Wyoming U.S. Senate- Race of the Day

 Wyoming U.S. Senate

26 Days Until Election Day

Status: Republican Incumbent

2020 Presidential Result: Red State (West)

Outlook: Safe Republican

The final Race of the Day for 2024 is about a contest that is not much of one after all. You cannot get any redder than present day Wyoming in a political sense. On that topic, I would like to take a moment to once again offer my respect and admiration for Congresswoman Liz Cheney and former Vice President Dick Cheney.

Incumbent Republican John Barrasso, a physician, known for speaking about medical matters on Wyoming news broadcasts, first ran for the Senate in 1996. In that race, he was considered a relatively moderate Republican and narrowly lost the primary. A few years later, he set his sights a bit lower and joined the State Senate. In 2007. after an incumbent Republican died in office, Barrasso was appointed to the U.S. Senate by the then Democrat Governor of Wyoming, likely because he was considered to be fairly moderate. He won a full term in 2008 and two subsequent reelections, never receiving less than two thirds of the vote.

Barrasso is now the Republican Conference Chairman in the U.S. Senate and has become a reliably conservative vote and defender of Donald Trump, although always in measured tones. With Mitch McConnell stepping aside, the Senator was considered likely to be one of the "three Johns" who would run to replace him as Republican Leader. Barrasso decided not to seek that post though and will instead attempt to move one stop up to become the Republican Whip, possibly in the Majority after next year. This will leave the John Cornyn and John Thune, considered establishment options against Rick Scott, considered the MAGA choice. I think Scott will win the job if Trump is elected President, and if not, the gig will probably go to Thune.

Anyways, Barrasso does not have much to worry about in terms of the general election. He did have to endure the passing of his wife due to cancer early this year. In August, the incumbent faced two opponents in a Republican primary. Barrasso, with Trump's endorsement, won 68 percent while his closest challenger, financial executive Reid Rasner, who ran as a political outsider and more conservative option, took 25 percent.

Only one Democrat ran to take on the Senator. The nomination went to teacher Scott Morrow. I do not believe there is one political junkie (outside of Wyoming) including myself, that would have been able to name Barrasso's opponent without looking it up. A few years down the road, someone can possibly win a hefty sum of money if they are challenged to a bet to name the Democrat who will lose this race in Wyoming.

U.S. Senate races predicted:

21 D  (9 Safe, 5 Likely,  5 Leans, 2 Tossup)

13 R  (7 Safe, 3 Likely, 2 Leans, 1 Tossup)

 

Total predicted:

49 Democrats (28 Holdover, 9 Safe, 5 Likely, 5 Leans, 2 Tossup)

51 Republicans (38 Holdover, 7 Safe, 3 Likely, 2 Leans, 1 Tossup)

 

Republican net gain of 2 seats

 

Tune in tomorrow when I will recap all my Gubernatorial and U.S. Senate predictions as well as making some changes.