Incumbent members of Wyoming’s congressional delegation fared well in their re-election bids Tuesday, defeating their GOP opponents by wide margins in the state’s primary election.
U.S. Sen. John Barrasso and U.S. Rep Liz Cheney earned spots in the Nov. 6 general election with more than 67,000 votes each, according to unofficial results from the Secretary of State’s office.
Barrasso, seeking his second full term in the Senate, collected 67,991 votes in Tuesday’s election. His closest opponent of four, Dave Dodson, won 29,091.
In the Democratic primary for the Senate, sole candidate Gary Trauner collected 14,712 votes.
Cheney, who faced two primary opponents, won with 68,128 votes to the 19,402 cast for her next closest opponent, Rod Miller.
In the race for the Democratic nomination to Wyoming’s lone U.S. House spot, Laramie businessman Greg Hunter defeated attorney Travis Helm, 8,658-5,448.
The tightest race of the night was for the Republican nomination for the state treasurer’s office, where two legislators battled to fill the spot being left vacant by state Treasurer Mark Gordon. Gordon won his primary gubernatorial bid Tuesday to face Democrat Mary Throne in November’s general election.
Sen. Curt Meier won the GOP battle for the office, earning 46,102 votes to the 42,003 won by Sen. Leland Christensen.
Meier will be unopposed in the general election, as will Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Below, seeking her second term in the office.
In the race for secretary of state, incumbent Ed Buchanan, selected to fill out the uncompleted term of Ed Murray when he resigned in February, won 85,439 votes in his unopposed primary run.
Running in the Democratic primary was state Rep. Jim Byrd, who ended the night with 14,070 votes.
Kristi Racines won the GOP primary for the state auditor’s office, defeating state Sen. Nathan Winters 53,997-35,901. She will face Democrat Jeff Dockter, who ended the night with 13,692 votes.