Receipts from Wyoming’s elections show key political groups spent less on the general than the August primary.
Campaign finance reports show spending by the more-moderate Wyoming Caucus PAC (political action committee) and the further-right Freedom Caucus PAC dropped off during the state’s general election cycle.
Those PACs raise funds for legislators in both wings of the state Republican Party. The Freedom Caucus PAC spent $72,365 leading up to the general election compared to $179,875 during the primary, while the Wyoming Caucus PAC spent $27,298 before Nov. 5 compared to $199,464 before the August primary.
In a state like Wyoming, where one party clearly dominates, it’s generally primary elections where the most upheaval can happen, and the most money flows.
“The money allows them to do a lot of things, everything from buying radio and television ads to doing what we call get out the vote operations, [like] paying volunteers to go knock on doors, make phone calls,” said Andrew Garner, a professor of political science at the University of Wyoming who previously spoke to Wyoming Public Radio.
In this year’s primary, Freedom Caucus-endorsed candidates beat several more-moderate Republican incumbents.
Those primary wins paved the way for the caucus to clinch a majority of seats in the House, according to WPR’s estimates.
Not all PACs spent less in the general election than the primary, however.
A PAC associated with the Wyoming Realtors group spent over $540,000 to help get a property tax amendment passed.
Amendment A adds a tax class to the state Constitution just for residential property, which was previously grouped with commercial and corporate properties. It gives legislators the opportunity to address surging tax rates for homeowners.
This reporting was made possible by a grant from the Corporation For Public Broadcasting, supporting state government coverage in the state. Wyoming Public Media and Jackson Hole Community Radio are partnering to cover state issues both on air and online.
