Wyoming lawmaker with criminal past ousted: another barely holds on

Show summary Hide summary

• Landslide defeat in Cheyenne
• Narrow hold in the West

In Tuesday’s Republican primary in Wyoming, voters unseated one incumbent with a criminal past and barely re-elected another who pleaded guilty to a DUI weeks before ballots were cast. The outcomes sharpen the spotlight on candidates’ criminal records and set up competitive November matchups that could shift local representation and trust in state lawmakers.

Landslide defeat in Cheyenne

Rep. Gary Brown of Cheyenne, who has a long-recorded criminal history including a felony intimidation conviction, was decisively defeated by challenger Erin Edwards. Preliminary results showed Edwards capturing roughly 72% of the vote to Brown’s 28%.

Brown’s legal past dates to the early 1990s in Colorado, when he pleaded guilty to intimidating a witness and was sentenced to four years and six months in prison. Records also note a 2013 misdemeanor harassment conviction and a certificate restoring his right to vote and hold office issued in November 2023.

Although not formally listed as a member, Brown frequently aligned with the state’s Freedom Caucus on votes and legislation. Edwards, a volunteer firefighter, campaigned on smaller government, support for law enforcement and backing core Wyoming industries such as agriculture and energy.

Narrow hold in the West

In another closely watched primary, Rep. Bill Allemand of Midwest narrowly retained his seat, edging his opponent by about two points—50% to 48%—despite pleading guilty to driving under the influence roughly a month before the primary.

Allemand’s recent DUI arrest followed earlier legal incidents from his time in Kansas in the 2000s. Court files show a dismissed domestic battery charge after completion of a diversion program and a later plea of no contest to violating a protection order, which resulted in probation, a mandated domestic violence assessment and other conditions.

Allemand has disputed some past allegations, telling local reporters he did not know details of certain incidents; nonetheless, the fresh DUI drew public attention in the campaign’s final weeks.

• Vote margins: Erin Edwards ~72%, Gary Brown ~28%; Bill Allemand ~50%, opponent ~48%.
• Notable charges: Brown — felony intimidation (1990s), misdemeanor harassment (2013). Allemand — DUI (pleaded guilty), past domestic battery and protection-order violations in Kansas.
• Legal outcomes: Brown served prison time and later had civil rights restored; Allemand completed diversion on earlier charges and accepted a plea agreement on the protection-order case.
• What’s next: Both Edwards and Allemand will face Democratic challengers in November: Cheyenne Democrat Stacy Becker and Bar Nunn Democrat Keenan Morgan, respectively.

These primary results may influence how voters and political observers evaluate accountability for elected officials in Wyoming. For the Republican Party, the decisive removal of one incumbent and the narrow survival of another highlight contrasting voter reactions when criminal histories surface during campaigns.

Local dynamics also played a role. Allemand’s primary opponent, Bar Nunn Mayor Peter Boyer, had previously clashed with the incumbent over a local nuclear microreactor manufacturing proposal that divided community opinion—an example of how policy disputes can compound scrutiny of personal conduct.

With the general election approaching, both parties will be watching turnout and messaging closely. The November contests will test whether primary voters’ concerns about character and public safety resonate with the broader electorate.

Reporting for this article included contributions from WyoFile.