Wyoming voters went to the polls on Tuesday to select Republican and Democratic nominees for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by retiring Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.). The primary election will determine which candidates appear on the ballot for the general election in November.
Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.), who currently serves as the state’s only member of the U.S. House of Representatives, is seeking to move to the Senate. Hageman received endorsements from former President Donald Trump and both of Wyoming’s current U.S. senators. Governor Mark Gordon (R), who is reaching the end of his term limit, did not enter the race.
The Republican primary features Hageman alongside four other candidates: former Kirby Mayor Sam Mead, former judge John Holtz, National Guard veteran Jimmy Skovgard, and massage therapist Jill Edwards. On the Democratic side, former state Rep. James Beard is facing landscaper Billy Benavidez. Polls in the state were scheduled to close at 9 p.m. EDT.
The scale of this shift involves the replacement of a veteran legislator with a new representative in the upper chamber of Congress. While the exact number of voters participating in this specific primary was not reported, the winner will eventually represent the entire state population. Residents will notice a change in their federal representation starting in January when the new term begins, affecting how their interests are voiced during votes on federal budgets, judicial appointments, and national policy.
This election also tests the influence of national endorsements in Wyoming politics, specifically the impact of support from former President Trump and the state's current congressional delegation. A win for Hageman would create a vacancy for Wyoming's lone seat in the House of Representatives, requiring a separate selection process for that office. Following the closure of polls on Tuesday, election officials will certify results ahead of the November general election, which will finalize who fills the seat for the term beginning in 2027.