Republicans in Platte and Laramie counties spent Monday night narrowing down the list of hopefuls to replace Sen. Darin Smith, who recently left the Legislature after being tapped by President Donald Trump to serve as US Attorney for Wyoming.
Out of 10 applicants, the party picked Roy Birt of Wheatland along with Jeff Barnes and Taft Love, both from Cheyenne, as the three nominees for Senate District 6. The rural district stretches across Platte County and into northeast Laramie County — and it’s been solidly Republican for two decades.
Under Wyoming law, vacancies aren’t filled with a special election. Instead, the local GOP chooses three finalists, and then county commissioners make the final call. State GOP Chairman Bryan Miller reminded attendees just how much power they held.
“This meeting replaces an entire special election that could take months,” Miller told the 48 precinct committee members who gathered inside the Guernsey VFW hall.
Roy Birt, a retired postal worker, came out on top with 24 votes. During his pitch, he held up two props — the Wyoming Republican Party platform and a copy of the state constitution signed by Secretary of State Chuck Gray — to underscore his commitment to conservative values.
“They’re some of the most conservative senators we’ve had,” Birt said, praising Smith and his predecessor, Anthony Bouchard. “And I think I can fill those shoes.”
Birt doubled down on “family values,” saying marriage should only be recognized between a man and a woman, and he urged the GOP to broaden its reach to working-class voters.
“Mr. Trump has enlarged the Republican tent,” Birt said. “I want to see that tent enlarged here.”
Close behind with 23 votes was Jeff Barnes, a retired police officer who spent most of his career in Missouri before moving to Wyoming.
“I’m a cop. I’m not a politician,” he told the crowd. “So if you’re looking for a politician, you need to look somewhere else. I’m not part of the good old boys’ system.”
Barnes ran unsuccessfully for Laramie County sheriff in 2022 as an independent, and he leaned heavily on his outsider credentials Monday night. Asked about judicial reform, he delivered one of the few laughs of the evening:
“As law enforcement, I’m not a big fan of judges, to be honest with you.”
Barnes argued that both the state attorney general and judges should be elected rather than appointed, saying Wyomingites deserve more transparency and accountability in the system.
The three names — Birt, Barnes, and Love — now head to the Platte and Laramie County commissions, who will make the final decision on who fills Smith’s vacant Senate seat. Whoever is chosen will step into a district that’s been reliably red since 2005, ensuring the GOP keeps a firm grip on the seat.
Until then, District 6 voters are left waiting to see which Republican will be sworn in as their next state senator.
The original story by for WyoFile.
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