Wyoming 2024 Primary Election Campaign Finance Report
Equality State Policy Center
Marissa Carpio
October 31, 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Equality State Policy Center Announces 2024 Primary Election Addendum to Campaign Finance Report
Laramie, WY- A new analysis by the Equality State Policy Center (ESPC) highlights the intricate relationship between campaign expenditures and election outcomes in Wyoming’s 2024 primary election. While conventional wisdom suggests candidates who outspend their opponents have the advantage, the role of Political Action Committees (PACs) and Organization expenditures reveals a more nuanced picture.
In Wyoming’s 2024 primary election, where over $4.5 million was spent by candidates, PACs, and Organizations, the connection between spending and winning becomes harder to track due to the complexities of uncategorized spending.
From January 1st to August 20th, 2024, candidates for the Wyoming State Legislature and their committees spent more than $2 million. Notably, average spending differed between the chambers. Senate candidates spent on average almost $20,000 and House candidates spent on average almost $11,000 on their Primary Election campaigns.
PACs reported spending over $2 million on Wyoming primary races, with organizations contributing nearly half a million dollars through independent expenditures. These expenditures, which are not always reflected in candidate filings, complicate transparency.
While trackable expenditures, like candidate contributions or independent expenditures with details on who it supports or opposes, help understand PAC influence, the indirect tactics used by other PACs—such as spending on consulting, advertising, and marketing—obscure the full impact on campaigns. As a result, over $1 million of PAC and Organization spending remains difficult to link to specific local races or candidates.
The ESPC’s research reveals that 62% of winning candidates in the House benefited from higher spending once trackable PAC and Organization expenditures were factored in. PACs and Organizations spent about $670,000 in trackable independent expenditures for House candidates and only about $120,000 for Senate candidates. That is almost 6 times more spending on House races than Senate races! However, Senate candidates with less expenditures were still more likely to win if they were incumbents, indicating that incumbency still plays a major role in electoral outcomes.
The real problem is the unknown effects of untrackable expenditures by PACs and Organizations.
“Understanding the role of PACs and indirect expenditures is crucial,” said Marissa Carpio, Policy Director of the ESPC. “Without clarity on how and where campaign dollars are spent, voters are left in the dark about who truly influences our elections.”
“Wyoming elections are getting more expensive. ESPC has shown us exactly how much more costly they’ve become. What is most concerning in Wyoming elections is the influx of dark money from out-of-state interests,” said Brian Boyle of American Promise.
“Campaign funding sources matter. Voters deserve to know who is trying to influence their vote. Dark money is very difficult to track, and states have lost their right to regulate dark money — which makes identifying who is behind messages almost impossible for voters.”
The ESPC continues to advocate for transparent elections and accountable campaign finance practices in Wyoming. As the General Election approaches, the ESPC encourages voters to stay informed about the sources of campaign funding and the influence of outside money in state politics.
For more information or to access detailed campaign finance reports, visit the Wyoming Secretary of State’s WYCFIS page or contact the Equality State Policy Center. You can read the report at equalitystate.org/research.
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For media inquiries or to schedule an interview, please contact Marissa Carpio at mcarpio@equalitystate.org.