Friday, April 24, 2026 |
Photo – I Voted sticker – Bigfoot99 file photo
Political season is underway with the U.S. House race teeming with candidates.
Most of the candidates vying for Wyoming’s U.S. House seat are leaning on their own personal funds, a sign of the personal wealth needed to run a congressional race in the Cowboy State.
According to published reports, of the nine candidates who have entered Wyoming’s U.S. House race, only seven have filed first-quarter financial reports with the FEC. Among them is Casper veteran Kevin Christensen, whose report indicates his campaign has yet to raise more than $5,000.
Rancher Frank Chapman, businessman Reid Rasner, Secretary of State Chuck Gray and former state superintendent of public instruction Jillian Balow each reported that most of their fundraising came from personal funds — primarily in the form of candidate loans, and in Balow’s case, a direct contribution.
Stephen Friess, son of conservative megadonor Foster Friess, entered the race after the March 31 reporting deadline and has not filed a campaign finance report.
Former state representative John Romero-Martinez announced his candidacy last month but has yet to formally file, according to FEC records.
Chapman, who jumped into the race on March 25, loaned himself more than a half-a-million dollars. He reportedly raised $1,800 in contributions.
Who needs contributions when you can loan yourself $560,000?
Meanwhile, Gray has loaned himself $737,000. The current Wyoming Secretary of State also leads other candidates in individual donations by a wide margin.
The financial reports also show that most of the money flowing into the race originates outside Wyoming. Donations from California, Florida, and Virginia alone roughly equal the total contributed by Wyoming donors.
