Megan Degenfelder, Brent Bien face off in gubernatorial campaign debate

GILLETTE, Wyo. — Two of the Republican candidates for Wyoming governor, Megan Degenfelder and Brent Bien, went head to head in Campbell County this evening. They both highlighted differences in some areas but agreed on energy, public lands, government oversight, abortion and election security.

Degenfelder, Wyoming’s superintendent of public instruction, introduced herself as “a Wyoming ranch kid whose parents clawed their way into the middle class” and said she believes Wyoming is “worth fighting for” because she believes the Wyoming people’s lives are at stake.

Bien, a retired Marine Corps colonel and combat veteran, pointed to his military career and leadership experience.

“My whole adult life has been about leadership, about principled conservative leadership,” he said. “My objective is to restore principled conservative leadership, accountability and discipline to Cheyenne.”

Nuclear energy

Both candidates supported Wyoming’s role in energy production but opposed bringing outside nuclear waste into the state.

“I do not want Wyoming to be … the permanent repository for spent nuclear fuel. I will not allow that to happen on my watch,” Bien said.

Degenfelder said Wyoming should consider nuclear power as part of its energy future but added, “If it works for us to be able to have nuclear as part of the portfolio, then it has to be right for Wyoming and that is ensuring that we do not accept anyone else’s waste, period.”

Public lands

The candidates also opposed privatization of public lands.

“No one loves public lands more than I do,” Degenfelder said. “You start selling that to the highest bidder, Wyoming loses who we are.”

Bien said he is “absolutely opposed” to federal lands being sold to private interests.

“If they do decide to dispose of it, then we as the state of Wyoming should get first-right refusal at no cost,” he said.

Attorney general and judicial appointments

When asked what each would be looking for in an attorney general and judicial appointment, both candidates called for conservative leadership.

Bien said he would seek an attorney general from outside state government.

“I want a clean set of eyes to look at what everything’s been that’s been going on,” he said. “I want someone who will put people first and it will put Wyoming first.”

Degenfelder said she wants stronger advocacy from state agencies.

“I want a bulldog in not just the attorney general’s office, but in all state agencies,” she said. “I want an attorney general that is so aligned to my mission and vision and what I believe that there’s an amicus brief on my desk the next morning after an action takes place.”

Immigration

Both candidates supported stronger immigration enforcement.

Bien explained he wanted to cooperate with ICE “to the fullest extent possible” and to make sure immigrants who are not in the United States legally would be sent out of the state.

Degenfelder said illegal immigration is already affecting communities in Wyoming.

“If you’re here legally, you got nothing to worry about. If you aren’t, it’s time to go home,” she said.

Energy development and green energy

Energy policy generated some of the sharpest comments of the night.

Degenfelder argued renewable energy projects should compete without government support.

“I’m also an economist and so I’ll tell you the way that you kill these green energy, you make them play on the same playing field,” she said. “No more tax subsidies, no more handouts, ensuring the regulatory environment is just as equal.”

Bien took a firmer stance against renewable development.

“Folks, there’s no place in Wyoming for this green energy,” he said. “I want these things bonded up front and where we’re not paying for these like we did all the gas wells. The answer for me is absolutely, unequivocally no.”

Economic development

Degenfelder argued government should focus on infrastructure such as water and sewer systems rather than directing economic development.

“Government does not create jobs. Private business does,” she said.

Bien echoed that sentiment.

“The only business that government has in business is simply to get out of the way. It’s to cut taxes. It’s to deregulate,” he said. “Right now, we’re turning into state capitalism where we have our own state government picking winners and losers.”

Government audits

Both candidates supported increased auditing of state government.

“This state has not done a full-blown budgetary audit since 1989,” Bien said. “Whoever’s belly-aching loudest is going to get audited first.”

Degenfelder agreed.

“We should be auditing every single state agency, every single budget line all the time,” she said. “Government is a beast, and you need someone in there who can tame it and who knows how to do it.”

Abortion

Abortion was another topic where both candidates expressed strong opposition.

“Life starts at conception and there are no exceptions,” Degenfelder said. “We are now one of the most openly abortion states in the country because of that ruling by the Supreme Court. We’re working against the devil here.”

Bien also opposed abortion.

“Folks, for me, there are no exceptions. Life does begin at conception,” he said.

Election integrity

Bien advocated for hand-counting ballots.

“I am very much a proponent of hand tabulation being the primary method of counting all cast paper ballots and I will push that way,” he said.

Degenfelder called for paper ballots statewide.

“Every single ballot should be a paper ballot,” she said, adding that she supports “banning dropboxes.”

Republican platform

Both candidates pledged support for the Wyoming Republican Party platform.

“80% is a no-brainer, and we need to require that out of our elected officials,” Degenfelder said.

Bien said he expects to be held to “100%” of the platform.

“The party’s been co-opted. You have to have an ‘R’ behind your name to win in this state,” he said.

Candidate priorities

During a segment where candidates selected their own discussion topics, Degenfelder highlighted school choice, career and technical education, removing pornography from school libraries and protecting Wyoming’s water rights.

Bien focused on education and agriculture, criticizing student proficiency rates and proposing policies aimed at strengthening Wyoming’s agricultural industry, including declaring agriculture critical infrastructure and reducing regulations on small butcheries.

Technology and education

Although technology and its place within education was not discussed during the debate, County 17 asked both Degenfelder and Bien their thoughts regarding student technology in schools.

Bien said technology is being used too much in classrooms and is making it harder for students to think on their own.

“What it’s doing is it’s dumbing down our kids,” Bien said. “Our kids aren’t learning how to critically think anymore. They go straight to one of the AI things and it generates an answer for them.”

Degenfelder said she backed a bill to ban cellphones during instruction time.

“I supported a bill that came through the legislature a couple of years ago that actually would ban cell use during instructional time, and I stand by that,” Degenfelder said. “I think that it’s appropriate to take cellphones out of classrooms, and what we find is that kids thrive.”

Closing statements

In closing remarks, Bien emphasized his experience as an outsider candidate.

“I am the only outsider in this race, but I am the only one who’s got an inordinate amount of leadership experience,” he said. “Folks, you deserve a government that you can trust.”

Degenfelder pointed to her endorsements from President Donald Trump and U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman.

“I get asked a lot, ‘How did you get the Trump endorsement?’” Degenfelder said. “The answer is really simple. I earned it.”

Alongside other candidates, Bien and Degenfelder will be competing for support in Wyoming’s Republican gubernatorial primary Aug. 18.

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