Wyoming gubernatorial election, 2010
Encyclopedia
The 2010 Wyoming gubernatorial election was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2010 to elect the Governor of Wyoming, who will serve a four-year term to begin in January 2011. Party primaries were held on August 17.
While it was initially thought that term limits would prevent incumbent
Democratic
Governor Dave Freudenthal
from running for re-election, the constitutionality of the term limit law has been questioned, leaving the possibility that if Freudenthal had successfully challenged the law, he might have been able to run for a third term. On March 4, 2010, Freudenthal announced he would not run for a third term.
Republican candidate Matt Mead
defeated Democratic candidate Leslie Petersen
, in the general election.
Mike Massie
began touring the state informally in preparation for a campaign run. Eventually, Massie announced that he would run for state superintendent of public instruction rather than governor. Paul Hickey, an attorney and the runner-up to Freudenthal in the 2002 Democratic primary, and Larry Clapp, also an attorney and former Mayor of Casper, also stated their interests in possibly running for Governor after Freudenthal's announcement, but neither ran.
Official campaign sites
While it was initially thought that term limits would prevent incumbent
Incumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Governor Dave Freudenthal
Dave Freudenthal
David Duane "Dave" Freudenthal , is an American politician who served as the 31st Governor of Wyoming. A Democrat, he was reelected to his second term on November 7, 2006, and announced on March 4, 2010, that he would not attempt to seek a third term as Governor.-Education and early...
from running for re-election, the constitutionality of the term limit law has been questioned, leaving the possibility that if Freudenthal had successfully challenged the law, he might have been able to run for a third term. On March 4, 2010, Freudenthal announced he would not run for a third term.
Republican candidate Matt Mead
Matt Mead
Matthew Hansen "Matt" Mead , is the 32nd and current Governor of Wyoming.-Early Life:Mead is the son of Peter Mead and Mary Hansen Mead , the GOP gubernatorial nominee in 1990, and the grandson of the late Governor and U.S. Senator Clifford P. Hansen...
defeated Democratic candidate Leslie Petersen
Leslie Petersen
Leslie Petersen is the former chairwoman of the Wyoming Democratic Party and her party's nominee for Governor of Wyoming in the 2010 election.She won the Aug. 17, 2010 primary with approximately 48 percent of the vote....
, in the general election.
Candidates
- Leslie PetersenLeslie PetersenLeslie Petersen is the former chairwoman of the Wyoming Democratic Party and her party's nominee for Governor of Wyoming in the 2010 election.She won the Aug. 17, 2010 primary with approximately 48 percent of the vote....
, former Teton County Commissioner and state partyWyoming Democratic PartyThe Wyoming Democratic Party is the local branch of the Democratic Party in the state of Wyoming. The party is led by State Party Chair Chuck Herz.-Legislative leaders:*Senate Minority Leader: John Hastert*House Minority Leader: W. Patrick Goggles...
chair - Pete Gosar, teacher, commercial pilot, state employee and small business owner
- Al Hamburg, retired painter and perennial candidatePerennial candidateA perennial candidate is one who frequently runs for public office with a record of success that is infrequent, if existent at all. Perennial candidates are often either members of minority political parties or have political opinions that are not mainstream. They may run without any serious hope...
- Rex Wilde, cabinet maker
- Chris Zachary, former psychiatrist
Potential candidates who declined
Even before Freudenthal announced that he would not seek reelection, Democratic state SenatorWyoming Senate
The Wyoming Senate is the upper house of the Wyoming State Legislature. There are 30 Senators in the Senate, representing an equal amount of constituencies across Wyoming, each with a population of at least 17,000. The Senate meets at the Wyoming State Capitol in Cheyenne.Members of the Senate...
Mike Massie
Mike Massie
Mike Massie is a Democratic member of the Wyoming Senate, representing the 9th district since 1999. He previously served in the Wyoming House of Representatives from 1995 through 1998...
began touring the state informally in preparation for a campaign run. Eventually, Massie announced that he would run for state superintendent of public instruction rather than governor. Paul Hickey, an attorney and the runner-up to Freudenthal in the 2002 Democratic primary, and Larry Clapp, also an attorney and former Mayor of Casper, also stated their interests in possibly running for Governor after Freudenthal's announcement, but neither ran.
Polling
| Poll source | Dates administered | Leslie Petersen | Pete Gosar | Al Hamburg | Chris Zachary | Rex Wilde | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WTE/Aspen Media & Market Research | July 26–29, 2010 | 34% | 9% | 5% | 1% | 4% | 39% |
| Casper Star Tribune | July 26–28, 2010 | 30% | 22% | 2% | 1% | <1% | 45% |
Results
Candidates
- Matt MeadMatt MeadMatthew Hansen "Matt" Mead , is the 32nd and current Governor of Wyoming.-Early Life:Mead is the son of Peter Mead and Mary Hansen Mead , the GOP gubernatorial nominee in 1990, and the grandson of the late Governor and U.S. Senator Clifford P. Hansen...
, former U.S. AttorneyUnited States AttorneyUnited States Attorneys represent the United States federal government in United States district court and United States court of appeals. There are 93 U.S. Attorneys stationed throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands... - Alan Kousoulos, 19-year WYDOT supervisor
- Rita MeyerRita MeyerRita C. Meyer currently serves Wyoming's 19th State Auditor and was a candidate for Governor of Wyoming in the 2010 Wyoming gubernatorial election. She lost to Matt Mead on August 17, 2010 by approximately 700 votes.-Early life and education:...
, Wyoming State Auditor - Ron MicheliRon MicheliJoseph Ronald Micheli, known as Ron Micheli , is a former director of the Wyoming Department of Agriculture who also served from 1977-1992 in the Wyoming House of Representatives. He ran a strong third-place finish as a candidate for the Republican gubernatorial nomination in 2010. His primary...
, former state RepresentativeWyoming House of RepresentativesThe Wyoming House of Representatives is the lower house of the Wyoming State Legislature. There are 60 Representatives in the House, representing an equal amount of single-member constituent districts across the state, each with a population of at least 9,000. The House convenes at the Wyoming...
and former director of the Wyoming Department of Agriculture - John Self, 2002 and 2006 gubernatorial candidate
- Colin M. SimpsonColin M. SimpsonColin Simpson is a Republican member of the Wyoming House of Representatives, representing the 24th district since 1999 and has been the Speaker of the House since 2008. He finished fourth in the race for the 2010 gubernatorial election...
, state House SpeakerWyoming House of RepresentativesThe Wyoming House of Representatives is the lower house of the Wyoming State Legislature. There are 60 Representatives in the House, representing an equal amount of single-member constituent districts across the state, each with a population of at least 9,000. The House convenes at the Wyoming... - Tom Ubben
Polling
| Poll source | Dates administered | Rita Meyer | Matt Mead | Colin Simpson | Ron Micheli | Alan Kousoulos | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WTE/Aspen Media & Market Research | July 26–29, 2010 | 23% | 18% | 10% | 20% | 1% | 25% |
| Casper Star-Tribune | July 26–28, 2010 | 27% | 24% | 17% | 12% | 2% | 18% |
Results
Polling
| Poll source | Dates administered | Matt Mead (R) | Leslie Petersen (D) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rasmussen Reports | September 30, 2010 | 61% | 25% |
| Rasmussen Reports | August 18, 2010 | 58% | 24% |
| Rasmussen Reports | June 22, 2010 | 49% | 22% |
Results
External links
- Elections at Wyoming Secretary of State
- Candidates for Wyoming State Offices at Project Vote SmartProject Vote SmartProject Vote Smart is a non-profit, non-partisan research organization that collects and distributes information on candidates for public office in the United States...
- Campaign contributions for 2010 Wyoming Governor from Follow the Money
- Wyoming Governor 2010 from OurCampaigns.com
- 2010 Wyoming Gubernatorial General Election: Matt Mead (R) vs. Leslie Petersen (D) graph of multiple polls from Pollster.com
- Election 2010: Wisconsin Governor from Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports is an American media company that publishes and distributes information based on public opinion polling. Founded by pollster Scott Rasmussen in 2003, the company updates daily indexes including the President's job approval rating, and provides public opinion data, analysis, and...
- 2010 Wyoming Governor - Walker vs. Barrett from Real Clear Politics
- 2010 Wisconsin Governor's Race from CQ PoliticsCongressional QuarterlyCongressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress...
- Race Profile in The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
- Candidates: Wyoming Governor at Decision 2010 at Wyoming PBS
Official campaign sites