yournews.com · yourNEWS Media Newsroom · September 5, 2026
How a Coalition of Donors, Business Groups and PACs Funded the GOP Primary Campaign That Defeated Wyoming’s Freedom Caucus – [your]NEWS
# How a Coalition of Donors, Business Groups and PACs Funded the GOP Primary Campaign That Defeated Wyoming’s Freedom Caucus
by yourNEWS Media Newsroom | Sep 5, 2026
Wyoming’s Freedom Caucus lost its state House majority after 13 incumbents were defeated in August Republican primaries, as an investigation found that donor networks, business groups and political action committees spent heavily to back less-conservative GOP candidates and defeat Trump-endorsed and Freedom Caucus-aligned contenders.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Wyoming’s Republican primaries dramatically reshaped the politics of one of America’s most reliably conservative states, stripping the state House Freedom Caucus of its majority after a network of political organizations, donors and business interests spent heavily to defeat its candidates.
Thirteen incumbent Freedom Caucus members lost their House races in the August primary, while four additional candidates aligned with the caucus were defeated in state Senate contests, according to WyoFile.
A Daily Caller News Foundation investigation found that the successful effort involved a mixture of Republican donors opposed to the caucus, pro-business organizations, newly organized political action committees and other groups that sought to move the state GOP away from the populist-conservative direction embraced by the Freedom Caucus.
Among the highest-profile casualties was Wyoming House Speaker Chip Neiman, a prominent Freedom Caucus member who sought a state Senate seat but lost to longtime Republican state Sen. Ogden Driskill.
The gubernatorial primary produced another major result when Eric Barlow defeated Trump-backed candidate Megan Degenfelder after receiving financial and organizational support from donors and groups opposed to the Freedom Caucus.
Neiman said the campaign against conservatives was far more organized than he initially realized.
“Their whole focus was to undo and to do away with the Freedom Caucus and the conservatives,” Neiman told the DCNF. “I mean, an unbelievable amount of organization dollars are tied into the media, Wayne Hughes [of] Cowboy State Daily, major donors and supporters of this whole thing … It just blew me away as they were relaying this information of the length and the depth and the spider web of connections that just happened and we saw the results of it. But it’s been over time. They really created an incredible machine to do away with the Freedom Caucus and stop conservatives from keeping Wyoming or taking Wyoming in a conservative direction.”
One of the organizations at the center of the effort was the Wyoming Donor Alliance, which describes itself as nonpartisan.
Documents obtained by the DCNF showed the organization developed a coalition strategy titled “Break the Wyoming Freedom Caucus Majority.”
The plan sought to regain control of the state House from the Freedom Caucus and stated a goal of “preventing the spread of extreme Freedom Caucus policies nationwide.”
The organization outlined plans to raise $839,500 for candidate recruitment, voter targeting and efforts supporting or opposing candidates.
It also planned what it described as an “unprecedented independent expenditure campaign” before the primaries.
The strategy included recruiting candidates capable of challenging Freedom Caucus incumbents and turning out Republican voters the organization did not consider “far-right.”
The Wyoming Donor Alliance defended its involvement, saying its donors were concerned about the direction of the caucus.
“The Wyoming Donor Alliance is an alliance of donors from across Wyoming who are committed to strengthening voter education, turning out voters, and increasing political accountability,” the group told the DCNF. “In recent years, our alliance has grown increasingly concerned by the destructive impact Freedom Caucus members were having on our communities and the future of our state. From unconstitutional cuts to education funding and threats to public lands, to the lack of compassion in the face of rural health clinics shuttering and the loss of OB-GYNs and others needed to support infant and maternal health, the Freedom Caucus has created more problems than solutions.”
Americans for Prosperity, a libertarian-leaning organization focused heavily on business and economic policy, also entered the primaries against several Freedom Caucus-aligned candidates.
AFP endorsed Driskill against Neiman.
Driskill, who has served in the state Senate since 2011 and describes himself as a “Reagan conservative,” campaigned as a pro-business Republican and accused the Freedom Caucus of opposing economic development.
“The Freedom Caucus has been very anti-business across the board,” Driskill said, according to Cowboy State Daily. “Doesn’t matter if it’s bringing rodeo to Wyoming; if it’s supporting rare earths up in our district. You know, the Business Council, across the board — they fought data centers.”
AFP-Wyoming told the DCNF that Neiman and other caucus members had moved too far toward populism and opposed legislation the organization viewed as important.
A spokesperson said AFP does not endorse or oppose candidates because of caucus affiliation and noted that the organization has previously supported Freedom Caucus members.
AFP spent approximately $286,000 during the Wyoming primaries and backed candidates outside the Freedom Caucus, according to reporting on campaign spending.
Its endorsed candidates included state Sen. Evie Brennan, state Rep. J.R. Riggins and three other Republicans seeking legislative seats.
Jessica Crowder, another candidate backed by AFP, defeated Freedom Caucus incumbent Ann Lucas.
Riggins defeated Neil Jeske, who was considered aligned with the Freedom Caucus. The pro-Freedom Caucus PAC Make Liberty Win had spent money opposing Riggins during the race.
Democratic state Rep. Liz Storer also personally contributed money to Republicans running against Freedom Caucus candidates.
Storer, president and CEO of the George B. Storer Foundation, donated a combined $5,500 to several candidates, including Republican state Rep. Doug Moore, who defeated Freedom Caucus member John Bear, according to WyoFile.
Bear had emphasized aggressive property-tax reductions, restrictions on funding for surgeries involving transgender-identifying minors and anti-abortion legislation.
Moore, a political newcomer, concentrated more heavily on fiscal issues and placed less emphasis on conservative social policy during the campaign.
Storer also contributed personally to Republican secretary of state candidate Robert Short, who defeated Freedom Caucus-aligned state Rep. Rachel Williams.
New political action committees played an additional role.
Common Sense Republicans for Wyoming, an issues-based PAC established in March, spent more than $95,000 opposing Freedom Caucus-aligned candidates, according to WyoFile.
The organization published its 2026 Republican Primary Voter Guide in July, endorsing Barlow for governor, Short for secretary of state and three House candidates challenging Freedom Caucus incumbents.
Emily Madden, one of the group’s co-founders, later said 29 of its 34 endorsed candidates won, according to the Wyoming Tribune Eagle.
The spending did not all favor the anti-Freedom Caucus side.
Make Liberty Win, a Virginia-based PAC backing the Freedom Caucus, spent nearly $550,000 on Wyoming races.
Despite that investment, the group suffered an 87% failure rate among the contests it targeted, according to Cowboy State Daily.
Another significant participant was the Civil Leadership PAC.
Wayne Hughes Jr., the billionaire owner of Cowboy State Daily, contributed $15,000 to the organization, which spent approximately $200,000 supporting Republican candidates outside the Freedom Caucus, according to Transparency USA.
The PAC spent