana. If the medical community determines that there are benefits to medical marijuana-then WY medical professionals should be allowed to prescribe in a highly controlled manner under the directive of the legislature. Taxation I believe Wyoming’s problems can and must be solved without tax increases. Wyoming enjoys a low tax environment which is essential for economic growth. And while we may be facing serious budget challenges, this is simply the wrong time to be considering raising taxes. To the extent we “grow revenue” that must be done by growing the economy. I have spent my life leading people and organizations in the pursuit of solving large complex problems and I know the best solutions are almost never simple. Big Game Migratory Corridors I applaud the efforts of the State to take a proactive role in managing big game migratory corridors to ensure that our wildlife resources are healthy and thriving. I support the current strategies adopted for improving habitat conditions along migratory corridors, including treatments to fight the spread of invasive weeds and grasses, fence modifications to allow easier passage for big game, protecting water sources in arid environments, and the careful use of prescribed burns. It is also vitally important for wildlife management to partner with other stakeholders when making management decisions to minimize any impact of those decisions on other parties. Citizen involvement Wyoming citizens must have not just a “seat at the table” but a real voice in the process of our state government. Participation should not just be a word we give lip service to but rather it should be a guiding principle to how we make decisions. Participation should have meaning to our state agencies and it should have a real impact on the decision-making process. As to transparency and access to public records, Wyoming, in many cases, has an antiquated data tracking system that needs to be brought up to modern expectations of access. This includes easy online availability of records. Climate Change I believe that climate does change, we can see that with our own eyes. However, the science is unsettled on what impact human activity has or can have on that process. It would not be wise to impose climate change regulations that would have a devastating impact on our state economy and result in a sweeping expansion of government based on unsettled science. Further, it is bad policy to put ourselves at a competitive disadvantage when other governments such as China and India are not making the same commitments. Our industries do an excellent job of staying proactive and minimizing environmental impacts, because being a good steward of the environment makes good business sense. Accordingly, I do not believe that it would be wise or prudent for state government to base its regulatory decisions on climate change theories at this time. Flaring, venting or leaking natural gas: I do not believe that further restrictions are necessary or warranted regarding flaring, venting, or leaking of natural gas in Wyoming’s oil and gas fields. Businesses involved in resource extraction do not purposefully waste saleable product, and the market and current regulations more than adequately addresses Wyoming’s needs. Endangered Species Act Under Governor Matt Mead’s leadership Wyoming advanced important common-sense positions regarding the ESA. Yet, there is still a long way to go. I will do everything within my power to move forward with an important agenda to protect our farmers and ranchers. Western states need to have a more equal partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in determining what species deserve protection and crafting laws that makes sense. Transparency in Government Good leadership makes it easy to be transparent. I have the vision, skills, and perseverance to move Wyoming forward. In accomplishing that goal, I – like any good leader – must be held accountable for my actions. This requires transparency. As Governor, my office will have a strong commitment to transparency and public access. Our Constitution requires that government act with the consent of the people, and that consent can only occur when government is transparent. Health Care in Wyoming A health care system that meets Wyoming needs is one of my prerequisites to growing the private sector. We need block grant funding of Medicaid, improve selling insurance across state lines, and allow groups to pool insurance. No one in Washington is going to solve health care delivery for Wyoming. We are rural, have a low population, but those two elements are opportunities given telemedicine. Wyoming is the perfect laboratory for innovating health care solutions. We need to move care of our aging population as close to home as we can, and tele-medicine is one of the ways we can do that.	”
—Sam Galeotos' campaign website (2018)

Mark Gordon

Gordon’s campaign website stated the following:

“	Building a Bright Future Mark understands that here in Wyoming, we’re an open book. You can write your own chapter and shape your own destiny. Growing up on the ranch in Kaycee, when his family or neighbors had a problem, they didn’t look to the government to solve it. They rolled up their sleeves, banded together and got the job done. As Governor, Mark will fight to get government out of the way and allow the people of Wyoming to prosper. Wyoming remains the best state in the nation to live, raise a family or start a business. With some of the lowest taxes in the country, favorable regulatory policies, access to private and public-sector resources, Wyoming is the place to be for self-starters, entrepreneurs and anyone who wants to chart their own course. Mark understands what it takes to retain and foster Wyoming’s youth and talent while attracting the best and brightest to advance current industries in our state and grow new ones. He has a broad range of experience in the fields most important to Wyoming, from running a family ranch, owning and operating Main Street businesses, and working in the energy industry. Mark recognizes that Wyoming is ready to be a leader in these fields and many more – from technology and computer science to advanced manufacturing and engineering. Reducing the Size of Government and Decreasing Spending Ensuring Wyoming has a balanced budget and that our government is living within its means is absolutely essential. This means prioritizing needs versus wants. Wyoming’s revenues are down significantly and while recent economic forecasts have been promising, we are not out of the woods yet. We must rein in our spending today to ensure fiscal stability tomorrow. Mark’s track record in the Treasurer’s office demonstrates his ability to do more with less while safeguarding taxpayer dollars. A fiscal conservative all his life, Mark has the private and public-sector experience to chart this new course Wyoming. The boom times over the last decade have resulted in rising spending rates that Wyoming simply cannot keep up with. During this time, Mark has successfully managed the state’s second largest contributor to general fund income – investment income. He has delivered the funds best performance in the past decade and has set procedures in place that ultimately position Wyoming to benefit further from investment income in the years to come. He has firsthand knowledge of the state’s fiscal position and knows how to best protect taxpayer’s money while making it work efficiently and effectively for our citizens. As Governor, Mark will conservatively manage spending levels without growing government, while still providing the essential services the people of Wyoming depend on. Ensuring the Future of Wyoming’s Natural Resources Wyoming’s natural resources are second to none. Be it oil, gas, coal, uranium or wind – Wyoming has it all. And there are no greater stewards of these energy and natural resources than the people of Wyoming. Throughout his career, Mark has worked to push back against federal overreach and cut through bureaucratic red-tape that has kept much of our natural resources under lock and key. As Governor, Mark will ensure responsible development of our state’s vast natural resources while protecting open space and access to public lands. He will work to position Wyoming as the leader in advanced energy technologies including Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) and new carbon-to-product markets. Defending Our Conservative Values A lifelong conservative, Mark works to defend the Wyoming values of limited government, low taxes and personal responsibility. He understands the importance of local control and has fought to keep Washington out of Wyoming. Mark is a staunch protector of the Constitution. He believes in putting families first and is pro-life. Mark is a lifelong member of the NRA and believes the right to bear arms is fundamental. Growing up on a ranch, owning guns is part of his way of life. Mark hunts, taught all his kids how to shoot and owns a firearm for personal protection. Mark will continue to be a relentless defender of the Second Amendment.	”
—Mark Gordon's campaign website (2018)

Harriet Hageman

Hageman’s campaign website stated the following:

“	My commitment to Wyoming I am pro family, pro liberty, and pro effective and smart government. I have been called to serve, just like so many in my family before me have served. I am called to serve my community, my state, and my Country as a problem solver; and as an advocate for our citizens, our industries, our communities, our schools, our students and our families. I am committed to ensuring that our future, and the future of those who come after us, is full of promise and the American ideal. I commit to you, the citizens of Wyoming, that I will serve you as Governor with honor, with integrity, with courage, with compassion, with kindness, and with strength. I commit to you, the citizens of Wyoming, that I will fight to protect your liberties, your freedoms, and our great state. We must honor, adhere to, and follow our Constitution Our constitutional framework was unique in the world when it was created and remains one of the most significant developments in governing philosophy in human history. Our Constitution limits the reach and power of the federal government, with individual freedom and liberty being the cornerstone of our Republic. Unlike the pre-United States historical view of the relationship between governments and individuals, our constitutional framework confirmed that our individual rights do not come from the government, but from God. As laid out in the very Preamble to the Wyoming Constitution: “We, the people of the State of Wyoming, grateful to God for our civil, political and religious liberties, and desiring to secure them to ourselves and perpetuate them to our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution.” The significance of this recognition cannot be overstated. If our innate civil rights and liberties are not granted by government, then government has no ability to take them away. Our forefathers and mothers were people of faith. They understood that you could not have a just and fair government unless you had a moral society. Our Constitutions are based on those principles. We must return to the foundational Constitutional principles of limited government, personal autonomy, personal freedom, and personal responsibility. We must demand that our government focus upon carrying out those purposes for which it was created: national security, criminal justice and civil law. We must demand that our leaders follow the Constitution, and we must demand that they protect our God-given rights. We must fundamentally reform the regulatory state A government that is closest to the people is more accountable, more responsive and more effective A government that is far removed from the people becomes unaccountable, less responsive, less responsible, less effective, more expensive, and more corrupt. It is our elected representatives who are ultimately answerable to us. We must therefore make sure that they are the ultimate decision-makers; the ones who debate the bills and pass the laws. We must move away from the idea that state and federal regulators are empowered to adopt the type of rules that can crush our industries and destroy our economy. Federal regulatory employees in Washington, D.C. have become largely unaccountable to the citizens who pay their salaries and for whom they work. We can no longer tolerate this situation. We must have a full review of all regulations on the books. We must also impose a temporary moratorium on the adoption of new regulations in Wyoming (with the exception of those necessitated by an emergency). Such moratorium should remain in place until our review is complete and recommendations made for the repeal of all superfluous, outdated, and unnecessary regulations. We must ensure that our citizens have expedited access to the courts whenever civil or criminal penalties are imposed by a regulatory agency. We must recognize that government does not create jobs; the private sector does “Economic development” does not come from the government; it comes from the private sector. The government does not create jobs; the private sector does. Our federal government especially is often focused on “trying to fix its last solution.” Private industry, in contrast, is focused upon creating the next boom. We must unleash our private sector to thrive. We must rid our government of outdated, burdensome, and counterproductive rules, regulations, and licensing requirements that hinder private industry, innovation, and growth. We must lower the cost of doing business in Wyoming if we are going to become more competitive in terms of attracting new industries. We must fight those federal mandates that increase the cost of doing business in Wyoming as compared to other states. We must practice good government in all branches, in all agencies, and in all aspects of governing Wyoming citizens are entitled to a cost-effective, efficient, responsible, and responsive government. Our government must be held accountable to the citizenry that it was created to serve. We need evidence-based governance. Our public servants, including the Governor, must be able to show that we can and will succeed at fixing an identified problem. We must have a government that is proportionate in size to our population. Ensuring that our government is transparent is one of the most basic obligations of public servants, and we cannot waiver on that commitment. We must ensure that the Governor’s office and our state agencies are transparent in their work and how they spend money. We must make our budgeting process and budget more transparent and less complicated. We must control spending, not raise taxes The State of Wyoming should not be spending more money than it takes in. Any discussion of raising taxes creates uncertainty in the business community, hinders our ability to attract new industries, and stifles job growth. We must bring our spending in line with our revenues. We cannot use one-time or “windfall” funds to meet long-term spending obligations. States that do not overspend, who keep taxes low, and provide for a competitive business climate attract more businesses than those that follow a tax-and-spend model. Attracting more businesses for the benefit of our citizens should be our goal; not finding ways to generate more tax revenue for the state. There are simply not enough people in Wyoming who would pay an income tax to generate sufficient revenue to fund our government, especially in light of Article 15, Section 18 of the Wyoming Constitution. We must fix our structural budget deficits in order to ensure that our children and grandchildren do not suffer for the decisions that we are making today. It is immoral to burden future generations by prolific government spending. We must provide more transparency in education funding, including providing additional data on the amount of money spent in the classroom, on administration and on overhead I support our K-12 education, our Community Colleges, and our University of Wyoming, and in fact received an excellent education from all of these institutions. We must ensure that our students are well educated. We must do so in a cost-effective and efficient manner. We must be more open and transparent in relation to education funding, including how the money is spent. We must reduce the costs associated with overhead and administration. Our school dollars should be focused upon the classroom, including providing adequate teacher pay and benefits to attract and retain the best teachers in the Country. We must have a robust school curriculum that includes United States and Wyoming history, with an emphasis on our constitution President Lincoln famously said that “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” We are witnessing a concerted effort on many college campuses to undermine our Republic, our form of government, and our freedoms and liberties as guaranteed by our federal and state Constitutions. Those efforts are tearing our Country apart. Without a shared history we cannot foster and protect a shared future. We must ensure that our students – our future leaders – understand our foundational documents and our history so that they are prepared to lead, to protect our Republic, and to protect our individual liberties. With the aid of our Wyoming Supreme Court, our Law School, our legislators, and our educators, we will strive to develop a curriculum for our High School students that emphasizes these principles. Such students should be sufficiently proficient in these topics to pass a test formulated to evaluate their knowledge. We must embrace, support, defend, protect, and advocate for our legacy industries We must embrace, support, defend, protect and advocate for our legacy industries: Minerals; Agriculture; and Tourism (including hunting, fishing, skiing, and snowmobiling, etc.). The development, management, and use of our natural resources are what finance the Wyoming economy, including funding our schools, our infrastructure, and our public services (just to name a few). We should be proud of these industries and challenge any effort to limit or destroy our producers and business owners. The development of these resources has improved not only the standard of living of those of us in Wyoming, but the standard of living of citizens throughout the United States and beyond, generating a level of prosperity unrivaled in world history. We must aggressively market these industries not only in Wyoming and the United States, but throughout the world. We must fight to defend and support these industries, with the state taking an active role in blocking not only regulatory overreach, but other outside forces that seek to turn Wyoming into something that we do not want, and that seek to prevent us from moving our products to the outside markets. We must pursue a value-added approach within our existing business structure and industries We should support our business community to innovate, develop, and manufacture new products using our existing natural resources and industries. We should focus upon using the byproducts of our existing industries to produce a broader array of goods for intrastate and interstate consumption. Additive manufacturing (3D printing) frequently uses petroleum-based products as raw materials. Locating a 3D manufacturing plant adjacent to or within a refinery footprint would reduce the energy required for manufacturing. We must have accountability when undertaking economic development and diversification Economic development should be for the purpose of bettering our citizens, for creating jobs, and not for growing government. Our state agencies and boards must be dedicated to fostering economic development and diversification, not stifling it. We must also have full accountability for any economic development program that is funded with public moneys. We must have a full accounting of how much “economic development” has cost our local governments and our state to date, and the benefits received. For all future economic development projects: we must know prior to approval how much money will be spent and for what purpose; we must establish detailed goals for each project before approval; we must identify the measures of success for each project before it is funded; and once the project is completed we must report to the citizens how the promises made compare with the project outcome. We must reform our health-care system, provide more effective services to our aging population, and help families struggling with mental health issues The further the decision-maker is from the point of execution the worse the ultimate care will be. The solutions to the health-care situation in this Country are to be found at the local level, not with the federal government. Wyoming must be willing to innovate in terms of health-care policy and delivery. Wyoming should seek a waiver from certain federal mandates in order to allow this to happen. Keeping our seniors in their own homes will reduce the long-term cost of care and provide for a better quality of life. We should work with our college system to develop programs focused upon geriatric care. We must consider ways in which our current regulatory requirements for senior residential facilities hinder our ability to provide high quality care at lower costs, including using our assisted living facilities more effectively. We have families who are struggling with the mental illness of their loved ones, including sons, daughters, parents, and siblings. We have communities that are struggling to find beds and facilities to treat their citizens who may be suffering from these afflictions. We must find more effective ways of dealing with these situations in order to provide relief and support to our families. We must protect the most vulnerable among us, including the unborn I have benefitted greatly because of the family into which I was born. I believe strongly in the importance of stable and healthy families. We must fight to protect and support our families and the family unit. We have an obligation to help those who are less fortunate than we are. We must protect the most vulnerable among us, including the unborn. It is clear to me that our humanity depends upon our ability to protect our babies. We must stop all efforts that seek to take our guns and prevent us from protecting ourselves Our right to keep and bear arms is guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution. Our right to keep and bear arms is also guaranteed by Article 1, Section 24 of the Wyoming Constitution. We have an absolute right to protect ourselves and our families, and the government cannot take that right away. We must undertake a security assessment of our schools in order to ensure that we are providing the best security that we can. We must fight against any effort to undermine, weaken, or nullify our rights. We must protect Wyoming's water I have spent the last twenty years of my career fighting to protect Wyoming’s water, both as against the demands of down-stream states as well as from the federal government’s overreach and water grabs. I will fight to protect Wyoming’s water and our users. I will not tolerate the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) attempting to use the Clean Water Act to prevent us from irrigating our lands and watering our livestock. We must reform federal land management and access The federal government owns approximately 30,000,000 acres of land within the State of Wyoming, or 48.2% of our surface estate. The decisions made by federal land management bureaucrats in Washington, D.C., have caused, among other things, the incidence of ever-increasing catastrophic wild fires, the pine beetle outbreak, destruction of our National Grasslands, the closure of roads and trails providing access to these lands, and reduced financial returns to the American public. The federal government has shown itself to be less than effective at managing these natural resources, causing substantial environmental degradation in the process. There are many groups that will fight with every resource at their disposal (including in some cases federal funds) to prevent us from implementing new land-management techniques to address these problems – no matter how poorly managed those lands currently are. There are others who talk of Wyoming “taking” these lands through almost any means necessary. So long as we are debating this issue on the extremes – the two polar opposites – nothing will be done, and the status quo will prevail, to the long-term detriment of our environment, our local communities, our citizens, and our state. Rather than working from the extremes, we must find a middle ground from which to move forward, such as identifying approximately 1,000,000 acres within the state (1/30th of the federal holdings), for alternative management and treatment, with the state taking control of – and being entitled to all income generated from – such lands to show that we are not only better at protecting their environmental attributes, but that we can do so at a lower cost than currently incurred by our federal agencies, while also improving access. It is only through an incremental approach that we will eventually succeed at addressing and resolving these land management issues. Wyoming must be more aggressive in demanding more access, more use, and more income from federal lands and federal minerals within our borders. Wyoming should work with the United States Forest Service to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires, including implementing emergency forest management techniques to remove undergrowth and dead trees. We must ensure that our state lands are properly managed. We must find a solution to land-locked parcels to ensure that we are able to access, use, and generate income from our property. Marijuana - I do not believe in legalizing something that we know is bad for our citizens solely for the purpose of taxing it. As I have traveled the state I have been asked about my position on legalizing marijuana. While I am willing to work with the experts to assess whether we should consider the legalization of marijuana or its byproducts for medical uses, I do not support legalization for recreational use. My position in that regard is based upon the invaluable information that has been provided to me by folks in the fields of medicine, mental health treatment, addiction, counseling, education, and law enforcement. I have also spoken to fathers, mothers, sisters and brothers whose family members have suffered the consequences of heavy marijuana use. Having heard their stories I am more convinced than ever that legalizing or decriminalizing marijuana use is not in Wyoming’s best interest. The fact is that states that have legalized recreational marijuana use are paying a heavy price. Our neighbor to the south in Colorado legalized such use in 2012. We can now assess how this “experiment” has gone, with a number of alarming statistics that warrant Wyoming taking a longer “wait and see” approach. Schools in Colorado, for example, report a nearly 19% increase in marijuana suspensions. It only makes sense that if marijuana is legal, more young people will have access to it, and use it. In fact, marijuana use among teens in Colorado is 55% higher than the national average. That is a frightening thought as we look to our children as the future of Wyoming. The Colorado Department of Transportation has reported that 69% of cannabis consumers have driven under the influence of marijuana at least once in the last year. Over one-quarter of the users – 27% — admit to driving high almost every day. It is no wonder that marijuana-related traffic deaths (with the driver being under the influence), more than doubled from 2013 to 2016. In the state of Washington, nearly one in five daytime drivers may be under the influence of marijuana, up from less than one in 10 drivers prior to recreational retail sale of marijuana. While some argue that marijuana could be the solution to our ever-growing opioid crisis, opioid-related overdose deaths actually increased in Colorado after legalization, not decreased. These alarming facts and statistics are extensive. It is clear to me that it is not in Wyoming’s best interest to legalize marijuana for recreational purposes – it would be damaging to our families and our businesses. I am simply not willing to change our culture because “other states are doing it.” A related question is addressed to the use of “medical marijuana” to treat a variety of ailments. I understand that there may be some evidence that using marijuana or its derivatives (i.e., CBD) may help ease the suffering of those with serious medical conditions. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration recently approved Epidiolex, a drug that uses CBD to treat epilepsy. I believe that as a state, we should look for solutions that allow for limited use of marijuana or its derivatives for medical reasons. I am committed, however, to avoiding the challenges and problems faced by states like Colorado and Washington. I intend to work with the experts in the field – medical professionals, educators, law enforcement personnel, counselors, and addictionologists to find common sense solutions to this situation. Finally, I have been repeatedly been told that Wyoming could generate substantial tax revenue if only we were to legalize marijuana. I will make myself very clear: I do not believe in legalizing something that we know is bad for our citizens solely for the purpose of taxing it. I instead believe that legalizing a dangerous substance for taxation purposes demonstrates that you have a broken government. Wolf Management in Wyoming I understand that there have been concerns expressed regarding my involvement with the wolf lawsuit, and my view of wolf management in Wyoming. I want to set the record straight in case there is any question about my commitment in that regard. I was first hired by the “Wolf Coalition” in 2002 to file suit against the Fish and Wildlife Service over its failure to properly manage the Canadian gray wolf population that it had introduced into Yellowstone National Park in the mid-1990’s. That Coalition was made up of 28 different organizations, including sportsmen groups, outfitters and guides, County Commissioners, ag groups, and conservation districts, among others. The point of our lawsuit was to establish that the wolf population exceeded the recovery goals as of 2002; that Wyoming had developed an appropriate wolf management plan to protect that recovered population; and that the FWS was required to approve it, delist the wolf from the ESA, and turn management over to the State. We continued that fight over the next 15 years, with the Wolf Coalition being one of the most important and consistent advocates for our livestock industry, outfitting industry, including Wyoming Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife, hunters, Counties, conservation districts, and small business owners whose livelihoods have been so damaged by the introduction of this predator. As importantly, we were the primary voice at the table throughout this time for protecting our other wildlife resources such as our elk, moose, and deer populations. In February, 2017 we finally succeeded in convincing the Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C. that Wyoming’s Wolf Management Plan met all of the requirements of the ESA. This was a major victory for Wyoming, and allows us to implement management techniques that are unavailable anywhere else in the Country. For example, Wyoming is the only State where wolves are considered predators in the majority of the State – meaning that we can use more robust and effective control techniques (aerial hunting, may be shot on sight in certain geographic areas, etc.). Wyoming is also the only State where the National Park Service is responsible for maintaining and protecting a portion of our population within the National Parks. Finally, Wyoming is now only required to maintain a limited number of wolves – thereby allowing us to control the population through hunting seasons (within the trophy game area), and throughout the year (within the predator area). This win, in other words, will finally allow Wyoming to start controlling wolf numbers in this State, thereby making it possible to rebuild those game herds that have been so decimated by the uncontrolled and previously ever-expanding gray wolf population. As Governor, I have every intention of asserting Wyoming’s sovereignty over our wildlife, and of aggressively implementing those control techniques that are effective at constraining our wolf population to the recovery numbers. Under my administration we will no longer tolerate an ever-expanding wolf population. We will instead focus upon protecting all of our wildlife resources, and protecting our livestock producers from suffering the consequences of those bad policies for which Washington, D.C. is notorious. I have dedicated the last 20+ years of my career to protecting our legacy industries in Wyoming. I have fought to protect private property rights, the livestock industry, the sportsmen industry, outfitters and guides, and local governments. I have worked tirelessly – often-times all alone – to push back against federal overreach, and to hold the federal government accountable for the mismanagement of the federal lands and for its failure to follow the endangered species act. I have refused to buckle under as the EPA has sought to take our water. I have traveled the Country warning of the dangers of an out-of-control federal government. I AM THE ONLY CANDIDATE WITH THIS HISTORY, and with my record of success on these issues. So the next time that someone whispers in your ear about me, claiming that I want to give people access to private lands, that I have worked to give Wyoming’s water away to other states, or that I haven’t fought hard enough or long enough on battling the wolf mess, you can now look them in the eye and say with absolute confidence: “THAT MY FRIEND, IS HOGWASH.”	”
—Harriet Hageman's campaign website (2018)

Campaign tactics and strategies

Campaign advertisements

Foster Friess

"Wyoming Spirit :60" released May 20, 2018

"Full Accountability" released July 3, 2018

"Wyoming First" released July 20, 2018

"Healthcare" released August 8, 2018

Sam Galeotos

"Sam Galeotos: A proven businessman who will work for Wyoming." released June 11, 2018

"Sam Galeotos - Technology Commercial" released May 9, 2018

"Sam Galeotos TV Commercial - Fresh" released April 25, 2018

Mark Gordon

"Gordon for Governor 2018 Campaign Ad" released May 29, 2018

"Partners" released July 19, 2018

"Walking Tall" released July 31, 2018

"Challenges" released August 16, 2018

Harriet Hageman

"Wyoming Tough" released August 10, 2018

"Hageman Brothers Share Why They Support Harriet's Run for Governor" released August 9, 2018

"The Right Leadership" released June 27, 2018

"I'm Running Because It's Your Turn" released May 8, 2018

"I Will Put You First" released April 26, 2018

"Harriet Hageman discusses the national opioid crisis" released April 18, 2018

TV ad buys

One month ahead of the primary, spending on television ads had exceeded levels in 2010, the last time the governor's seat was open. Data from the Federal Communications Commission compiled by WyoFile showed that Friess had spent at least $550,000 on local TV ads, with businessman Sam Galeotos as the second-highest spender at $325,000. Gordon was third with at least $182,000 spent. Hageman was fourth, with no records found for Dahlin or Haynes.

Hageman launches "Wrong for Wyoming" website

Hageman launched a website questioning Mark Gordon's and Sam Galeotos' support for the coal industry. The site was registered on July 14.

The site highlighted donations Gordon made to Democratic candidates and to groups opposed to coal use for energy. It also said that Galeotos' role as chairman of Green House Data, an IT firm that powers its data centers with renewable energy and that has nonprofit clients that work in the area of renewable energy, contradicts his expressed support for the coal industry.

Gordon's response

Gordon's campaign responded with a statement saying that over 90 percent of Gordon's donations have gone to Republican candidates and groups. It also said that "Mark does not believe responsible land management and energy development are mutually exclusive." In an email statement, the campaign said of Hageman's website, "These dangerous and misleading campaign tactics are what is wrong for Wyoming."

Galeotos' response

Galeotos responded to Hageman's website with a letter stating that the firm Green House Data "offers services at a substantial discount to ANY non-profit organization. It is disingenuous to suggest GHD supports the positions of all our customers, simply because we provide services to them." The letter stated that Black Hills Energy is one of GHD's customers, and that GHD spent $1 million on coal-fired electricity from that company in 2017.

Noteworthy events

Judge denies request to remove Haynes from ballot

On August 3, Laramie County District Court Judge Thomas Campbell denied a request from Secretary of State Ed Buchanan and Attorney General Peter Michael to remove Haynes from the ballot (read more below). Judge Campbell said, "It is impractical and unfair to the defendant to bypass the Wyoming Rules of Civil Procedure entirely and compress the litigation process into less than a three week period." The state officials filed a request with the court to remove Haynes from the ballot about one month ahead of the August 21 primary.

Effort to remove Taylor Haynes from the ballot

On July 20, Wyoming Attorney General Peter Michael and Secretary of State Ed Buchanan requested that the Laramie County District Court authorize Buchanan to remove Haynes from the ballot and that the court order Haynes to cease his campaign; they alleged that Haynes had not been a consistent resident of the state for the past five years, which the Wyoming Constitution requires of gubernatorial candidates.

The dispute surrounded Haynes' ranch, which sits on the border of Wyoming and Colorado. In his court filing, Michael referred to "a preponderance of the evidence that Dr. Haynes has not resided in Wyoming for the constitutionally required period necessary to become governor," including a notice sent to Haynes in 2015 by an Albany County clerk stating that the ranch was located in Colorado. Haynes disputed the residency challenge: "The contract for deed and the title for the ranch, including the residence, have a Wyoming address," he said in a press release, adding, "All licenses, including driver’s licenses and license plates, taxes, utilities, registrations, fees, etc., are paid to Wyoming."

Race Ratings

See also: Race rating definitions and methods

Race ratings: Wyoming gubernatorial election, 2018
Race tracker	Race ratings
	November 5, 2018	October 30, 2018	October 23, 2018	October 16, 2018
The Cook Political Report	Solid Republican	Solid Republican	Solid Republican	Solid Republican
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales	Solid Republican	Solid Republican	Solid Republican	Solid Republican
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball	Safe Republican	Safe Republican	Safe Republican	Safe Republican
Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every two weeks throughout the election season.

Context of the 2018 election

• Heading into the 2018 election, the sitting governor was Matt Mead (R), who was first elected in 2010 and was re-elected in 2014. Mead was prevented from seeking a third term in 2018 by term limits.
• As of the 2018 elections, Wyoming was under a Republican trifecta. It had held this status since Mead took office in 2011. Wyoming also had a Republican triplex.
• Wyoming was won by the Republican candidate in each of the five previous presidential elections. The widest margin of victory was Donald Trump's 46 percent margin in 2016, while the narrowest was John McCain's 32 percent margin in 2008.
• Wyoming was one of 36 states that held an election for governor in 2018. Democrats gained seven previously Republican-held seats, and Republicans gained one previously independent-held seat. Heading into the 2018 elections, there were 16 Democratic governors, 33 Republican governors, and one independent governor. In 2018, 26 of the 33 states with a Republican governor held a gubernatorial election, while nine out of the 16 states with a Democratic governor held a gubernatorial election. Seventeen of the 36 seats up for election were open seats (four Democratic, 12 Republican, and one independent), meaning that the sitting governor was not seeking re-election. Click here for more information on other 2018 gubernatorial elections.

Past elections

2014

See also: Wyoming gubernatorial election, 2014

Matt Mead ran for re-election as governor of Wyoming in the 2014 election. He defeated Pete Gosar (D), Don Wills (independent), and Dee Cozzens (L).

Governor of Wyoming, 2014
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Matt Mead Incumbent	59.4%	99,700
	Democratic	Pete Gosar	27.3%	45,752
	Independent	Don Wills	5.9%	9,895
	Nonpartisan	Write-in votes	5.1%	8,490
	Libertarian	Dee Cozzens	2.4%	4,040
Total Votes				167,877
Election results via Wyoming Secretary of State

In the Republican primary, Mead defeated Taylor Haynes and Cindy Hill by a 22.6 percent margin.

Wyoming Gubernatorial Republican Primary, 2014
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Matt Mead	54.8%	53,673
Taylor Haynes	32.2%	31,532
Cindy Hill	12.7%	12,464
Write-in votes	0.2%	215
Total Votes		97,884
Election results via Wyoming Secretary of State.

Voter information

How the primary works

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Wyoming utilizes a closed primary process.

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

Poll times

In Wyoming, all polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mountain Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.

Registration requirements

Check your voter information here.

To vote in Wyoming, one must be a United States citizen, a resident of Wyoming, at least 18 years of age, not have been declared mentally incompetent by a court, and not convicted of a felony unless pardoned or otherwise had their rights restored.

The registration deadline is 14 days before the election, but voters may also register and vote on the same day during the absentee voting period or on election day. There are three ways to register to vote in Wyoming: in person at the office of the county or town clerk, by mail the by submitting a completed application form to the county clerk, or at the polls on Election Day. A voter must provide documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote.

Automatic registration

Wyoming does not practice automatic voter registration.

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

Wyoming does not permit online voter registration.

Same-day registration

Wyoming allows same-day voter registration.

Residency requirements

To register to vote in Wyoming, a voter must be a resident of a precinct in the state for not less than 30 days before the election.

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

Wyoming requires voters to provide proof of citizenship. Eligible documents are state and tribal IDs that do not indicate the individual is not a U.S. citizen, passports, certificates of citizenship or naturalization, a selective service registration acknowledgement card, documentation of a birth abroad issued by the State Department, or an original or certified copy of a birth certificate.

Voter ID requirements

Wyoming requires voters to present identification when voting. Generally, voters are required to present a photo ID, but there are two exceptions to that requirement that expire in 2029.

The following list of accepted ID was current as of June 2025. Click here for the Wyoming Secretary of State's page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.

“

WY Driver's License or ID Card Tribal ID Card US Passport US Military Card DL or ID Card from Another State University of Wyoming Student ID Wyoming Community College Student ID Wyoming Public School Student ID Valid Medicare Insurance Card* Valid Medicaid Insurance Card* Valid Wyoming Concealed Firearm Permit *Medicare and Medicaid insurance cards will no longer be an acceptable form of identification for voting purposes after December 31st, 2029.

”

Early voting

Wyoming permits early voting. Learn more by contacting the appropriate county clerk.

Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.

Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting.

Absentee voting

All voters are eligible to vote absentee in Wyoming. There are no special eligibility requirements for voting absentee.

No specific deadline is noted for absentee ballot applications. A completed absentee ballot must be received by election officials by 7 p.m. on Election Day.

State profile

Demographic data for Wyoming
	Wyoming	U.S.
Total population:	586,555	316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):	97,093	3,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:	91%	73.6%
Black/African American:	1.1%	12.6%
Asian:	0.9%	5.1%
Native American:	2.2%	0.8%
Pacific Islander:	0.1%	0.2%
Two or more:	2.7%	3%
Hispanic/Latino:	9.6%	17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:	92.3%	86.7%
College graduation rate:	25.7%	29.8%
Income
Median household income:	$58,840	$53,889
Persons below poverty level:	12.7%	11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Wyoming. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

Presidential voting pattern

See also: Presidential voting trends in Wyoming

Wyoming voted Republican in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.

More Wyoming coverage on Ballotpedia

• Elections in Wyoming
• United States congressional delegations from Wyoming
• Public policy in Wyoming
• Endorsers in Wyoming
• Wyoming fact checks
• More...

Pivot Counties

See also: Pivot Counties by state

There are no Pivot Counties in Wyoming. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump (R) won Wyoming with 68.2 percent of the vote. Hillary Clinton (D) received 21.9 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, Wyoming cast votes for the winning presidential candidate 76.7 percent of the time. In that same time frame, Wyoming supported Republican candidates more often than Democratic candidates, 76.7 to 23.3 percent. The state favored Republicans in every presidential election between 2000 and 2016.

Presidential results by legislative district

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Wyoming. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won five out of 60 state House districts in Wyoming with an average margin of victory of 13.7 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won three out of 60 state House districts in Wyoming with an average margin of victory of 24.1 points.

In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 55 out of 60 state House districts in Wyoming with an average margin of victory of 45 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 57 out of 60 state House districts in Wyoming with an average margin of victory of 51 points. Trump won seven districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.

2016 presidential results by state House district
District	Obama	Romney	2012 Margin	Clinton	Trump	2016 Margin	Party Control
1	11.24%	85.71%	R+74.5	7.27%	88.99%	R+81.7	R
2	17.60%	79.70%	R+62.1	10.91%	83.36%	R+72.4	R
3	11.12%	87.05%	R+75.9	6.49%	89.45%	R+83	R
4	26.05%	70.84%	R+44.8	15.61%	77.84%	R+62.2	R
5	26.26%	71.59%	R+45.3	16.74%	76.88%	R+60.1	R
6	16.26%	81.21%	R+65	9.43%	85.01%	R+75.6	R
7	28.36%	70.01%	R+41.7	24.27%	68.70%	R+44.4	R
8	40.42%	57.13%	R+16.7	37.19%	54.48%	R+17.3	R
9	38.23%	59.50%	R+21.3	31.57%	58.11%	R+26.5	R
10	21.27%	76.44%	R+55.2	14.79%	78.21%	R+63.4	R
11	43.72%	52.36%	R+8.6	34.85%	55.04%	R+20.2	R
12	41.35%	55.47%	R+14.1	27.83%	62.31%	R+34.5	R
13	52.91%	41.43%	D+11.5	49.03%	37.02%	D+12	D
14	41.85%	53.44%	R+11.6	40.33%	48.15%	R+7.8	R
15	41.25%	56.03%	R+14.8	25.40%	64.63%	R+39.2	R
16	62.92%	34.31%	D+28.6	66.35%	25.25%	D+41.1	D
17	33.59%	62.81%	R+29.2	21.53%	70.03%	R+48.5	D
18	19.74%	77.99%	R+58.3	13.08%	80.74%	R+67.7	R
19	16.63%	80.47%	R+63.8	11.41%	80.74%	R+69.3	R
20	17.23%	80.53%	R+63.3	14.51%	79.68%	R+65.2	R
21	6.92%	92.19%	R+85.3	7.49%	86.40%	R+78.9	R
22	35.46%	62.06%	R+26.6	35.90%	57.66%	R+21.8	R
23	48.80%	48.93%	R+0.1	55.89%	36.72%	D+19.2	D
24	22.73%	75.27%	R+52.5	19.89%	73.40%	R+53.5	R
25	22.09%	75.00%	R+52.9	18.81%	73.50%	R+54.7	R
26	16.97%	80.82%	R+63.9	12.21%	79.51%	R+67.3	R
27	19.91%	77.45%	R+57.5	14.13%	78.83%	R+64.7	R
28	18.23%	78.86%	R+60.6	13.32%	79.44%	R+66.1	R
29	28.95%	68.57%	R+39.6	22.80%	67.97%	R+45.2	R
30	24.51%	72.88%	R+48.4	19.19%	74.01%	R+54.8	R
31	12.18%	85.70%	R+73.5	6.28%	88.41%	R+82.1	R
32	14.58%	83.77%	R+69.2	9.87%	85.48%	R+75.6	R
33	56.07%	42.24%	D+13.8	43.88%	48.71%	R+4.8	R
34	16.37%	81.33%	R+65	11.82%	83.41%	R+71.6	R
35	22.53%	75.07%	R+52.5	17.84%	76.07%	R+58.2	R
36	31.86%	64.88%	R+33	22.04%	70.04%	R+48	D
37	25.70%	72.32%	R+46.6	20.84%	72.35%	R+51.5	R
38	22.15%	75.32%	R+53.2	15.08%	78.87%	R+63.8	R
39	28.42%	67.88%	R+39.5	19.31%	72.59%	R+53.3	D
40	17.50%	79.96%	R+62.5	14.40%	80.28%	R+65.9	R
41	41.35%	55.66%	R+14.3	32.58%	57.38%	R+24.8	R
42	30.25%	67.49%	R+37.2	26.26%	65.94%	R+39.7	R
43	38.57%	58.11%	R+19.5	28.50%	61.55%	R+33.1	R
44	51.90%	44.70%	D+7.2	41.02%	48.67%	R+7.7	D
45	51.24%	43.62%	D+7.6	43.54%	43.68%	R+0.1	D
46	41.79%	54.50%	R+12.7	37.67%	52.51%	R+14.8	R
47	21.31%	75.47%	R+54.2	13.82%	80.13%	R+66.3	R
48	30.34%	66.16%	R+35.8	21.53%	71.35%	R+49.8	R
49	22.81%	74.97%	R+52.2	18.99%	71.40%	R+52.4	R
50	16.74%	81.25%	R+64.5	14.54%	79.22%	R+64.7	R
51	24.13%	73.76%	R+49.6	20.67%	73.60%	R+52.9	R
52	10.61%	87.04%	R+76.4	5.97%	89.88%	R+83.9	R
53	16.85%	80.53%	R+63.7	10.18%	84.03%	R+73.8	R
54	36.87%	60.26%	R+23.4	33.60%	57.34%	R+23.7	R
55	24.77%	72.52%	R+47.8	18.63%	74.01%	R+55.4	R
56	34.31%	61.96%	R+27.6	26.93%	64.03%	R+37.1	R
57	32.45%	63.83%	R+31.4	24.54%	66.50%	R+42	R
58	23.70%	73.45%	R+49.8	13.62%	79.63%	R+66	R
59	33.92%	61.68%	R+27.8	21.68%	69.96%	R+48.3	R
60	30.10%	66.75%	R+36.6	21.45%	69.85%	R+48.4	D
Total	28.05%	69.21%	R+41.2	22.48%	70.06%	R+47.6	-
Source: Daily Kos

Recent news

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Wyoming gubernatorial election, 2018 (August 21 Republican primary) - Google News

See also

Wyoming government:

• Wyoming state executive offices
• Wyoming State Legislature
• Wyoming courts

Elections:

• Wyoming state executive official elections, 2018
• Gubernatorial elections, 2018
• Lieutenant gubernatorial elections, 2018
• Attorney General elections, 2018
• Secretary of State elections, 2018
• State executive official elections, 2018, 2017, 2016

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External links

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