Leadership Change and Internal Disputes Mark Wyoming GOP Meeting

At the Wyoming Republican Party’s recent State Central Committee meeting in Cody, routine leadership elections were accompanied by the revival of ongoing internal conflicts—most notably a legal dispute stemming from a contested county election in Hot Springs County, Wyo File reports.

The gathering brought together all 74 members of the state GOP’s central committee, representing each county’s party leadership. Amid speeches praising former President Donald Trump and emotional farewells from outgoing leaders, the party elected Bryan Miller as chairman, replacing Frank Eathorne. Miller, along with other newly elected officers, continues the ideological direction championed by Eathorne.

While some transitions were straightforward—Secretary Donna Rice was re-elected unopposed—others encountered complications. A ballot miscount in the vice chair race required a revote, ultimately resulting in a win for Bob Ferguson over Ginger Bennett.

But the day’s most contentious issue had little to do with the state-level leadership. Seated at the back of the Cody Auditorium, Joe Martinez and Phillip Scheel—Republicans from Thermopolis—watched as their own claim to party roles was denied once again.

Martinez and Scheel were elected in March as chairman and state committeeman of the Hot Springs County GOP. However, their elections were challenged based on a disputed party bylaw, with the state party later invalidating their wins in favor of other candidates after a revote that included provisional ballots. Martinez and Scheel, joined by other county officials, responded with a lawsuit alleging state interference in local party matters.

Addressing the committee during the public comment period, Martinez argued their March election complied with Wyoming law and should be upheld. Despite their appeal, the committee rejected a motion to allow Martinez and Scheel to cast provisional ballots pending the outcome of their lawsuit.

The disagreement highlights a broader debate within the Wyoming GOP over whether party bylaws or state law should govern internal elections. An earlier Wyoming Supreme Court ruling in a similar case found that a GOP bylaw conflicted with state law, but did not settle the question of whether that law infringed on the party’s constitutional rights as a private organization. The party’s legal counsel has since advised county parties to prioritize party rules in such disputes.

Saturday’s meeting featured renewed calls to revisit the Hot Springs County issue. Former Sweetwater County GOP Chair Elizabeth Bingham proposed two motions, including one that would have allowed Martinez, Scheel, and their opponent Cheryl Aguiar to cast provisional ballots. While supporters, including former state House Speaker Albert Sommers, framed the move as a safeguard against violating state law, others argued it would undermine the party’s bylaws and unity. Both motions ultimately failed.

As the legal case proceeds, outgoing Chairman Eathorne suggested it could set an important precedent about the state’s role in regulating political parties, expressing hope that the courts would view it as a First Amendment matter.