2010 Wyoming gubernatorial election explained

See also: 2010 United States gubernatorial elections.

Election Name:	2010 Wyoming gubernatorial election
Country:	Wyoming
Type:	presidential
Ongoing:	Yes
Previous Election:	2006 Wyoming gubernatorial election
Previous Year:	2006
Next Election:	2014 Wyoming gubernatorial election
Next Year:	2014
Election Date:	November 2, 2010
Turnout:	69.78% Registered 3.82% 38.17% of Total Population 1.04%
Image1:	File:Matt Mead.jpg
Nominee1:	Matt Mead
Party1:	Republican Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:	123,780
Percentage1:	65.68%
Nominee2:	Leslie Petersen
Party2:	Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:	43,240
Percentage2:	22.94%
Image3:	3x4.svg
Nominee3:	Taylor Haynes
Party3:	Independent (United States)
Popular Vote3:	13,796
Percentage3:	7.32%
Map Size:	250px
Governor
Before Party:	Democratic Party (United States)
After Election:	Matt Mead
After Party:	Republican Party (United States)

The 2010 Wyoming gubernatorial election was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2010 to elect the Governor of Wyoming. 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.^[1] On March 4, 2010, Freudenthal announced he would not run for a third term.^[2]

Republican Matt Mead flipped every county from Democratic to Republican.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

• Pete Gosar, teacher, commercial pilot, state employee and small business owner^[3]
• Al Hamburg, retired painter and perennial candidate
• Leslie Petersen, former Teton County Commissioner and Chair of the Wyoming Democratic Party^[4]
• Rex Wilde, cabinet maker
• Chris Zachary, former psychiatrist

Declined

• Larry Clapp, attorney and former Mayor of Casper
• Dave Freudenthal, incumbent Governor (Term Limited but there was speculation that he might challenge the law)
• Paul Hickey, attorney
• Mike Massie, State Senator^[5] (ran for Superintendent of Public Instruction)^[6]

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	align=center	34%	9%	5%	1%	4%	align=center	39%
Casper Star Tribune	July 26–28, 2010	align=center	30%	22%	2%	1%	<1%	align=center	45%

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

• Alan Kousoulos, 19-year WYDOT supervisor
• Matt Mead, former U.S. Attorney
• Rita Meyer, Wyoming State Auditor
• Ron Micheli, former State Representative and former director of the Wyoming Department of Agriculture
• John Self, candidate for governor in 2002 and 2006
• Colin M. Simpson, Speaker of the Wyoming House of Representatives
• 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	align=center	23%	18%	10%	20%	1%	25%
Casper Star-Tribune	July 26–28, 2010	align=center	27%	24%	17%	12%	2%	18%

Results

General election

Candidates

• Matt Mead (R)
• Leslie Peterson (D)
• Mike Wheeler (L)
• Taylor Haynes (Write-in)

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
Cook Political Report^[7]		October 14, 2010
Rothenberg^[8]		October 28, 2010
RealClearPolitics^[9]		November 1, 2010
Sabato's Crystal Ball^[10]		October 28, 2010
CQ Politics^[11]		October 28, 2010

Polling

Poll source	Dates administered	Matt Mead (R)	Leslie Petersen (D)
Rasmussen Reports	September 30, 2010	align=center	61%	25%
Rasmussen Reports	August 18, 2010	align=center	58%	24%
Rasmussen Reports	June 22, 2010	align=center	49%	22%

Results

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

• Big Horn (Largest city: Lovell)
• Campbell (Largest city: Gillette)
• Converse (Largest city: Douglas)
• Crook (Largest city: Sundance)
• Fremont (Largest city: Riverton)
• Goshen (Largest city: Torrington)
• Hot Springs (Largest city: Thermopolis)
• Johnson (Largest city: Buffalo)
• Lincoln (Largest city: Kemmerer)
• Natrona (Largest city: Casper)
• Albany (Largest city: Laramie)
• Niobrara (Largest city: Lusk)
• Park (Largest city: Cody)
• Platte (Largest city: Wheatland)
• Sheridan (Largest city: Sheridan)
• Sublette (Largest city: Pinedale)
• Sweetwater (Largest city: Rock Springs)
• Carbon (Largest city: Rawlins)
• Uinta (Largest city: Evanston)
• Teton (Largest city: Jackson)
• Laramie (Largest city: Cheyenne)
• Washakie (Largest city: Worland)
• Weston (Largest city: Newcastle)

External links

• Elections at Wyoming Secretary of State
• Candidates for Wyoming State Offices at Project Vote Smart
• 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 Reports
• 2010 Wyoming Governor - Walker vs. Barrett from Real Clear Politics
• 2010 Wisconsin Governor's Race from CQ Politics
• Race Profile in The New York Times
• Candidates: Wyoming Governor at Decision 2010 at Wyoming PBS

Official campaign sites (Archived)

• Matt Mead
• Leslie Peterson

Notes and References

1. News: Will Wyoming's Governor Buck Term Limits?. The Washington Post. Chris Cillizza And Ben Pershing. February 16, 2009.
2. Web site: US News - Mar 04, 2010 - Wyoming Gov. Freudenthal won't seek third term . RealClearPolitics . 2010-03-04 . 2010-08-21.
3. Web site: Gosar campaign site. gosar4gov.com. 11 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20100727095127/http://www.gosar4gov.com/about.asp. 27 July 2010. dead.
4. Web site: Leslie Petersen Biography . People for Petersen . 2010-08-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101001001006/http://www.peopleforpetersen.com/Biography.aspx . 2010-10-01 . dead .
5. Web site: Wyoming governor Dave Freudenthal to seek third term? . Politico . Erika Lovely . 2009-10-08 . 2009-10-15.
6. Web site: Massie running for superintendent of public instruction, not governor. JEREMY PELZER Star-Tribune capital. bureau. trib.com. 11 April 2018.
7. Web site: 2010 Governors Race Ratings . https://web.archive.org/web/20101028141343/http://cookpolitical.com/charts/governors/raceratings_2010-10-14_12-35-09.php . dead . October 28, 2010 . . October 28, 2010.
8. Web site: Governor Ratings . . October 28, 2010.
9. Web site: 2010 Governor Races . . October 28, 2010.
10. Web site: THE CRYSTAL BALL'S FINAL CALLS . . October 28, 2010.
11. Web site: Race Ratings Chart: Governor . . October 28, 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20101005231611/http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=ratings-governor . October 5, 2010 .