Wyoming
Election night takeaways in Alaska, Florida, and Wyoming – Washington Examiner
Incumbent Republicans came out on top on Tuesday after several GOP lawmakers beat back their primary challengers — though for some of them, the fight is not over, as they face more challenging contests in November against strong Democratic candidates.
In Florida, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) defeated a Kevin McCarthy-backed challenger, the latest episode in their feud stemming from a Gaetz-led effort to oust the former speaker from the position last year. Several other House members whose races have shifted slightly in favor of Democrats gained their respective challengers Tuesday night, setting up competitive matchups this fall.
Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) handily defeated his GOP challenger on Tuesday, putting him on an easy path to reelection this fall, as well.
In good news for Democrats, Rep. Mary Peltola (D-AK) advanced to the general election with two strong Republican contenders at her heels, with all three preparing for the state’s unique ranked-choice voting system that helped the Democratic congresswoman flip the seat for the first time in five decades.
Gaetz defeats McCarthy-backed challenger in final stop for ‘revenge tour’
Gaetz handily defeated Aaron Dimmock, a retired Navy pilot backed by McCarthy allies, on Tuesday night, 72.5% to 27.5% as of 10:03 p.m. with 94% of ballots counted.
Though McCarthy himself did not funnel money into Dimmock’s campaign, the Freedom Patriots PAC, connected to allies of the former speaker, spent $3 million supporting the Navy pilot and attacking Gaetz over investigations into allegations of sex trafficking, sexual misconduct, and illegal drug use.
Despite being outspent nearly 4 to 1, Gaetz came out on top largely thanks to his household name in northern Florida and Republican primary voters’ aversion to McCarthy.
McCarthy’s allies, anticipating that Dimmock would not succeed in ousting Gaetz, are setting their sights on 2026, hoping that the negative ad campaigning against Gaetz would hurt his chances of running for governor. The Florida congressman has said he has no plans to run for the gubernatorial office, but eyes are on him and Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) to potentially lead the GOP field for the governor’s mansion.
Gaetz’s victory on Tuesday is a blow to McCarthy as the final stop in his “revenge tour” against the eight House Republicans who voted to oust him as speaker. The other seven GOP lawmakers either won their primaries, ran uncontested, or opted not to run for reelection.
Mary Peltola and three others advance to ranked-choice general election
Peltola and two Republican challengers advanced to the general election on Tuesday night, as Alaska’s primary sends the top four vote-getters to the ballots in November regardless of party.
The Democratic congresswoman received the most votes with 50.9%, followed by Nick Begich with 26.9% and Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom with 19.9% with 56% of ballots counted as of 1:20 a.m. A fourth candidate, who has not been selected at the time of this story’s publishing, will move on to the general election, as well.
Other than the three selected, all nine other candidates received less than 1 percentage point in votes. GOP candidate Matthew Salisbury held the highest among the nine with 0.6% of the vote as of 1:20 p.m.
The general election will be ranked-choice voting, a vote-by-preference system in which voters select their first through fourth choices. If a candidate receives 50% or more of first-choice votes in the initial count, they win. If not, the votes will be reallocated based on those eliminated.
This voting process was one of the factors that helped Peltola flip Alaska’s lone House seat Democratic for the first time in 50 years. GOP infighting also helped Peltola’s victory, as the two leading Republican candidates in 2022 focused more on mudslinging each other than campaigning against Peltola. Republicans ultimately failed to consolidate under one candidate, splitting the vote and allowing Peltola to win both the special and general elections in 2022.
This year, Peltola is facing another duo of Republican challengers, though they have tried to keep the attention on Peltola instead of swinging insults at one another.
Prior to the primary, Begich, who ran unsuccessfully against Peltola in 2022, said he would drop out of the race if he came in behind Dahlstrom. Dahlstrom, who is backed by former President Donald Trump and national Republicans, made no such pledge and indicated she will press forward in a statement Wednesday morning Eastern time.
“From day one, this campaign has been about defeating Mary Peltola in November. Tonight’s results show my message of standing up for Alaska’s energy interests, securing the border, and fighting back against the anti-Alaska policies of the Biden-Harris administration is resonating with voters across the state,” Dahlstrom said in a statement. “I was endorsed by President Trump, Governor Dunleavy, and Republican leaders in Alaska and Washington, because I’m the only candidate in this race who can beat Mary Peltola. And that’s exactly what we are going to do in November.”
Peltola holds a significant fundraising advantage over Begich and Dahlstrom. Peltola’s campaign reported having $2.8 million cash on hand as of July 31, compared to Dahlstrom with $317,617 and Begich with $172,548. Peltola’s campaign has raised more than $7.5 million this cycle, compared to Begich’s $983,000 and Dahlstrom’s $912,000.
“Extreme Democrat Mary Peltola talks a good game in Alaska, but her voting record enabled Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and the Squad’s liberal agenda destroying Alaska’s future,” National Republican Congressional Committee spokesperson Ben Petersen said in a statement. “Actions speak louder than words. Peltola’s failed record made Alaskans poorer and less safe, which is why we are confident Alaskans will flip the seat red again as it was under Don Young.”
The Washington Examiner reached out to Begich and Peltola for comment.
Rick Scott gains strong Democratic challenger
Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) easily defeated two GOP challengers on Tuesday and will face former Democratic Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell in November. Mucarsel-Powell was ousted in 2020 by Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) and is preparing to make a comeback to Congress, raking in millions of dollars compared to Scott’s coffers.
Federal Election Commission reports on July 31 show Mucarsel-Powell has $4.4 million in her account compared to Scott’s $3.9 million. She raised $14.4 million from donors, with Scott putting in $13.7 million of his own money into the contest. For comparison, Scott spent $63.6 million of his own money in 2018 and barely ousted then-Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson.
However, polling still shows Scott has a lead in the race, with a recent survey from Florida Atlantic University/Mainstreet Research USA released on Aug. 14 finding Scott ahead of Mucarsel-Powell by 4 percentage points.
Scott’s race will be closely watched in November, particularly as he has already announced he intends to run for Senate Republican leader in the next Congress. Two other GOP senators are interested in the position, currently held by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), as well — but Scott is the only one of the three on the 2024 ballot.
A win from Scott against a strong Democratic challenger could boost his chances of succeeding McConnell, though he will likely face pushback from the longtime Kentucky Republican’s allies. The two men have butted heads since November 2022, after McConnell removed him from the powerful Senate Commerce Committee.
Many Republicans also blamed Scott, who in 2022 was chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, for losses in the midterms that allowed Democrats to capture the majority — a possible thorn in Scott’s side as he competes to lead the GOP conference.
Primary night sets up competitive general election matchups
While some primaries on Tuesday night were not eventful, it does set a handful of incumbents up for a more competitive general election challenge, particularly in Florida.
Florida has three congressional races that are considered competitive: the 13th District, held by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) and rated “likely Republican”; the 9th District, held by Rep. Darren Soto (D-FL) and rated “likely Democratic”; and the 23rd District, held by Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) and rated “likely Democratic.”
The three House members ran uncontested on Tuesday but gained a strong general election competitor that could bring the results in November down to the wire.
A lot is on the line for House Republicans, who are seeking to keep hold of and expand their narrow majority in the upper chamber. For House Democrats, protecting their safe seats is imperative so they can focus more time and resources on swing districts and flip the House back under their control.
Darren Soto – 9th District
Soto, whose 9th District race is given a D+8 advantage, ran unopposed in the Democratic primary. He will face former Osceola County School Board member Thomas Chalifoux in November.
Chalifoux defeated GOP challengers John Quinones and Jose Castillo with 49.6% of the vote as of 9:27 p.m. Quinones was a familiar name for voters, as he ran and lost in the 2022 Republican primary to Scott Moore. Moore lost to Soto by over 14,000 votes.
The 9th District became a Hispanic-majority district in 2022 thanks to redistricting. President Joe Biden won Soto’s district with 58% to Trump’s under 41% of the vote, but Moore came within 8 points of defeating Soto last cycle with no solid Republican Party support — meaning national Republicans are eyeing the 9th District as a possible pick-up opportunity for the 2024 cycle.
Anna Paulina Luna – 13th District
Luna’s 13th District drew five Democratic challengers for the primary. The incumbent won in 2022 partially thanks to redistricting that shifted the district to have a more Republican advantage. Despite having an R+6 rating from Cook Political Report, it is one of three congressional races in Florida labeled as competitive.
Whitney Fox defeated her four competitors with 58.1% of the vote as of 9:28 p.m. with 99% of ballots counted. She outraised all of her challengers combined by over $100,000 and ended the quarter with more cash on hand than her opponents at $355,684, according to Federal Election Commission records.
However, Fox is still far behind Luna. The incumbent has nearly $866,000 cash on hand as of the end of June, giving Luna almost a $500,000 advantage over Fox in a general election matchup. Fox has several local, state, and national endorsements, including Reps. Kathy Castor (D-FL), Lois Frankel (D-FL), Eric Swalwell (D-CA), and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL).
A poll from May found Luna with a 5 percentage point advantage over Fox, 51% to 46%.
Jared Moskowitz – 23rd District
Six Republican challengers faced off on Tuesday to compete against Moskowitz for control of the 23rd District in Florida. Joe Kaufman defeated Robert Weinroth, Carla Spaulding, Darlene Cerezo Swaffar, Gary Barve, and Joe Thelusca with 35.5% of the vote as of 10:06 p.m. with 82% of ballots counted.
Kaufman has previous national election experience. He won the GOP primary in 2014, 2016, and 2018 before losing to Wasserman Schultz, who represented the 23rd District before redistricting took place.
Moskowitz defeated Republican Joe Budd with 51.6% of the vote compared to Budd’s 46.8% in 2022. He won by just 5 percentage points, despite Biden winning the district in 2020 by 13 points. The Cook Political Report gives Democrats a +5 advantage in Moskowitz’s race this year.
The Florida Democrat is respected in both parties, with Republicans often conceding he is handling his job representing the district well, according to the Tampa Bay Times. Moskowitz, who is Jewish, became one of the most vocal House Democrats calling for support of Israel as conflicts spread out across college campuses over the Israel-Hamas war.
Maria Elvira Salazar – 27th District
While her race is not considered to be as competitive, Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) is representing a once-comfortably blue seat that has trended toward Republicans in recent years. Though Hillary Clinton carried the seat in 2016, Trump won the seat in 2020, allowing Salazar to oust former Democratic Rep. Donna Shalala in 2020.
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Salazar also defeated her 2022 opponent by 15 points, making it unlikely that a Democratic challenger will unseat her this cycle thanks to her large war chest and moderate positions on policy issues like immigration and gay marriage, per Cook Political Report.
The Florida congresswoman defeated GOP challenger Royland Lara with 88.7% of the vote as of 9:54 p.m. Salazar will face Lucia Baez-Geller, who won the nomination with 54.0% of the vote, in the general election. The seat is rated as “likely Republican.”
If you’re planning on visiting Wyoming, for a truly authentic experience, you must include at least one of the state’s awesome downtowns in your travel plans. Positioned at the southern end of the 60-mile-long valley known as Jackson Hole, the character-rich town of Jackson is one such place to consider. A wonderful place to explore on foot, Jackson’s unique downtown, with its Old West vibe, spreads out from the intersection of Broadway and Cache Street. While it consists of just a few blocks, it is jam-packed with fun things to do, no matter what time of year you visit. Its impressive elk arch makes for an excellent photo opportunity, while the charm of its Old West heritage exudes from the historic buildings, cowboy-themed bars, and art installations across town. The wild past also comes to life in Jackson during the Jackson Hole Shootout at the Town Square, a tradition that has endured since 1957.
Town Square And The Elk Antler Arches
Though Jackson’s Central Park is officially known as George Washington Memorial Park, locals and visitors alike prefer to call it Town Square. Dedicated in 1934, this centrally located public space occupies the block at Broadway and Cache and is famous for the elk antler archers set at each of its corners.
Made entirely from naturally shed elk antlers, the first arch was erected by local Boy Scouts and Rotary Club members in 1953, with the other three added a few years later. Each consists of around 2,000 antlers collected from the nearby National Elk Refuge and is among the most photographed landmarks in Wyoming.
For a truly memorable experience, try to time a visit to coincide with ELKFEST. Held in May, this community-wide celebration attracts visitors from across the country for events like the Mountain Man Rendezvous, a reenactment of the state’s early fur trading years.
The main event, though, is the highly anticipated Elk Antler Auction. Bidders from far and wide turn up at Town Square to purchase antlers, which are then used to make everything from furniture to jewelry (proceeds going back to the Elk Refuge).
Jackson’s Cowboy Heritage
From Memorial Day through Labor Day, Town Square becomes the backdrop of the famous Jackson Hole Shootout. This fun (and free) mock gunfight has been entertaining visitors since 1957 and includes several costumed outlaws and lawmen shooting it out (with blanks, of course). You can add to the experience by hopping aboard the Jackson Hole Stagecoach, a ride aboard a century-old coach that loops around downtown.
The Old West theme is evident in other spots around the downtown core, too. Steps from Town Square, the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar has been around since 1937 and is set in what was once the town’s first bank in the late 1890s. Highlights include its hand-carved bar top with silver dollars embedded in it, as well as its cool saddle barstools. Live music is regularly scheduled on the stage that has seen such legends as Willie Nelson and Hank Williams Jr. perform.
The Wort Hotel is another downtown landmark you’ll want to include in your Jackson itinerary. A local fixture since 1941, it’s here you’ll find the famous Silver Dollar Bar with its custom-made S-shaped counter inlaid with 2,032 uncirculated (and therefore rare) 1921 silver dollars. You’ll also want to check out its priceless collection of original Western art.
Other Fun Stuff To Do In Downtown Jackson
In addition to its iconic bars, downtown Jackson also boasts a world-class food scene. Highlights include Persephone Bakery, its old-fashioned stone hearth turning out delicious baked goods, including croissants and artisanal bread. Also yummy, Cafe Genevieve occupies an old log cabin and serves breakfast and lunch with a Southern-inspired menu.
Jackson’s art scene is also worth a mention. Art galleries are plentiful in the downtown area, with establishments like Astoria Fine Art and Mountain Trails Galleries, both on Town Square, featuring works by local, national, and international artists. The Center for the Arts is another cultural high point and features performance spaces, visual arts studios, and an outdoor sculpture park.
Snow King Mountain
Another unique feature of Jackson’s downtown is its proximity to some of Wyoming’s best (and certainly most accessible) ski hills. The base of Snow King Mountain is just six blocks from Town Square and has been in use since 1936, and really took off when Wyoming’s first chairlift opened here in 1946.
Dubbed the “Town Hill” by locals, Snow King now consists of 500 skiable acres, 41 named runs, three chairlifts, an eight-passenger gondola, and night skiing. In warmer months, the action shifts to a thrilling Cowboy Coaster, a zipline, a treetop adventure ropes course, and an alpine slide.
The Snow King Observatory and Planetarium is another excuse to head for the hills from downtown Jackson. Located at the summit of Snow King Mountain, in addition to its large telescope, this must-see attraction features a planetarium theater and a rooftop observation deck boasting incredible views over Jackson and the Jackson Hole Valley.
Explore Jackson’s Not-So-Wild Side
Downtown Jackson has so much to offer visitors seeking an authentic slice of Wyoming life. From its unique elk antler arches to its art galleries and cowboy culture, as well as its unique position steps from the ski hills, few towns in the USA’s Mountain Region can match the long list of fun things to do in Jackson’s downtown core.
The expansion would open the spigot for 550,000 barrels per day of crude, the company says. Although the crude would mostly pass through eastern Wyoming, the venture opens opportunities for Wyoming oil producers in the region for more transportation access to U.S. refineries and shipping ports, according to Bridger and local industry officials.“It would be the biggest project in our history, if it comes to fruition,” Bridger Pipeline spokesperson Bill Salvin told WyoFile on Friday. “We are, however, in the really early stages of the project. But we’re very excited about it.”Industry trade groups speculate the Bridger Pipeline Expansion is part of a competitive scramble to fill a gap left by TC Energy’s Keystone XL project. That company, in 2021, abandoned the controversial project in the face of major opposition and protests. It would have transported Canadian tar-sands oil into the U.S. market via a route extending through Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska. Among many challenges for Keystone XL was acquiring new rights-of-way easements. Though the Bridger Pipeline Expansion proposal requires some new rights-of-way, that’s not the case for the 210-mile Wyoming segment, according to Salvin.“All of that distance is within, or parallel to, existing pipeline corridors,” Salvin said.
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The Wyoming segment would pass through Crook, Weston, Niobrara, Goshen and Platte counties.Bridger Pipeline, a subsidiary of Casper-based True Companies, submitted a notice of intent to the Montana Department of Environmental Quality in January and noted it will formally initiate environmental applications to the agency. Salvin told WyoFile he’s uncertain about the full spectrum of regulatory requirements in Wyoming.However, the company regards the Cowboy State as a great fit for the project, he said. “This [project proposal] just highlights how important the region is and how Wyoming is a very good place for energy projects like this.”Reached for comment, the Petroleum Association of Wyoming said the proposed pipeline only stands to benefit Wyoming producers and the state.“Investments like these, along with continued growth in areas like the Powder River Basin, show Wyoming will continue to play an important role in the nation’s energy markets,” PAW Vice President and Director of Communications Ryan McConnaughey told WyoFile. “Connecting in Guernsey allows product to be transported to refining hubs like Cushing, Oklahoma.” WyoFile is an independent nonprofit news organization focused on Wyoming people, places and policy.
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LARAMIE — Nasir Meyer converted a three-point play with 35 seconds remaining to give Wyoming Cowboys men’s basketball the lead for good, and Wyoming held Air Force Falcons men’s basketball scoreless over the final two minutes to secure a 66-62 victory Saturday night.
The win marked the 13th home victory of the season for Wyoming, which improved to 16-13 overall and 7-11 in conference play.
“Air Force deserves all the credit and let’s talk about a team that has every reason not to fight, but thats why they are Air Force and the cadets and I have a lot of respect for them,” Wyoming coach Sundance Wicks said. “They were not going to quit, and I didn’t drive that message home enough and hats off to Air Force because they deserved to win. We snuck away with a win. Adam Harakow showed when we need him and he was massive for us. Simm-Marten was made big plays and Naz was clutch for us late.”
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Wyoming shot 35% from the field and went 7 of 28 from 3-point range, making just two from beyond the arc in the second half. Air Force shot 49% overall and 44% from 3, hitting eight shots from long distance. The Cowboys made 13 of 16 free throws (81%) and scored 22 points off 15 Air Force turnovers while holding a 39-36 edge in rebounding.
Damarion Dennis led Wyoming with 16 points and three assists, going 7 of 8 from the free-throw line. Meyer finished with 14 points and tied a career best with eight rebounds. Adam Harakow added 14 points off the bench on 5-of-6 shooting, his first double-figure scoring game since the first meeting with Air Force. Simm-Marten Saadi had nine points in 13 minutes, and Kiani Saxon grabbed seven rebounds.
Air Force opened with back-to-back 3-pointers to take a 6-0 lead. Meyer scored Wyoming’s first basket, and Leland Walker added a 3-pointer to make it 8-5 with 16 minutes left in the first half.
Wyoming responded with a 9-0 run over nearly four minutes, with Saadi and Harakow each connecting from beyond the arc to give the Cowboys an 11-8 lead with under 14 minutes remaining. Air Force regained a 12-11 advantage as Wyoming went scoreless for more than two minutes.
Harakow’s second 3-pointer pushed the lead to 22-16 with nine minutes left in the half, and Wyoming used a 6-0 run while holding the Falcons without a field goal for more than four minutes to build a 28-18 lead with six minutes remaining. The Cowboys closed the half on a defensive stand, keeping Air Force scoreless for the final two minutes to take a 35-25 lead into the break. Wyoming scored 15 first-half points off turnovers.
The teams traded 3-pointers early in the second half, and Air Force cut the deficit to 40-31 with under 17 minutes left before trimming it to seven 90 seconds later. Walker answered with a 3-pointer to make it 43-33 with 15 minutes to go.
Air Force used a 9-0 run during a stretch in which Wyoming went more than 3 1/2 minutes without a point to pull within one with nine minutes left. The Falcons later tied the game at 51-51 with 5:30 remaining after forcing six straight missed shots.
A pair of free throws by Meyer and a basket from Saadi gave Wyoming a 57-53 lead with under four minutes to play. Air Force answered with three consecutive 3-pointers from Kam Sanders to take a 62-59 lead with two minutes left.
Meyer scored with 90 seconds remaining to cut the deficit to one. On the next trip, he converted an and-one to give Wyoming a 64-62 lead with 35 seconds left. The Cowboys added late free throws to close out the 66-62 win.
Sanders led Air Force with 16 points and nine rebounds, going 4 of 5 from 3-point range. Eli Robinson added 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting.
Wyoming closes its home schedule Tuesday against Nevada Wolf Pack men’s basketball at 8 p.m. as part of a doubleheader with the Cowgirls.
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