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. On March 4, 2010, Freudenthal announced he would not run for a third term.

Republican Matt Mead flipped every county from Democratic to Republican as he won by getting around two-thirds of the votes polled.

Democratic primary Candidates Declared Pete Gosar, teacher, commercial pilot, state employee and small business owner, brother of Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) Al Hamburg, retired painter and perennial candidate Leslie Petersen, former Teton County Commissioner and Chair of the Wyoming Democratic Party 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 (ran for Superintendent of Public Instruction)

Polling

Poll source Dates administered LesliePetersen PeteGosar AlHamburg ChrisZachary RexWilde UndecidedWTE/Aspen Media & Market ResearchWTE/Aspen Media & Market Research July 26–29, 2010 34% 9% 5% 1% 4% 39%Casper Star TribuneCasper Star Tribune July 26–28, 2010 30% 22% 2% 1% <1% 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 RitaMeyer MattMead ColinSimpson RonMicheli AlanKousoulos UndecidedWTE/Aspen Media & Market Research July 26–29, 2010 23% 18% 10% 20% 1% 25%Casper Star-TribuneCasper Star-Tribune July 26–28, 2010 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 October 14, 2010 Rothenberg October 28, 2010 RealClearPolitics November 1, 2010 Sabato's Crystal Ball October 28, 2010 CQ Politics October 28, 2010

Polling Poll source Dates administered MattMead (R) LesliePetersen (D)Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports September 30, 2010 61% 25%Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports August 18, 2010 58% 24%Rasmussen ReportsRasmussen Reports June 22, 2010 49% 22%

Results

By county County Matt MeadRepublican Leslie PetersenDemocratic Taylor HaynesIndependent All Others Margin Total # % # % # % # % # % Albany 6,374 55.6% 4,352 38.0% 309 2.7% 420 3.7% 2,022 17.6% 11,455 Big Horn 3,217 74.0% 613 14.1% 394 9.1% 124 2.9% 2,704 59.9% 4,348 Campbell 6,934 61.5% 1,179 10.5% 2,930 26.0% 231 2.0% 4,004 35.5% 11,274 Carbon 3,585 69.0% 1,308 25.2% 107 2.1% 196 3.8% 2,277 43.8% 5,196 Converse 3,202 64.8% 761 15.4% 827 16.7% 152 3.0% 2,375 48.1% 4,942 Crook 2,048 65.3% 388 12.4% 608 19.4% 93 3.0% 1,440 45.9% 3,137 Fremont 8,439 61.9% 3,323 24.4% 1,301 9.5% 575 4.2% 5,116 37.5% 13,638 Goshen 3,493 71.7% 893 18.3% 309 6.3% 176 3.6% 2,600 53.4% 4,871 Hot Springs 1,596 71.9% 401 18.1% 141 6.4% 82 3.7% 1,195 53.8% 2,220 Johnson 2,804 73.8% 578 15.2% 301 7.9% 114 3.0% 2,226 58.6% 3,797 Laramie 19,323 64.7% 7,507 25.1% 819 2.7% 2,235 7.5% 11,816 39.6% 29,884 Lincoln 4,710 71.6% 1,023 15.5% 592 9.0% 257 3.9% 3,687 56.1% 6,582 Natrona 15,077 65.2% 5,761 24.9% 1,470 6.4% 829 3.6% 9,316 40.3% 23,137 Niobrara 753 65.4% 124 10.8% 243 21.1% 32 2.8% 510 44.3% 1,152 Park 8,312 72.4% 1,813 15.8% 955 8.3% 398 3.4% 6,499 56.6% 11,478 Platte 2,303 60.2% 905 23.6% 500 13.1% 119 3.1% 1,398 36.6% 3,827 Sheridan 7,632 71.4% 2,336 21.9% 426 4.0% 290 2.7% 5,296 49.5% 10,684 Sublette 2,465 71.4% 554 16.1% 335 9.7% 97 2.8% 1,911 55.3% 3,451 Sweetwater 8,218 65.5% 3,532 28.1% 305 2.4% 495 3.9% 4,686 37.4% 12,550 Teton 4,407 51.6% 3,856 45.1% 78 0.9% 207 2.4% 551 6.5% 8,548 Uinta 4,462 73.7% 1,075 17.8% 221 3.7% 295 4.9% 3,387 55.9% 6,053 Washakie 2,574 75.4% 597 17.5% 135 4.0% 109 3.2% 1,977 57.9% 3,415 Weston 1,852 65.6% 361 12.8% 490 17.4% 121 4.3% 1,362 48.2% 2,824Totals123,78065.7%43,24022.9%13,7967.3%7,6474.0%80,54042.8%188,463 Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican All 23

References

Notes

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 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