Prominent Republican Wyoming Lawmakers Lose Their Primaries

Some of Wyoming's most prominent lawmakers will not be heading to Cheyenne this January — at least not as legislators.

Wyoming Public Media first reported that several state house representatives, and one state senator, lost their primaries Tuesday.

According to election results from the Wyoming Secretary of State's Office, former Wyoming Senate Vice President, Michael Von Flatern handily lost his primary by 1,000 votes. The Gillette senator's 1,360 votes were easily beaten by Troy McKeown's 2,373.

Von Flatern has served in the Wyoming Senate since 2005.

House Majority Whip Tyler Lindholm of Sundance also lost his Republican primary to Chip Neiman, losing by fewer than 200 votes. Lindholm also has been in the Legislature since 2005.

Rep. Dan Kirkbride, R-Chugwater, who chairs the House Judiciary Committee lost his primary with 1,391 votes to Jeremy Haroldson's 1,623. Kirkbride has served in the Legislature since 2013.

Diamondville Rep. Tom Crank appears to have narrowly lost to Scott Heiner. Crank pulled in 934 votes while Heiner has 939 at last count.

Buffalo Rep. Richard Tass lost by just more than 500 votes to challenger Barry Crago.

Gillette Rep. Bill Pownall's 533 votes were bested by Bill Fortner's 907.