This state ain’t big enough for the both of us: Wyoming’s Republican primary showdown

Wyoming’s early voting is already in full swing for the Aug. 20 primary. In the famously conservative stronghold, where 86 of 93 seats in the state legislature are held by Republicans, the primaries are where the political map of the Cowboy State’s future is drawn.

With infighting in the state’s Republican Party mirroring national splits, we look at both sides of the GOP political gunfight: the Wyoming Freedom Caucus, part of the national State Freedom Caucus Network, and the more moderate Wyoming Caucus.

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The boundaries around the different conservative camps are blurry—the Wyoming Caucus does not have an official member list, and the Freedom Caucus does not have any registered members in the state senate. But, over a dozen state senators consistently voted in line with the Freedom Caucus’ U.S. House members during the 2024 legislative session.

Advertisements across the board are rich with big belt buckles and even bigger landscapes, blue jeans, American flags, and calls to preserve the “Wyoming way of life.”

The 2024 state primaries will prove to be a defining moment for the Republican identity in Wyoming. The question remains: Will the momentum that led to Rep. Liz Cheney’s defeat in 2022 result in more Freedom Caucus members entering the state legislature, potentially shifting control? Or will the red wave recede, leaving the moderate Republicans in power but on shaky ground?

Check out the Cowboy State’s regional and congressional races that USA TODAY is monitoring:

Cy Neff reports on Wyoming politics for USA TODAY. You can reach him at cneff@usatoday.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @CyNeffNews