Nine of 10 Republican candidates tied to ‘Checkgate’ lost in Wyoming’s primary

Nine of 10 Republican candidates tied to ‘Checkgate’ lost in Wyoming’s primary

by Maggie Mullen, WyoFile Nine of the 10 Republican candidates who received “Checkgate” campaign donations on Wyoming’s House floor and elsewhere during the 2026 legislative session lost in Tuesday’s primary election.  The controversy — which overshadowed the session and spurred investigations, legislative rule changes and an executive order from the governor — involved Rebecca Bextel, a Teton County conservative activist, handing out campaign c…

Tom Lubnau: Post-Election Musings

Columnist Tom Lubnau writes, "Nine of 10 legislators tied to 'Checkgate' were excused from office. The Wyoming Republican Party Central Committee endorsed a slate of candidates for state office. For state-level officials, they batted zero."