With Wyoming’s 2026 election cycle under way, appointed Sen. Taft Love has declared he will run to keep the seat for Senate District 6, setting up a contested Republican primary on Aug. 18, 2026. The move formalizes his bid to complete the remainder of a term that runs through early 2029 and focuses the campaign on issues central to rural Wyoming: taxes, property rights and energy and agricultural interests.
Love was installed by unanimous vote of Laramie and Platte county commissioners in September 2025 after Darin Smith stepped down to become the U.S. Attorney for Wyoming. Because Love filled a vacancy, state rules require him to stand for election to serve the two remaining years of the four-year term.
In presenting his candidacy, Love emphasized a conservative agenda and pointed to his short record in the Senate as evidence of his priorities. He framed his platform around lower taxes, tighter control of state spending, defending private property, and policies aimed at sustaining Wyoming’s energy and farm economy. He also cited support for gun rights as part of his appeal to voters in the district.
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Love’s entry usefully clarifies the choice for voters in a district that covers rural areas around Cheyenne in Laramie County and extends into southeastern Platte County. His Republican rival in the primary is Roy Birt, setting up a head-to-head contest for the party nomination.
- Why this matters now: The August primary will determine who represents a region where energy and agriculture policy directly affects livelihoods and local tax bases.
- Seat status: Appointed in Sept. 2025 to serve out a term ending in early 2029, but must win in 2026 to remain.
- Key issues on the campaign trail: taxes, state spending, property rights, energy development, and Second Amendment protections.
- Opposition: Republican Roy Birt is the declared challenger for the primary.
Love’s political résumé includes serving as chair of the Laramie County Republican Party Executive Committee and multiple terms on the Laramie County School District 2 Board of Trustees. He previously competed in the 2024 Republican primary for this same Senate seat, finishing behind Smith before being appointed the next year.
Local observers say the race will test how voters in the district weigh short-term incumbency against longer experience in local party and school governance. For constituents, the immediate concerns are pragmatic: how elected officials will shape energy permitting, property and mineral rights, and school funding in a largely rural district.
What to watch between now and the primary:
- Campaign messaging on the intersection of energy policy and property rights, which could sway ranchers and landowners.
- Fundraising and endorsements from county leaders and industry groups that carry influence in Laramie and Platte counties.
- Voter turnout in the Republican primary on Aug. 18, 2026, which will be decisive in a district that leans heavily Republican.
As the summer campaign season begins, candidates will need to translate broad conservative principles into concrete plans that address the district’s economic and land-use concerns. For voters in Senate District 6, the coming months offer a clear test of who best represents those interests through the remainder of the current term.
