These districts in Wyoming have the chance for a Democratic flip
Wyoming’s conservative 93-seat state legislature currently boasts 86 Republicans, making it difficult for Democrats to pick up seats. Although the outcome of the Cowboy State's political future was largely decided in the August primary, there are still some opportunities for Democrats to increase their coalition on Election Day.
Here's a look at the top three races that could flip for Wyoming Democrats.
Who's running in House District 11?
The former house seat of state representative Jared Olsen, R-Cheyenne, came into play when he announced his candidacy for the Wyoming State Senate. Former legislator and Democrat Sara Burlingame, director of the state’s best-known LGBTQ-focused nonprofit, Wyoming Equality, will square off against newcomer Jacob Wasserburger, who defeated Seth Ulvestad in Wyoming’s August primary.
Burlingame, a prominent figure in Wyoming politics, may have a chance to return to the Capitol as a rare liberal voice but her visibility makes her a target in conservative circles. While Wasserburger hasn't been endorsed by the Freedom Caucus, the group has circulated mailers supporting him.
Who's running in House District 33?
Republican incumbent Sarah Penn, a member of the Wyoming Freedom Caucus, will face off against Democrat challenger Ivan Posey, a longtime member of the Eastern Shoshone Business Council. Penn clinched the spot by unseating Northern Arapaho legislator Andi Lebeau in 2022.
House District 33 encompasses much of Wyoming’s Wind River Indian Reservation, which is home to the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribal nations.
With the impending departure of Navajo State Senator Affie Ellis (R-Cheyenne), a loss from Posey, who has both Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho ancestry, would mean no Indigenous representation in the Wyoming legislature.
Penn is a member of Wyoming’s growing far-right and holds hardline conservative stances on issues from abortion to DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) programming. Posey bills himself as a “conservative Democrat” and emphasizes the importance of having a representative who has a deep understanding of the reservation's communities.
Who's running in House District 41?
Two potential newcomers to the Wyoming State Legislature, Democrat Jen Solis and Republican Gary Brown, will wrestle for control of the district that Spans North-Central Cheyenne. Brown took the Republican crown from incumbent Bill Henderson in the August primary.
With the exits of state senator Anthony Bouchard and state representative Jeanette Ward, Brown could be poised to take on the mantle of the legislature's conservative firebrand. He recently compared a politics and government journalist at the right-leaning Cowboy State Daily to Marxist Leon Trotsky.
Solis, who has previously run for the seat, aims to appeal to moderate voters in the district. She is concerned about government restrictions on abortion access and has spoken out against book bans in public schools and libraries in Wyoming.
Cy Neff reports on Wyoming politics for Paste BN. You can reach him at cneff@usatoday.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @CyNeffNews