Wyoming GOP Central Committee Withholds Endorsement From Governor Nominee

Wyoming Republican Party Chairman Bryan Miller announced on Monday that the state Central Committee will not endorse Eric Barlow, the Republican nominee for governor. The decision marks a break from standard party practice, as the committee did not endorse the Constitution Party candidate Rebecca Bextel, the Democratic candidate Ilhan Omar, or any other non-Republican contenders. The group, however, did issue endorsements for Senate candidate Harriet Hageman and House candidate Chuck Gray, confirming that the committee retains the power to support specific candidates when it chooses.

The Central Committee is a statutory body composed of 69 members. Precinct committeemen and committeewomen elected under state law form county central committees, and each of Wyoming's 23 counties selects three representatives to sit on the state committee. These members meet quarterly to govern the party. Miller stated that the committee's goal is to allow the state's 213,000 registered Republicans to determine their standard bearers, a process that was completed during the primary election.

Barlow won the primary with 58,825 votes. He defeated Megan Degenfelder, who received 38,746 votes, and Brent Bien, who finished third with 30,850 votes. Curt Blake received 2,161 votes. The Central Committee had previously endorsed Bien, but nearly 100,000 Republican voters selected other candidates. Miller attributed the vote split to the presence of multiple candidates on the ballot. Barlow skipped the official endorsement process because he argued the choice belonged to the voters and that the process violated state law.

State law, specifically Wyoming Statute 22-25-104, prohibits political parties from expending funds directly or indirectly to aid one nominee against another in a primary. The party defended its actions by claiming it purchased no advertising for Bien. Critics note that the party used hall space, staff time, and its website to promote Bien, resources that Barlow argued were used indirectly to support his opponent. Barlow and Degenfelder were assigned less prominent spaces at the convention compared to Bien, who was allowed to post signs outside the venue.

In June, state GOP leadership filed a federal lawsuit to overturn Statute 22-25-104. The party is now punishing the candidate who refused to participate in the endorsement process, according to former Speaker of the House Tom Lubnau. Trump endorsed Degenfelder, while all three members of Wyoming's congressional delegation endorsed Barlow. The committee's current stance places it in disagreement with the party's elected representatives and a majority of its primary voters.

The legislature is scheduled to review the statutory duties of party central committees during the current session. Parties currently hold the power to submit three names to the governor or county commissioners when a statewide elected official or legislator leaves office mid-term. The governor or commissioners must choose from that list to fill the vacancy. Lawmakers are considering whether to allow voters to fill these vacancies directly rather than relying on party insiders.

The Central Committee meets to govern the party's internal operations. Its members are elected by precinct committeemen and committeewomen. The committee's decision to withhold an endorsement from the governor's nominee will be reviewed as the party prepares for the general election in November.