Wyoming’s general election winners and losers

Wyoming’s Republican Party strengthened its supermajority in Tuesday’s general election, picking up seats in the Legislature and retaining all five statewide elected offices as well as the state’s congressional delegation. 

Voters swayed especially to the right in the Legislature, where in 17 races Democrats failed to gain a single seat previously held by Republicans. Additionally, Republicans flipped two of the only seven House seats held by Democrats — Reps. Chad Banks (D-Rock Springs) and Andi LeBeau (D-Riverton) both lost their seats. The GOP also picked up House seats previously held by Libertarian Marshall Burt (Green River) and Jim Roscoe (Wilson), an independent who did not run for reelection.

In the Senate, the body’s only two Democrats — Sens. Chris Rothfuss (D-Laramie) and Mike Gierau (D-Jackson) — were able to hang on against Republican challengers. In the House, Trey Sherwood (D-Laramie) held her seat against Republican challenger Bryan Shuster. 

Trump-backed Harriet Hageman won Wyoming’s lone seat in the U.S. House of Representatives against Democrat Lynnette Grey Bull. 

Gov. Mark Gordon will serve a second term after he defeated Democrat Theresa Livingston and Libertarian Jason Baldes. Wyoming’s other two incumbent statewide officials — State Auditor Kristi Racines and State Treasurer Curt Meier — ran unopposed. Both will also serve a second term in office. Also running unopposed, Rep. Chuck Gray (R-Casper) won his bid for secretary of state. Democrat Sergio Maldonado lost to Republican Megan Degenfelder in the race for superintendent of public instruction. 

A record number of independents and third-party candidates ran for legislative seats this year. However, all 17 of those candidates lost their bids, including incumbent Rep. Burt, who was the only third-party lawmaker at the statehouse. Libertarian candidate Bethany Baldes, who challenged incumbent Rep. Ember Oakley (R-Riverton), also lost her race. 

Bob Strobel, who ran as an independent for House District 22 after Rep. Roscoe did not seek re-election, lost to Republican Andrew Byron. Altogether, the losses mean the statehouse will no longer have any unaffiliated or third-party lawmakers. 

Six out of seven Democratic seats in the House had Republican challengers — two of which flipped to the right.

Former lawmaker Sarah Burlingame was one of 13 Democrats that challenged Republicans for House seats. Burlingame lost to Tamara Trujillo for House District 44, according to unofficial election results from Laramie County. The seat had previously been held by Rep. John Romero-Martinez (R-Cheyenne). 

After facing a write-in campaign from a candidate he had beaten in the primary election, Sen. Ogden Driskill (R-Devils Tower) won another term and is expected to become Senate President. He secured 4,785 votes over 1,579 write-in votes, according to unofficial SOS results. 

Voters faced two constitutional amendments on the ballot. Constitutional Amendment A was approved to lay the groundwork for municipalities to invest in stocks in the same manner the state does. Constitutional Amendment B, however, failed to get enough votes. It would have raised the required retirement age for Wyoming Supreme Court justices and district court judges. 

At press time, results from the secretary of state’s office were unofficial.

WyoFile is an independent nonprofit news organization focused on Wyoming people, places and policy.