Wyoming Republicans Jockey for Nomination in Gubernatorial Primary on Tuesday

The winner of the Republican primary on Aug. 18 will advance to the general election this fall.

People arrive to vote in the Republican primary election at the Old Wilson Schoolhouse Community Center in Wilson, Wyo., in this file photo. Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images

Four Wyoming candidates are looking to nab the Republican nomination in the state’s primary election on Aug. 18, but their approaches differ sharply on key issues such as data center expansion and how to stop young adults from heading to different states with more opportunities.

Republican candidates hoping to lasso enough votes to advance to the general election against the likely Democratic nominee, Ken Casner, who is running for the seat unopposed in his party, include State Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder, state Sen. Eric Barlow, retired Marine Corps Col. Brent Bien, and Curt Blake.

The winner of this fall’s general election will take over for current Gov. Mark Gordon, who is term-limited.

Degenfelder is considered the frontrunner after receiving a “complete and total” endorsement from President Donald Trump on Aug 4.

​“‘MAGA’ Megan Degenfelder is running to be the next Governor of the Great State of Wyoming, a place I love and WON BIG in 2016, 2020, and 2024,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post earlier this month.

“Megan is fantastic, and strongly supported by many of our Greatest Warriors, including future Senator Harriet Hageman! A Sixth Generation Wyomingite, and Wyoming’s very popular Superintendent of Public Instruction, Megan has dedicated her life to serving her Community.”

If Degenfelder manages to fend off her challengers in the primary to win the general election, she will become Wyoming’s first female governor in 100 years.

Data Centers

Lots ideally suited for data center development are being rapidly purchased by hyperscalers in Cheyenne, Wyoming, such as this parcel, vacant in late June, in Cheyenne Business Park, where EchoStar operates a nearby data center and satellite uplink installation. John Haughey/The Epoch Times

Controversy over new data centers has rapidly become a key issue ahead of the midterm elections across the United States, including in Wyoming, where organizers in Cheyenne started a petition to pause new facilities after the city council approved a 3,460-acre annexation to accommodate Microsoft’s planned expansion in the state.

Degenfelder showed support for developing the facilities during the Republican gubernatorial candidate forum hosted by the Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce on June 5.

“We are in an AI arms race with China, and President Trump has been very bullish on data center development,” Degenfelder said. “We have some resources here in the state of Wyoming to keep them going.”

Barlow suggested that data center proposals should be decided by local governments, according to a questionnaire he filled out for Jackson Hole News & Guide.

Bien wants a full ban, citing water use concerns and doubt that the centers will boost the quality of life for locals.

“I am opposed to bringing data centers to Wyoming,” Bien said in a Facebook video. “Right now, we have on tap between 70 and 100 of them coming. I have yet to hear of a valid requirement, purpose, or return on investment to Wyoming.”

Blake does not have an official campaign website outlining his stance on large issues, including data centers, and has skipped the forums offered ahead of the primary.

Economy

Candidates acknowledged there is an affordability issue in the state, especially with the younger generations, and have different approaches to make locals keep more of their hard-earned cash.

Nearly two-thirds of people born in Wyoming leave the state in their 30s, according to a 2024 analysis by the Harvard Growth Lab.

Degenfelder suggested during the League of Women Voters of Wyoming forum that the way to keep young adults in the state is to make it more affordable.

Lunavi’s data center in Cheyenne Business Park in July 2026 included 45,000 square feet of IT infrastructure for cloud hosting, disaster recovery, and software application development. It is among smaller data center campuses in Cheyenne, Wyoming. John Haughey/The Epoch Times

“If a young family cannot afford to buy a house, or have medical care, or deliver a baby in an OB/GYN desert across the state, we can’t expect them to stay here.”

Bien wants to lower the cost of living by abolishing residential property taxes, cutting the sales tax from 4 percent to 3 percent, and ending the fuel tax.

Barlow suggested exploring partnerships to address housing costs but suggested that he’d want to allow local governments to make laws about what’s best for their communities.

Healthcare

The Equality State ranks among the higher states in the nation for average monthly insurance premiums, according to a WalletHub analysis in 2026.

Degenfelder, who survived cancer after she was diagnosed at 21 years old, ​wants to fix the cost and access issues in the state and introduce a reinsurance program that would use government funds to reimburse private insurers for some expensive medical claims.

The reimbursement is aimed at helping keep up-front premiums down for locals on the marketplace.

Bien wants to audit the entire Department of Health to confirm that tax dollars are being used as intended and support mobile clinics to provide healthcare in rural Wyoming.

Barlow suggested starting a “healthcare strike team” to make healthcare more affordable across the board while cutting the regulatory red tape so providers can focus on patients.