Senate race highlights Tuesday primaries

A battle for the Republican nomination for one of two Wyoming seats in the United States Senate is the race of primary interest as voters across the Cowboy State go to the polls Tuesday for the Wyoming Primary Election.

Wyoming uses the caucus system for presidential elections, so the state’s electors for president on both the Republican and Democratic tickets have already been selected. That leaves the U.S. Senate and U.S. House as the only statewide races this go-round.

Incumbent Senator John Barrasso is receiving a strong challenge for the GOP nomination from fellow Casper resident Reid Rasner, along with John Holtz of Laramie. Scott Morrow of Laramie is unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

First-term U.S. Representative Harriet Hageman is also receiving a challenge for the Republican nomination from Steven Helling of Casper. Kyle Cameron of Cheyenne is unopposed for the Democratic nomination for U.S. House.

Wyoming’s top elected officials at the state level – governor, secretary of state and the like – are midway through four-year terms. The state offices will be on the 2026 ballot.

There is one seat in the Wyoming Legislature on the ballot in the primary, and State Representative Dalton Banks of Cowley is unopposed for the Republican nomination for House District 26. There is no filed Democratic challenger.

At the county level, most offices – sheriff, clerk, treasurer and others – are midway through four-year terms, and there is just one county commission seat up for election. Incumbent Bruce Jolley is unopposed for the Republican nomination, and there is no filed Democratic challenger.

There are two contested races for town council seats in North Big Horn County, will all five mayors midway through four-year terms. Two candidates for each town council seat will advance to the general election in November, so all 11 council candidates in Lovell, Byron, Cowley, Deaver and Frannie advance to the general, with room for write-in nominations.

On the ballot in Lovell are incumbent Ray Messamer and challengers Mike Grant and Gareth Robertson, with room for one write-in. Similarly, on the ballot in Frannie are Shang Clendenen, Guy Desantis and Roger Ganoung, with room for one write-in candidate.

Incumbents are unopposed in Cowley and Deaver, with room for two write-in nominations in each town. Incumbent council members are Rob Johnson and Dexter Woodis in Cowley and Aspen Beall and Nick Loftus in Deaver. Toby Turnupseed is the lone filed candidate for the Byron Town Council, with room on the ballot for three write-in nominations.

Polls open Tuesday at 7 a.m. and are open until 7 p.m. at the following polling places: the community center in Lovell, the town complex in Byron, the log gym in Cowley, the community hall in Deaver and the old school building (town hall) in Frannie.