Wyoming Freedom Caucus faced funding disparity in primary election

CHEYENNE — Campaign finance reports for the Aug. 18 primary offer a look at the significant fundraising disparities in Laramie County's state legislative races that featured Wyoming Freedom Caucus members, and how they and their opponents raised and spent money ahead of the election.

Statewide, the WFC lost significant ground in the primary, as 13 incumbents lost their reelection campaigns, and four other representatives also lost their bids to join the Senate.

House District 8

Incumbent WFC member Rep. Steve Johnson, R-Cheyenne, lost to former Wyoming Department of Transportation Director Maj. Gen. Luke Reiner in House District 8.

Reiner nearly tripled Johnson in fundraising, reporting $50,254 in contributions compared to Johnson's $18,925.

Out of the $50,254 total, $29,744, or nearly 60%, came from individual donations; $15,200, or 30%, came from Wyoming-based PACs; and $5,000, or 10%, was in the form of personal loans to his campaign.

Reiner's campaign also outspent Johnson by nearly 3-to-1, with expenditures totaling $29,863. The campaign reported $12,228, or just over 40%, spent on campaign yard signs and other merchandise; $9,452, or 32%, spent on advertising, specifically digital advertising; and $4,500, or 15%, spent on consulting.

Individual donations accounted for 99% of Johnson's $18,925 in total contributions. The campaign reported spending just $2,505, with $1,980, or nearly 80%, going toward campaign yard signs and merchandise, and the remaining $525 going toward a campaign event.

According to the filing, Johnson carried over $6,889 from his previous campaign and spent only $2,505 during this election cycle, leaving $23,309 remaining. He can either return the money to the individuals who donated it, or carry it forward for another campaign, should he decide to run again.

When the Wyoming Tribune Eagle spoke with Johnson on the day after the primary, he stated he was unlikely to run again.

When asked Friday about the reported $23,309 he is carrying over, Johnson emphasized a mistake must have occurred.

"I'm actually in the hole. I've loaned money to my campaign, and that's not even close to being accurate," Johnson told the WTE. "I don't know what's going on there."

According to the Wyoming law governing campaign finance filing, a candidate has 30 days from when inaccuracies or additional contributions or expenditures become known to provide an amended filing to rectify the error or omission.

Reiner will face Democrat Brenda Lyttle in the general election.

House District 41

The race for House District 41 featured incumbent WFC member Rep. Gary Brown, R-Cheyenne, who faced Erin Edwards, a state employee and Laramie County volunteer firefighter. Brown was one of the 10 lawmakers involved in the "Checkgate" scandal at the beginning of the last legislative session, in which campaign checks were handed to lawmakers on the floor of the House of Representatives after the opening day's session ended.

The Edwards campaign nearly doubled Brown's total contributions, raising $27,261 versus Brown's $15,610.

Edwards received $9,500, or 35%, from Wyoming-based PACs; $9,111, or 33%, from individual donations; and $5,000, or 18%, from personal funds. Her campaign spent $16,274 in total — $15,233, or 94%, went to consulting, and $786, or 5%, went to campaign mailers.

Brown, on the other hand, received 99% of his total contributions from individual donations and spent $12,101 in total, with $6,783, or 56%, spent on campaign mailers; $2,884, or 24%, spent on campaign yard signs and merchandise; and $1,298, or 11%, spent on consulting.

Edwards defeated Brown in the Republican primary and will face Democrat Stacy Becker in the general election.

House District 43

In the race for House District 43, incumbent Rep. Ann Lucas, R-Cheyenne, lost her reelection bid to Jessica Crowder, who is a local rancher and business owner. During her time in the Legislature, Lucas advocated for banning "obscene" materials from school libraries, but was not able to pass any legislation that would have done so.

Crowder outraised Lucas by more than $10,000, raising $26,946 in contributions, with $19,016, or 70%, coming from individuals, and $6,800, or 25%, coming from Wyoming-based political action committees (PACs).

Crowder outspent Lucas by $5,000, spending $19,742 in total. Of that, $7,350, or 37%, was spent on consulting; $3,364, or 17%, was spent on campaign yard signs; and $3,000, or 15%, was spent on digital advertising.

By comparison, Lucas raised $15,418 in total contributions; $14,038, or 91%, came from individual donations, and $1,300, or 8%, was from Wyoming-based PACs. The Lucas campaign reported total expenditures of $13,696, with $7,888, or 57%, spent on consulting, and $5,200, or 37%, spent on advertising.

Crowder does not have a Democratic opponent in the general election.

Senate District 31

In the race for Senate District 31, incumbent Sen. Evie Brennan, R-Cheyenne, faced challenger Rep. Daniel Singh, R-Cheyenne, who left the WFC in 2025. The candidates also had a significant fundraising disparity, as Brennan raised $57,307, compared with Singh's $13,786.

Of the Brennan's total, $26,757, or 47%, came from individual donations; $24,050, or 42%, was from PACS based in Wyoming; $3,500, or 6%, came from out-of-state PACs; and $3,000, or 5%, was from immediate family.

The Singh campaign received $10,316, or 75%, in the form of individual donations; $1,500, or 11%, from the Club for Growth PAC, based in Washington, D.C.; and $1,350, or 10%, from immediate family.

The Brennan campaign reported total expenditures of $46,021 — $34,659, or 75%, was spent on advertising, primarily campaign mailers and text messages; $4,469, or 10%, was spent on digital advertising; and $3,212, or 7%, was spent on campaign yard signs and merchandise.

The Singh campaign reported $13,759 in total expenditures — $7,265, or 53%, was spent on campaign mailers; $4,222, or 31%, was spent on campaign yard signs and merchandise; and $1,500, or 11%, was spent on digital advertising.

Brennan will face Democrat Shifa Hamid in the general election.

The general election is Nov. 3, with early voting starting Oct. 6.