State Sen. Eric Barlow (R) is projected to win the Republican gubernatorial primary in Wyoming, defeating several candidates including Megan Degenfelder, who was endorsed by President Trump. Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ) reported the projection on Tuesday night. Barlow led a field that included Degenfelder, the state’s Superintendent of Public Instruction, and 2022 contender Brent Bien.
The race sought a successor for Gov. Mark Gordon (R), who is reaching his term limit. Degenfelder, in addition to the presidential endorsement, held the backing of Wyoming’s single U.S. House representative, Harriet Hageman (R). Barlow’s campaign focused on a platform he described as "respectful, effective leadership," according to his campaign website.
Barlow is now scheduled to face Ken Casner, the presumptive Democratic nominee, in the general election. The Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan election analysis group, currently classifies the Wyoming governorship as "solidly Republican." The result follows primary losses for other Trump-endorsed gubernatorial candidates in Iowa, Georgia, and South Carolina earlier this election cycle.
The outcome also affects internal Republican party dynamics and the influence of national endorsements in state-level contests. The loss by Degenfelder, despite having the backing of both the sitting president and the state's lone House representative, Harriet Hageman, suggests a divergence between national endorsements and local primary preferences. This follows a pattern noted in three other states—Iowa, Georgia, and South Carolina—where the president's preferred gubernatorial candidates were defeated in their respective primaries.
The next phase of the election cycle moves toward the November general election. While Ken Casner is the Democratic challenger, the partisan lean of the state suggests the Republican nominee will have a significant advantage in securing the governor's office. The new governor will take office following the conclusion of Gov. Gordon's term, though the specific inauguration date was not reported in the source text. Voters will finalize their choice at the polls on Election Day in November 2026.