Wyoming Republicans selected Eric Barlow as their gubernatorial nominee and Harriet Hageman as their Senate candidate in primary elections held on August 18, 2026, in a state where GOP victories typically translate to general election wins.
Barlow, a state senator from Gillette, won the Republican governor primary over three rivals, including Trump-endorsed Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder. An internal campaign poll released in July had shown Barlow with 42% support, ahead of Degenfelder and former Marine Corps Colonel Brent Bien. Barlow’s campaign spent roughly $1.36 million through mid-August, making him the largest spender among Wyoming state-level candidates, according to Cowboy State Daily.
Hageman, Wyoming’s at-large U.S. representative, won a five-way Republican Senate primary to replace retiring Senator Cynthia Lummis. Lummis announced in December 2025 that she would not seek a second term, leaving an open seat in the reliably conservative state. Hageman had received the Wyoming GOP’s endorsement ahead of the primary and was considered the frontrunner, with Cook Political Report noting she was “poised to succeed” Lummis in the Senate.
Hageman, born in Douglas, Wyoming, grew up on a ranch near Fort Laramie and earned both her undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Wyoming. She was first elected to the U.S. House in 2022, defeating incumbent Representative Liz Cheney. The general election for both races is scheduled for November 3, 2026.
Sources
- Ballotpedia — confirmed Eric Barlow and Harriet Hageman as Republican primary candidates on August 18, 2026, and identified the other candidates in each race
- Cowboy State Daily — reported Barlow’s campaign spending of $1.36 million and his July internal poll showing 42% support
- Cook Political Report — stated Hageman was “poised to succeed” Lummis following Lummis’s retirement announcement
- U.S. House.gov and Ballotpedia — provided Hageman’s background as an attorney, ranch upbringing, and education from University of Wyoming
- Multiple sources (NBC News, AP, Roll Call) — confirmed Cynthia Lummis’s December 2025 retirement announcement and that the general election is November 3, 2026
