Republican state legislator and rancher Eric Barlow has won Wyoming’s gubernatorial election, defeating Democrat Ken Casner. The Associated Press and NBC News called the race for Barlow early on election night. With about four percent of the vote counted at 8:00 p.m. local time, Barlow led with roughly 61 percent support to Casner’s 27 percent.
Barlow will succeed term-limited Gov. Mark Gordon (R) in January.
Barlow secured the Republican nomination in August by defeating Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder, who had the backing of President Donald Trump.
A Mixed Record on Immigration
Barlow has a documented history of voting against measures tied to the broader national push to restrict illegal immigration. As a state representative in 2016, he voted against HB0135, a bill that would have restricted public welfare programs to American citizens and lawful residents, intended to keep illegal migrants from accessing state benefits.
Barlow also voted against bills banning sanctuary cities and counties in Wyoming in three consecutive years: 2018, 2019, and 2020. He did not reverse course on that issue until 2025, when he voted for HB0133, a sanctuary-city ban that was signed into law.
In February 2025, Barlow voted against an omnibus immigration bill that would have created penalties for transporting, hiding, or hiring illegal aliens, required citizenship or lawful-status checks for public benefits, and directed state law enforcement to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Casner’s Long Road
Casner, a Vietnam War veteran, also ran unsuccessful gubernatorial campaigns in 2002 and 2018. He has told local media he’s proud to be called a
