2006 Wyoming elections
| Elections in Wyoming |
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 |
| General elections |
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| Gubernatorial elections |
| Secretary of State elections |
| Senate elections |
| House of Representatives elections |
A general election was held in the U.S. state of Wyoming on Tuesday, November 7, 2006. All of the state's executive officers—the Governor, Secretary of State, Auditor, Treasurer, and Superintendent of Public Instruction—were up for election.
Governor
Incumbent Democratic Governor Dave Freudenthal sought re-election to a second term. Despite the state's strong Republican lean, Freudenthal entered the race as a heavy favorite against the Republican nominee, Ray Hunkins. Ultimately, Freudenthal won re-election in a landslide, winning 70% of the vote to Hunkins's 30%.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Dave Freudenthal (incumbent) | 135,516 | 69.99% | +20.03% | |
| Republican | Ray Hunkins | 58,100 | 30.01% | -17.91% | |
| Total votes | 193,616 | 100.00% | +37.94% | ||
| Democratic hold | |||||
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Secretary of State
Incumbent Secretary of State Joe Meyer was barred from seeking a third term as Secretary of State, and instead opted to run for Treasurer. Max Maxfield, meanwhile, was term-limited from seeking a third term as Auditor and ran to succeed Meyer. He faced longtime Natrona County Clerk Mary Ann Collins in the Republican primary. The campaign between Maxfield and Collins was largely civil, with both of them touting their respective experience and Maxfield pushing back on the idea that he was playing "musical chairs" with different statewide positions.[2] The Casper Star-Tribune endorsed Collins over Maxfield, praising her as a "capable administrator" who "will bring a valuable, fresh perspective to the secretary of state's office." It praised Maxfield for his "strong experience in management," but ultimately concluded that "Collins's specialized expertise gives her the edge in this race."[3]
Maxfield ultimately won the Republican primary over Collins by a slim margin, winning 54% of the vote to Collins's 46%. While Collins won her home county of Natrona by 4,400 votes, along with a handful of other counties, Maxfield countered with modest wins in most of the counties in the state, enabling him to narrowly defeat her. While no Democratic candidate filed for the race, had a Democrat received at least 25 write-in votes, they could have accepted the nomination regardless. However, Collins was the only person to receive more than 25 write-in votes in the Democratic primary, and as a registered Republican who had previously run for the office, was barred from accepting the Democratic nomination.[4] Accordingly, no Democratic candidate was listed in the race. Maxfield only faced Libertarian candidate Dennis Brossman, who had previously sought the office, in the general election.[5]
Democratic primary
Candidates
No Democratic candidates filed.
Republican primary
Candidates
- Max Maxfield, State Auditor
- Mary Ann Collins, Natrona County Clerk[2]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Max Maxfield | 43,531 | 53.81 | |
| Republican | Mary Ann Collins | 37,360 | 46.19 | |
| Total votes | 80,891 | 100.00 | ||
General election
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Max Maxfield | 148,210 | 81.99% | -0.45% | |
| Libertarian | Dennis Brossman | 32,551 | 18.01% | +0.45% | |
| Majority | 115,659 | 63.98% | -0.91% | ||
| Turnout | 180,761 | ||||
| Republican hold | |||||
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Auditor
Incumbent State Auditor Max Maxfield, unable to seek re-election to a third term, instead successfully ran for Secretary of State. In the Republican primary, Rita Meyer, a colonel in the Wyoming Air National Guard and former Governor Jim Geringer's Chief of Staff, ran against accountant Bruce Brown. Both Meyer and Brown campaigned on their financial experience, but did not significantly differ on the issues.[7] The Casper Star-Tribune endorsed Meyer over Brown, praising her as "exceptionally qualified" and for "speak[ing] with authority about the technical details of the auditor's office," noting that she "clearly has done her homework."[8] Meyer defeated Brown in a landslide, winning 60% of the vote to his 40%.
In the general election, Meyer was opposed by Democrat Bill Eikenberry, the former associate state director of the Bureau of Land Management. Eikenberry called for significant reform in the Auditor's office, arguing that several state programs failed to meet federal requirement, potentially endangering the funding.[9] He initially charged that the state "has suffered serious losses due to fraudulent spending," but ultimately backed away from that assertion.[5] The Star-Tribune once again endorsed Meyer, calling her "one of the most impressive candidates we've interviewed for any office this year" and noting that she "has had a distinguished career in public service." It suggested that Eikenberry "seems to have confused some of the duties of the state auditor with the entirely separate state Department of Audit," pointing out that the issue Eikenberry called out with federal program compliance was outside the Auditor's purview.[10]
Meyer defeated Eikenberry in a landslide, winning 68% of the vote to Eikenberry's 32%, losing every county in the state.
Democratic primary
Candidates
- Bill Eikenberry, former Associate State Director of the Bureau of Land Management[11]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Bill Eikenberry | 24,525 | 100.00 | |
| Total votes | 24,525 | 100.00 | ||
Republican primary
Candidates
- Rita Meyer, Wyoming Air National Guard Colonel, former Chief of Staff to Governor Jim Geringer[13]
- Bruce Brown, accountant
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Rita Meyer | 46,567 | 60.34 | |
| Republican | Bruce Brown | 30,601 | 39.66 | |
| Total votes | 77,168 | 100.00 | ||
General election
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Rita Meyer | 126,900 | 68.07% | +1.30% | |
| Democratic | Bill Eikenberry | 59,534 | 31.93% | -1.30% | |
| Majority | 67,366 | 36.13% | +2.61% | ||
| Turnout | 186,434 | ||||
| Republican hold | |||||
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Treasurer
Incumbent Republican Secretary of State Cynthia Lummis was barred from seeking a third term due to term limits. Accordingly, term-limited Secretary of State Joe Meyer and former State House Speaker Fred Parady ran to succeed Lummis in the Republican primary.[14] The campaign between Meyer and Parady was largely civil, though they disagreed on the need for a state investment board, which Meyer supported and Parady opposed.[15] In the closing days of the campaign, Meyer was endorsed by Vice-President Dick Cheney, an old friend and former roommate of his,[16] and by the Casper Star-Tribune. The Star-Tribune praised Meyer's "practical approach to solving problems" and "common-sense approach that seeks what's best for Wyoming." Though it praised Parady's ideas and expressed optimism that "he'll run for another state office" in the future, "the state needs Meyer's experience and leadership."[17]
Meyer defeated Parady by a wide margin, winning 63% of the vote to Parady's 37%, winning in every county of the state except for Sweetwater County, which Parady represented in the legislature. In the general election, Meyer faced Democratic nominee Ron Redo, a former state employee who had previously run as the Democratic nominee for Treasurer in 1990. Redo attacked Meyer for voting to invest state funds in private equity, which he argued was risky, and campaigned on increasing mineral taxes.[18] The Star-Tribune once again endorsed Meyer, praising him as "eminently qualified" and for his "innovative idea[s]." It noted that Redo was "sincere in his desire to protect the state's funds, and has raised some legitimate concerns about the standards used by the state to evaluate the performance of its investment managers," but "Meyer inspires more confidence in his ability to manage the office effectively."[19] Ultimately, Meyer overwhelmingly defeated Redo, receiving 73% of the vote to Redo's 27%, winning every county in the state and receiving the highest vote total of any Republican candidate.
Democratic primary
Candidates
- Ron Redo, former state worker, 1990 Democratic nominee for Treasurer[14]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Ron Redo | 23,766 | 100.00 | |
| Total votes | 23,766 | 100.00 | ||
Republican primary
Candidates
- Joe Meyer, Secretary of State
- Fred Parady, former Speaker of the Wyoming House of Representatives
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Joe Meyer | 49,300 | 63.24 | |
| Republican | Fred Parady | 28,654 | 36.76 | |
| Total votes | 77,954 | 100.00 | ||
General election
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Joe Meyer | 134,822 | 72.72% | -27.28% | |
| Democratic | Ron Redo | 50,575 | 27.28% | +27.28% | |
| Majority | 84,247 | 45.44% | -54.56% | ||
| Turnout | 185,397 | ||||
| Republican hold | |||||
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Superintendent of Public Instruction
Two years into his four-year term, State Superintendent Trent Blankenship resigned from office to accept an appointment as the superintendent of schools in Barrow, Alaska. The Republican Party, pursuant to state law, nominated three candidates as Blankenship's replacement, and Governor Dave Freudenthal appointed Jim McBride, the former President the Community College of the Air Force and the technology director for the state department of education.[20] In 2006, McBride opted to run for re-election. He won the Republican primary unopposed and was opposed by Michelle Hoffman, the Superintendent of the Fremont County School District 14, who won the Democratic primary unopposed.[21]
In the general election, Hoffman, a special education teacher, argued that McBride "does not understand special education issues," pointing to cuts that he allegedly made in the state's special education office in Riverton.[22] She was unable to make the attack land, however, with a poll the week before the election showing her losing to McBride, 45-26%.[23] The Casper Star-Tribune also endorsed McBride for re-election, arguing that he "deserves to be elected to a full term to continue the work he has begun." It argued that he "brought stability to the department and put the employees on the same page." And while the Star-Tribune praised Hoffman's teaching experience as "a plus, as it gives her an understanding of problems teachers encounter and ideas about solutions," it criticized her opposition to merit pay for teachers and for paying students for higher test scores.[24]
Ultimately, McBride won a full term over Hoffman by a solid margin, winning 59% of the vote to her 41%. However, Hoffman delivered the strongest performance by a statewide Democratic candidate other than Governor Freudenthal, winning Albany County, Fremont County, Sweetwater County, and Teton County, which no Democratic candidate other than Freudenthal and Hoffman won.
Democratic primary
Candidates
- Michelle Hoffman, Superintendent of the Fremont County School District 14[25]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Michelle Hoffman | 24,930 | 100.00 | |
| Total votes | 24,930 | 100.00 | ||
Republican primary
Candidates
- Jim McBride, incumbent Superintendent of Public Instruction
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jim McBride (inc.) | 70,230 | 100.00 | |
| Total votes | 70,230 | 100.00 | ||
General election
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Jim McBride (inc.) | 108,705 | 58.54% | +5.31% | |
| Democratic | Michelle L. Hoffman | 76,978 | 41.46% | -5.31% | |
| Turnout | 185,683 | ||||
| Republican hold | |||||
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Source: "2006 Wyoming elections", Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, (2022, May 12th), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_Wyoming_elections.
Further Reading
2016 United States House of Representatives election in Wyoming
2010 Wyoming elections
2002 Wyoming state elections
1998 Wyoming state elections
1930 Wyoming state elections
1934 Wyoming state elections
1942 Wyoming state elections
1946 Wyoming state elections
1950 Wyoming state elections
1966 Wyoming state elections
1970 Wyoming state elections
1974 Wyoming state elections
1978 Wyoming state elections
1982 Wyoming state elections
1986 Wyoming state elections
1990 Wyoming state elections
1922 Wyoming state elections
1918 Wyoming state elections
References
- ^ a b c d e "Statewide Candidates Official Summary, Wyoming General Election - November 7, 2006" (PDF). Wyoming Secretary of State. Retrieved May 22, 2021.
- ^ a b Morton, Tom (August 13, 2006). "Primary decides secretary of state". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. p. A1, A7.
- ^ "Collins' skill will serve Wyoming well". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. August 14, 2006. p. A8.
- ^ Barron, Joan (August 31, 2006). "Four can run as write-ins". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. p. B1, B2.
- ^ a b Miller, Jared (September 19, 2006). "Audit official confronts candidate". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. p. B1, B2.
- ^ a b c d "Republican Statewide Candidates Official Summary, Wyoming Primary Election - August 22, 2006" (PDF). Wyoming Secretary of State. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
- ^ Miller, Jared (August 5, 2006). "Candidates for auditor pound pavement". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. p. A1, A16.
- ^ "Meyer's experience gives her edgier race". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. August 17, 2006. p. A12.
- ^ "Candidate says state auditor should do more". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. September 10, 2006. p. A3, A4.
- ^ "Rita Meyer's experience gives her the edge". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. October 31, 2006. p. A8.
- ^ Barron, Joan (May 18, 2006). "Election season kicks off". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. p. A1.
- ^ a b c "Democratic Statewide Candidates Official Summary, Wyoming Primary Election - August 22, 2006" (PDF). Wyoming Secretary of State. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
- ^ Morton, Tom (February 1, 2006). "Meyer touts wide experience in auditor bid". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. p. B1, B2.
- ^ a b Barron, Joan (August 7, 2006). "Parady promises new ideas, energy". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. p. A1, A5.
- ^ Barron, Joan (August 11, 2006). "Meyer, Parady disagree". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. p. B1, B12.
- ^ Miller, Jared (August 10, 2006). "Cheney, Dean visit Wyo". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. p. A1, A16.
- ^ "Meyer still has work to do as state treasurer". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. August 18, 2006. p. A8.
- ^ Miller, Jared (August 28, 2006). "Redo 'retooling' for treasurer's race". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. p. B2.
- ^ "Pick Joe Meyer for treasurer". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. October 31, 2006. p. A8.
- ^ "Governor names McBride to post". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. August 19, 2005. p. A1.
- ^ "Superintendent hopefuls advance". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. August 23, 2006. p. A16.
- ^ "Hoffman criticizes McBride on special ed". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. September 23, 2006. p. A3.
- ^ "Poll: McBride has solid lead". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. November 1, 2006. p. A3.
- ^ "McBride earns chance to complete full term". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. October 26, 2006. p. A8.
- ^ "Dem files for state superintendent". Casper Star-Tribune. Casper, Wyo. June 1, 2006. p. B1.
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