The Constitution Party of Wyoming has finalized its statewide and local ticket, setting up a third-party presence that could reshape races this fall — particularly in conservative-leaning contests. With the primary on Aug. 18 and the general election on Nov. 3, the party’s slate highlights issues such as energy policy, gun rights and election security that its leaders say fill gaps left by the Republican establishment.
Leading the ticket is Jackson business owner Rebecca Bextel, who won the party’s nod for governor. Bextel frames her campaign as a conservative alternative to mainstream Republicans, emphasizing expanded domestic energy production, stronger protections for the Second Amendment, broader school choice and stricter voter identification rules.
Her candidacy arrives after a widely reported incident during a recent budget session in which she handed campaign checks to lawmakers on the House floor — an action now the subject of a state inquiry. The episode has attracted attention beyond party circles and may influence how voters view the Constitution Party’s campaign tactics.
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Wyoming Constitution Party selects nominees for November ballot
State Rep. Tamara Trujillo, who left the Republican Party earlier this year, won the Constitution Party nomination for secretary of state. Her presence on the ballot adds an unusual dynamic in a race that will also include Democratic and Republican nominees. Officials have also updated the candidate roster: Kelly Bates has been removed from the Secretary of State’s Office list of candidates.
For the state’s lone seat in Congress, the Constitution Party chose party chairman Jeff Haggit as its U.S. House nominee. Haggit previously contested the seat in 2024, and his return reflects the party’s intention to remain visible in federal as well as state contests.
- Governor (Constitution Party): Rebecca Bextel — platform: energy, guns, school choice, voter ID
- Secretary of State (Constitution Party): Tamara Trujillo — formerly a Republican legislator
- U.S. House (Constitution Party): Jeff Haggit — 2024 candidate for the same seat
- Legislature: Tony Perry (House District 10), Donald Van Meter (House District 11), Cheryl Hulme (House District 15)
- Local (nonpartisan seats): Howard Hill (Dayton City Council), J.C. Manalo (Cheyenne City Council, Ward 1)
The Constitution Party ticket will face a crowded field in several contests. The Republican primary for governor includes state Sen. Eric Barlow, State Superintendent Megan Degenfelder, Curt Blake and Brent Bien; Democratic hopeful Kenneth Casner is seeking that party’s nomination. For the U.S. House, the Republican primary features names such as Jillian Balow, Sen. Bo Biteman and Secretary of State Chuck Gray among others, while Democrats Lisa Kinney and Elena Del Real are competing for their party’s nod.
At the legislative level, the party nominated Tony Perry to challenge incumbent Republican Rep. Justin Fornstrom in House District 10. Donald Van Meter will appear on the ballot in House District 11, where Republicans Dan McIntosh and Paul Wing and Democrat Britney Tennant are also running. Cheryl Hulme is the nominee in House District 15.
In Cheyenne’s Ward 1 city council race — a nonpartisan contest — J.C. Manalo is listed among several candidates that include Rhianna Brand, Aaron Fiore, Jimmy Chiro, Travis French, Maren Kallas, Cameron Karajanis, Landon Miller and Michael Reyes. Dayton’s council contest will feature Howard Hill as the Constitution Party’s local nominee.
Why this matters now: third-party entries in a state dominated by a single major party can change vote margins, influence debate topics and force major-party candidates to address issues they might otherwise ignore. In Wyoming’s case, the Constitution Party is pushing topics likely to resonate with conservative voters ahead of a high-profile election cycle.
The year’s election calendar remains: the primary election is Aug. 18 and the general election is Nov. 3. Campaigns will ramp up in coming weeks as nominees begin meeting voters and outlining detailed policy proposals.
Updated June 25, 2026: Election officials removed Kelly Bates from the Secretary of State’s Office roster of candidates. State Rep. Tamara Trujillo is no longer affiliated with the Republican Party; this article reflects those updates.
