Wyoming PBS, Wyoming Public Media and Cowboy State Daily present vote 2026.

The Wyoming governor Republican primary debate live from the little theater on the campus of Central Wyoming College.

Greetings, viewers, audience members and candidates.

I'm Steve Peck, the public affairs producer for Wyoming PBS.

And welcome to our Republican primary election debate.

Among candidates for Wyoming governor.

That seat is held currently by governor Mark Gordon, a Republican who is not seeking reelection, retiring after two terms in office.

The primary election is Tuesday, August 18th.

You heard our primary election debate partners during the opening credits of this debate, and we add our thanks now to Central Wyoming College and its president, Dr.

Brad Tyndall, for hosting us on campus tonight.

All ballot eligible candidates from both Republican and Democratic parties were invited to take part in the debate.

Three Republicans accepted that invitation and are on stage now.

The debate is being aired and streamed live by Wyoming PBS and Wyoming Public Media.

Our debate comprises five segments.

First, a preview question was sent more than 24 hours ago to all candidates.

I'll ask that question shortly to open the debate, and each candidate can respond for as long as 90s.

The candidates will respond from left to right as you see them on stage and order determined before the debate.

In a random drawing off stage in which the candidates participated.

Next, our panelists will askthree questions to the entire panel.

Each question, in turn, will.

Each candidate in turn will answer the same question again with 90 sec to respond.

The candidate who responded second to our preview question will be the first to answer the all panel question, and we'll proceed down the line in order.

Third, we'll devote a few minutes to a short answer.

Lightning round with each candidate responding to a brief prompt from the panelists with 15 seconds allotted per response, we expect to have time for as many as ten lightning round Q's.

Fourth, our panelists will ask one round of individual questions.

As many as we have time for, meaning a different question for each candidate.

The initial answers are limited to 60s, after which each remaining candidate on the stage will be permitted.

20 sec for rebuttal, response, or reaction.

Then the initial respondent will have a final 15 seconds to follow up if desired.

As always, we'll proceed down the line so that a different candidate goes first with each new question.

Candidates and panelists help me keep that order in case I make a mistake.

Thank you in advance.

In a joint briefing before the debate, we expressed to the candidates that we expect and require civil conduct and decorum during the debate.

We thank them in advance for that cooperation.

I'm the moderator of tonight's debate, and I'll also be a questioning panelist.

Our remaining panel consists of two experienced Wyoming journalists, Clair McFarland of Cowboy State Daily and Melodie Edwards of Wyoming Public Media.

And this note, Wyoming Public Media and Wyoming PBS have similar names, and we are partners in the debate tonight.

Otherwise, Wyoming PBS and Wyoming Public Media are separate entities with different staff, different management, different licensing, different facilities and different locations.

The timer for our debate tonight is Ryan Schuckman of Wyoming PBS.

He's operating a visual timing device, which most of you can see resembling a traffic light.

Timing begins the moment a candidate begins speaking.

When 10 seconds of the allotted time remains, the yellow light will appear, flashing when time has expired, the red light appears and an alarm will sound.

And I may ask the candidate to suspend.

We have some flexibility, so if you're completing a sentence or a thought, please do that again.

Don't abuse the flexibility.

Thank you.

Now we meet the candidates for Wyoming governor in the Republican Party participating in today's debate.

Introduced from left to right Eric Barlow, Wyoming State Senator Megan Degenfelder, Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Brent Bien, retired U.S.. Army Colonel.

This is the second of three debates tonight.

Following this debate, Democratic candidates for U.S.

Senate will take the stage for 30 minutes.

Now let's begin.

I asked a preview question of the candidates 24 hours ago.

Here's that question.

Candidates each of you has long exposure to the governor's office.

Senator Barlow, as a longtime legislator, superintendent Degenfelder as an elected administrator in state government, and Mr.

Bien as a former candidate for this office and a longtime engager with state government.

Based on your experience and sensibilities, what is the most promising or most important avenue of state government the new governor can use to make Wyoming better?

Senator Barlow, your first 90s.

Well, thank you, ladies and gentlemen, in the audience and those that are watching across the state of Wyoming for this opportunity to come before you.

Thanks to our sponsoring media.

My name is Eric Barlow, but I'm going to have to do something really quick.

I'm a marine and that's a marine.

To think you might have called him an Army guy.

So let's get that straight.

Is that right?

Thank you.

That counts against my time because accuracy is important.

It's a pleasure to be here.

It's raining outside in the beautiful town of Riverton, Fremont County.

What a blessing.

You know, what is the avenue to being an effective next governor in building a stronger and better Wyoming, more prosperous Wyoming?

To me, it starts off with basic citizenship.

Have we been engaged?

Have I been engaged?

And being a citizen of this state for all my life?

And the answer is yes.

Then you say, are you a business owner?

I'm a business owner in Wyoming.

That gives you an opportunity to understand what happens in Wyoming and how government impacts what private, small business owners deal with.

And then certainly, I've served on the livestock board, which is an appointed board by the governor.

And in the Wyoming legislature, all of those build a resume of experience in Wyoming and and give you inform you about what opportunities there are.

Now, the legislative experience, I'll speak to that a little bit, because I've had 14 years voted on thousands of bills, truly, and amendments.

But I. Primarily sponsored 66 bills.

34 of them became law the first time.

Some take a little longer, some take.

But every one of them came from a citizen in Wyoming, because I work on behalf of Wyoming.

That's my record as a citizen, as a business owner, and as a legislator looking out for the best interests of Wyoming.

Thank you.

Thank you, sir, and my apologies to the core.

Accepted.

Superintendent.

Superintendent Degenfelder 90s.

Well, the beauty of America is that we have checks and balances, and no one person or no one branch of government can become too powerful.

The governor cannot rule by decree in Wyoming, and that's exactly how it should be.

You have the legislature, you have our local governments.

You have also the partnership with the executive branch and our state agencies, and the unique responsibility of the governor is to lead to set a vision for the state of Wyoming, to put the right people in the right places and to ensure that we are working across all levels of government to get things done.

Now, for a long time during this campaign and my years of service, folks have been frustrated.

They can't fit me in a box.

They can't put a label on me.

And it doesn't work because of one simple thing.

I don't care about noise.

I care about getting things done, delivering for the Wyoming people.

That's exactly what I've done as superintendent and have a record of working across government to be able to deliver.

That's historic school choice, historic literacy for reform, historic movement for career and technical education, parental rights, ensuring that no boys and girls sports, that we're removing explicit material from our libraries.

And I'll do the same thing as governor, ensuring that we have a strong economy, that we have lower cost of living for individuals in the state, that we have a strong education system and that we reform state government to deliver for the people.

Wyoming needs a governor that is not about talk, not about noise, but about getting things done and making sure we are delivering to the people of Wyo.

Thank you, Mr.

Bien.

90s.

Okay.

Thank you folks.

Thank you very much for being here.

The governor, without a doubt, sets the tone for the state, and the paradigm needs to change.

We need to put the people first.

Again.

My whole platform is about returning Wyoming to the people.

I don't say giving it back to the people simply because it was never the government's in the first place.

And in that when we with my my platform is returning taxes to the taxpayer, elections to the voters, agriculture to the growers, education to the parents, and of course, energy to Wyoming.

But what I do want to do, folks, is I do want to do a constitutional review, which is what we're doing right now to ensure that the three branches of government at the state level are balanced, because we've seen we've seen advantage taken, particularly in the executive branch.

And folks, I'm willing to relinquish whatever authority is necessary to get us back in balance as your next governor, we need to do that.

We need to be able to work with the local governments, the county governments, and so on.

We've got to be able to do that.

But it is, again, about putting the people first and ensuring that we are adhering to the Constitution.

And this, of course, comes down to the huge bureaucracy that's associated with government in this state.

So it's about efficiency with me, folks.

It's about looking at gap analysis, figuring out where our shortfalls are, where our excesses are, and appropriating those monies as necessary, and authorities, because with every responsibility comes an authority and they have to be commensurate.

Equal.

And I want to make sure that that happens to where we actually do limit government, put it back in its box, and again, put the people first.

Again, thank you.

Candidates.

Thank you.

We'll have our three all panel questions.

Now the first of those comes from Clair McFarland.

Superintendent Degenfelder.

You'll begin.

If Wyoming ever faces a Covid like pandemic again, how do you propose to handle it?

We should never be shutting down private businesses, and we should never be keeping our children out of schools.

Fortunately, Wyoming had more in-person school days than any state in the country, and it shows we should never be stepping on the rights of citizens.

And it is terrifying whengovernment can push our citizens around.

I spent time living in communist China, and I got to tell you, during the Covid pandemic, that's what it started to feel like.

We need to ensure that our rights, our protections are in place, and that the government does not infringe on those rights.

Thank you, Mr.

Bien.

Okay, folks, I tell you what, I am standing here right now because of the actions that the current governor took in 2020.

I can assure you that there was no way I will ever shut down this state or limit the people's freedom, because I do recognize that this state and this nation are strongest when the people are freest.

It's about getting the information out there, objective information out there so that people can make the decision on their own.

And that's what needs to happen, folks.

This is where we got to limit government.

We've got to do this because I understand it again, without our freedom, we have nothing.

Now I've witnessed the end state of tyranny in multiple theaters, whether it's the Balkans or over in the Middle East.

And folks, it's horrific.

Okay.

And I also recognize that we have to be willing to stand up and fight for our liberty no matter what.

So there is no way that I will ever shut this state down again.

Thank you.

Thank you, Senator Barlow.

I was in the Wyoming legislature during the Covid pandemic, and it was unprecedented.

And we needed good information.

And there's no question that we value freedom in this state.

And this state did lead the way in so many ways.

As been pointed out, to open things up and move things on.

We actually had the opportunity to travel to a few other states.

They were far more restricted, unacceptable.

But then what did we learn from that?

What did we take back to the Wyoming Legislature?

I actually sponsored the bill that took that authority away from public health officers.

So after a period of time, I think I believe the bill is two weeks.

That authority no longer is with the public health officer, whether it's county or state.

It goes to the governor or to county commissioners, because I understood what I was hearing, there was frustration.

And people need to be held accountable, and you hold your elected officials accountable.

And I ran the bill to make that happen.

On behalf of all of Wyoming citizens.

Candidates.

Thank you.

Our next question is from Melodie Edwards.

Mr.

Bien, you'll be first.

The federal government just released a framework for how the seven states that rely on the Colorado River will share its dwindling flows.

What steps will you take to ensure Wyoming residents and industries have the water that they need?

Well, I tell you, of the seven compacts and three decrees that we have that govern the water distribution outside of our state, I will assure you that, folks, I will never agree to releasing any more water out of this state than what we originally agreed to between 1922 and all the way up until the mid 50s, because I do recognize that that water is absolutely our life, and without it, it'll stunt anything that we want to do.

Expand whatever we need to do here.

I do recognize that we do have states in the Colorado River basin that have overbuilt, that have mismanaged their water.

Okay.

I do not see that as Wyoming's problem.

And I'm quite frankly, I'm tired of these other states stepping all over us.

But I do also recognize that we should use the water that we have.

Okay.

We know over at fontanel that several locks were built in that dam over there.

Okay.

And specifically for irrigation.

And, you know, we haven't really used it for irrigation.

I also look at the amount of money that we have in this state to increase and reinvest back in this state and our water storage, and also update some of our irrigation systems.

So this is one of the things, folks, that I will stand firmly on.

Again, I recognize that, you know, that that we have a lot of these outside influences pushing us, all these other Western states pushing us to do this.

But we also got to recognize that these other Western states, particularly the coastal states, can solve a lot of their own problems.

Okay.

Through desalinization, whatever, or not letting freshwater go out to the ocean.

And again, we are not responsible for that.

So I will, I will fight for our water all the way through.

Thank you sir.

Mr.

Barlow.

water is the most precious thing we have in this state.

Except our children.

We must do everything we can to protect that future for our industries, for our communities, agriculture.

That's our lifeblood.

We have resources.

We need more resources, scientific resources, and legal resources.

We need to build coalitions with the upper Basin states because we we have a vested interest together in this.

Certainly the federal government has started intervening because we haven't got to the table and had got to a solution yet that between the Upper and lower Basin States.

So more work is needed there, because I do not want top down.

I do not want the federal government.

So deciding this on our behalf.

So we need to have the resources and the people to go to the table that governor leading that delegation to make a meaningful difference for the state of Wyoming and the water that Wyoming so needs for our industries and our communities.

That's what a governor DOS does, steps up, takes the charge, has the resources, the staff to make a meaningful changes for all of Wyoming.

Now, the federal government still may come in.

There may be legal recourse, but we stand together in Wyoming with our industry and our communities.

I'll always stand with them.

I've always showed up, listened and learned and did the hard work to promote Wyoming, to benefit Wyoming.

Thank you sir.

Superintendent Degenfelder.

Let's be very clear.

These lower basin states have stolen Wyoming's water for long enough.

No more.

We cannot allow that to happen ever again.

We need to stand up for our water rights.

We need to force these states to innovate in desalination processes and solve it for themselves.

We have got to have water in the state.

Without water, we have nothing.

And so, number one, it's about ensuring that we have a strong negotiator and leader in the governor's office.

That is not going to back down to these states that have greater populations than we do.

It's also about ensuring that with this temporary federal plan, which again, is temporary, that we have a relationship with the federal administration.

And I'm grateful for the support and endorsement of President Trump and Congresswoman Hageman that we are not just at the table, but we are at the head of the table when we continue to to update these plans and ensure that we have our water.

It's also about, as a state, investing in our failing water infrastructure that has aged out and that we have neglected for too long.

So ensuring that we partner with the legislature to make sure that we are supporting our infrastructure and then first and foremost, to have strong negotiators in the governor's office who will ensure that these states no longer take our water.

Thank you.

Our next all panel question comes from Melodie Edwards.

Mr.

Barlow, you'll be first.

Beg your pardon?

That question is mine.

Good candidates.

I want to find the best one.

For many years, Delaware has led the nation in new business filing registrations and incorporations Recently, however, Wyoming has been gaining on Delaware for that distinction in certain ways.

And some say our state ought to go all out to become the top state in the nation for new business registrations.

Many of these businesses simply file legal paperwork here rather than actually do business in the state.

And there concerns that misleading shell corporations aren't even fraudulent.

Companies could take advantage of state's business rules.

Is becoming the new Delaware something Wyoming ought to aspire to?

Why or why not?

Mr.

Barlow.

It sounds like a remarkable question for the Secretary of State's office, doesn't it?

No.

It's a pleasure to take this on.

Look, we do have a business friendly environment here as far as it comes to the the framework which you can file an LLC.

Wyoming is the home of the LLC.

First state, first country right here.

LLCs.

So we have become very attractive for many companies who want to file their papers here and then operate elsewhere.

Now that, as you know, if you've been watching some of the news that leads to some maybe some folks of ill repute using Wyoming's very open ability for those companies to establish here and do business, that's not in Wyoming's best interest.

In fact, quite honestly, not in the consumer's best interest.

So the Secretary of State's office, in conjunction with the Wyoming legislature, has been looking at ways to not stifle those those filings, but to actually have some checks and balances.

So there is a means of making sure that legitimate companies have that opportunity.

But the foreign adversaries, illegitimate companies, they're not welcome.

They're not welcome in Wyoming for filings.

They're not welcome in Wyoming for business.

Thank you.

Miss Degenfelder.

There's absolutely opportunity for us to have companies that domicile here in the state of Wyoming.

And Delaware has done a good job at that.

And we can pull from Delaware and have revenue to the state of Wyoming.

As long as it's the right business, done the right way.

And so the governor, in partnership with the Secretary of State to ensure that we know where these companies are coming from, that they are legal here in the state, and that we capture that opportunity.

But I'm going to take it a step further.

It's not just about encouraging those companies to file here in the state of Wyoming.

What does it take to get them here?

What does it take for them to bring strong, good paying jobs for our young people here in the state?

How do we look at new technology?

How do we look at digital asset space to bring these new industries to the state of Wyoming and focus there on providing good jobs for our young people that too often are leaving our state?

Mr.

Bien?

You bet.

Well, you know, I'm not too concerned with what other states do, but what I will tell you is I think we do have a good business atmosphere here, but I want to make sure that these are done legally.

And what's in the best interest of the state of Wyoming?

Obviously, I would prefer brick and mortar, but, you know, Wyoming will sell itself, you know, and it's about it's about, you know, cutting taxes.

It's about deregulating.

I mean, we've got over 75,000 regulations in this state more than any surrounding state other than Colorado, you know, and we got to make sure that we make that environment commensurate and attractive for other businesses to come here to make sure we never do enforce environmental, social governance scoring, to make sure that we give them the certainty that we'll never shut the state down again.

But there are so many things that we can do.

Again, my concern, number one, above everything is protection of the Wyoming people and holding these businesses accountable.

You know, should we continue to go down this practice through the Secretary of State, that we actually hold them accountable and kick them out of here if we need to?

That's where I stand on it.

Thank you.

Candidates.

Thanks.

That concludes our all panel portion of the debate.

Now, we'll spend a few minutes on the lightning round.

Each of us will give a short prompt.

You'll have 15 seconds to answer.

Miss Degenfelder, you'll go first.

And the first prompt comes from Clair McFarland.

Wyoming Freedom Caucus.

I'm not interested in labels.

I'm interested in results.

Mr.

Bien.

I support all 23 planks of the Wyoming Republican Party.

If the Freedom Caucus does the same, then we're in alignment.

If not, then we're not.

Mr.

Barlow.

Who.

Thank you.

The next prompt comes from Melodie Edwards and Mr.

Bien.

You'll be first.

Maternity and child care deserts.

I concur.

I do believe we.

We have deserts out there, and I think when we look at midwifery, all sorts of those other things out there to potentially fill those, I think it's worth looking into.

Mr.

Barlow.

Young families need the health care to raise their have their families and raise their families in Wyoming.

It has to be a priority to many places in Wyoming, you have to drive hours or even out of state to have your child and have your child care provided.

Miss Degenfelder.

Significant challenge here in the state of Wyoming.

We can't expect young families to live here if they can't even have a baby.

My husband has delivered babies in Laramie from Rawlins.

They're traveling on I-80 in the winter.

It's unacceptable.

Thank you.

The next prompt is from me, University of Wyoming funding.

Mr.

Barlow, you're first, Mr.

Bien, you're first.

Beg your pardon?

University of Wyoming.

Fund Wyoming funding.

Okay, I again, with funding as much as we're spending on on UW and public education, we need to audit the whole thing.

I want to make sure that this money is being spent statutorily, and that we're getting the best bang for our buck for the money that the taxpayers are spending and shelling out to UW.

Thank you, Mr.

Barlow.

The University of Wyoming is a constitutional institution.

It's our single four year university.

It is valuable for the future of Wyoming.

As Degenfelder.

I'm a proud graduate.

My vehicle in the parking lot has a license plate that says UW.

It needs to be a strong land grant university where we focus on affordability and make sure that it's delivering for our economy in the state.

Candidates.

Thank you.

Our next prompt is from Clair McFarland.

Or is that Melodie Edwards?

No, it's me, but.

I thank you.

Dark money.

Is it the Senator.

Mr.

Barlows first, yes.

Seems to be a lot of it around.

Findings were just made yesterday.

You do your own homework.

You don't.

They can't put their name on it.

You don't know where it came from.

That's not dark money.

That's black money.

It's Degenfelder.

Incredibly troubling.

We've seen in my case, there is an entity from out of state that has funded millions of dollars for Democrat candidates that is now attacking me in ads that is not affiliated with the state of Wyoming.

That's a problem for me.

Mr.

Bien.

Absolutely opposed.

Thank you.

Our next prompt is from Melodie Edwards.

Grizzly bears.

We're making strides in the right direction, but it is high time we have managed that population.

Really appreciate the work of Secretary Burgum as we continue to delist.

Delist?

Without a doubt.

We're twice as many as we need to manage.

Senator Barlow life is Wyoming.

We should be managing it with Brian Knezevic and other Wyoming folks in DC.

We're getting much closer to having that back in our hands.

Thank you.

Next prompt is from me and Mr.

Bein, you'll be first The scope of new data centers in Wyoming.

Limited.

The people have to be brought into the loop.

I want constitutional protections to protect everybody's liberty out here from data breaches where that data is being sold, et cetera.

And I want to make sure that there's no effects to our water power, et cetera.

Senator Barlow.

We have some more proposed.

We have to protect our water, your electrical rates and communities have to have good information so they can understand the consequences of this development.

But if they're using Wyoming coal and natural gas, that's not a bad thing.

Superitendent Degenfelder.

Wyoming holds all the cards here.

We need strong negotiators and we set the bar.

We say you're not going to take from our water supply.

You're not going to increase electric rates.

You're going to help us fund trade schools, and you're going to be welcomed by the community.

Thank you.

The next prompt is from Clair McFarland.

Senator Barlow, your first.

Wyoming Business Council.

Wyoming Business Council is an important partner with local governments and local and private business that advances, helps diversify our economy and prepare communities for additional business.

Superintendent Degenfelder.

Government doesn't create jobs.

The private sector does.

That said, there is a role for economic development, and so we need reform to ensure that we're focusing on baseline infrastructure, and we're focusing on positive return on investment for the state of Wyoming.

Mr.

Bien.

The Wyoming Business Council needs a series of writers here to get back to its original charter.

It needs to be defunded.

Thank you.

The next prompt comes from me.

The effect of Doge cuts in Wyoming.

Superintendent.

You're first.

I think we need to be looking at how we create efficiencies in government.

I'm running now one of the only state agencies, one of two that brought a reduced budget to the legislature.

We need to, as governor, go through each and every industry, excuse me, each and every agency and make sure that we're reducing duplicative programs and cutting back and creating efficiencies for Wyoming taxpayers.

A statewide budgetary audit has not occurred since 1989.

In this state.

I have every intention of auditing everything, beginning at the state levels all the way down.

We know that constitutionally, that the municipalities do that already.

But I want to make sure that we're auditing the audits.

Senator Barlow.

I believe the question was, what was the impact of the federal Doge Doge efforts that has actually hamstrung many of our industries who rely on federal government agencies, such as the BLM and others to get permits.

So that actually slows industry in Wyoming.

Unacceptable.

Candidates.

Thank you.

Our next prompt from Clair McFarland, Mr.

Bien, you'll be first.

Your political hero.

My political hero, Teddy Roosevelt.

Senator Barlow.

Tomorrow I'm going to the service of Anne Simpson.

So the partnership between Anne Simpson and Al.

Is Degenfelder.

We have incredible advocates for Wyoming right now and in Congress between Cynthia Lummis and Harriet Hageman, as well as John Barrasso.

I also look to JD Vance as ushering in the next generation of conservative leaders.

And Governor Stan Hathaway was really the last that truly reformed state government.

Thank you.

Next prompt is from Melodie Edwards and Mr.

Barlow.

You'll be first.

Economic diversification.

We've heard a lot about economic diversification for years in Wyoming.

What are we doing about it?

We've got a solid foundation.

Let's let those industries diversify within themselves, grow their piece of the pie.

For Wyoming, more manufacturing, more advanced products, entrepreneurs and investment.

Superintendent Degenfelder.

For too long, we've used this buzzword of diversification instead of economic development.

I spent my career in the mineral industry, coal and oil and gas, and we really need to focus on what we're good at and then build out the value chain from there.

Build development based on processing capabilities, on manufacturing.

And then when we do well in the mineral industry, our other industries do as well.

And we're able to economic development in those ways.

Mr.

Bien.

Focus on the free market, cut taxes, deregulate, make sure there's a level playing field out there.

Candidates.

Thank you.

Crossover voting.

Mr.

Barlow, you're first.

I'll go first again.

Oh I'm sorry.

Crossover voting, of course, is a practice where folks from different parties could change at the primary or, you know, during that process, the, the, the legislature changed that.

Now you have to declare your party prior to candidates being selected.

I did not support it.

Superintendent Degenfelder.

I think it's perfectly acceptable to have reasonable timelines where we're not trying to push people out from deciding on their party, but making sure that we have reasonable timelines in place.

And look, we do have a problem where our primary election is being infiltrated by the left, by Democrats.

And so making sure that we actually have those securely fastened and that we have primaries in the state of Wyoming.

I oppose.

I oppose all crossover voting, and it's a very difficult thing to to prevent, obviously, from happening here.

And this is why I think that the election should actually be as close to Election Day as possible to, to alleviate a lot of that.

Candidates, thank you for participating in the lightning round and that change of pace.

We'll move now to our individual candidate questions from each of us.

The first recipient or first respondent has 60s, followed by a 20 second response or rebuttal from the other two and a 15 second follow up from the first candidate.

The first question comes from Clair, McFarland and Superintendent Degenfelder.

You are first.

This time.

What kind of Attorney General do you want and what sort of litigation should Wyoming wage.?

Look for every agency head.

I want bulldogs in those positions that are going to be so aligned with our vision for the future of Wyoming that they know when we are going to litigate and get involved and fight for Wyoming, that there will be an amicus brief on my desk the next morning.

We are moving that quickly.

We are not going to be the 10th state in the country to sign on to a lawsuit.

We are going to lead and ensure that we have protections in place for our state, because in an age of lawfare that we're seeing across this country, with activist judges being selected across states in the country, we have to have a strong attorney general that is going to fight for Wyoming and on our behalf.

You will be very pleased with my pick for Attorney General, a quadruple plus personality, very constitutionally driven understands that our fight truly is for for liberty.

And I will anybody, anything, any entity that encroaches upon Wyoming or the people here in.

I'm going after them.

Attorney general must be a person of the highest integrity as any public officials should be.

And a legal acumen, a broad legal acumen, not just, you know, suing other people, but actually negotiating and getting to meaningful outcomes.

Candidates.

Thank you.

Our next question is from Melodie Edwards.

Mr.

Bien, your first.

Several of you have said that Wyoming's youth need to be more in the driver's seat when it comes to addressing the state's high rate of young people leaving our state.

How could you set them up to lead?

Well, the young people leaving the state is not a nuance to Wyoming.

It's it's happening.

It happens all over, all over the nation.

And we know that these kids, when they get out of high school, college, they're going to look for potentially other places to go.

And, and we want that.

We want those experiences.

And but the idea here again, is to bring them back.

So, you know, we do need to listen to our youth out there on what what they see it because obviously they see it through a different view, a different lens.

And this is why that that teacher child relationship needs to really be the focus in our public education.

So we can really see what's going on, whether they go down through technical skills college or they simply drop out.

But I think it's a matter of reducing the cost of living here.

So when they do come back, or if they do elect to stay here, that they can actually afford to live in the state of Wyoming.

And because Wyoming, as you know, has so many things to offer here.

But we know that some of the kids are going to leave no matter what.

Again, we hope that we get them back on the back end and get all those skills that they learned from wherever they came from.

And so I look forward to listening to them and working, giving them a platform.

Senator Barlow 20s.

We've had 18 engagements with young people during this campaign, listening to them, learning from them and then encouraging them that if I'm the next governor, apply for those boards and commissions, hundreds of appointments, they need to go to young people who are looking at a future in Wyoming, have their voices in the decision making process, their experience, their dreams, their hopes.

Superintendent Degenfelder 20s.

You start by letting young people lead, be in the driver's seat of the decisions that we are talking about tonight, because my generation is going to be living through the consequences.

We ensure that we're having that adequate exposure of the jobs that are here, that they can feel compelled to take those jobs and have a future here and reduce the cost of living so they can actually afford to buy a home, can afford to pay their health insurance premium.

Mr.

Bien, 15 seconds to follow up.

Yeah, I mean, Wyoming's their home.

We want them to stay here ideally, but we know that we bring them back and what they can do to what they can actually build into this state is just going to be fantastic.

I mean, I myself left for 28.5 years.

I came back with a with a whole different set of skills and recognizing that freedom really is, is the essence of what we have here.

Thank you.

The next question is for me.

Candidates data show that as many as 2000 Wyoming residents, which is the typically accepted number, most of them, presumably Republicans, now have reduced or lost medical insurance in Wyoming.

But that number forecast to increase now that some Obamacare subsidies and tax credits are expiring.

Some states, including red states, have opted to expand Medicaid availability in their states.

Wyoming has not.

Do you see any circumstances in which Medicaid expansion would be an option in your administration?

Senator Barlow, youre first.

We've already talked about healthcare.

It's a real challenge in Wyoming.

We're self-employed.

That means you're self-insured.

And that means sometimes you don't have insurance.

It's nothing new.

Business owners across the state are dealing with it.

Self-Employed, small business.

All of us are dealing with it.

The costs and access to health care are tremendous.

So this isn't about expanding a government program.

This is actually about reforming our health care system.

It's about getting providers, payers and patients together and understanding what is a path forward.

I made that commitment.

Health care strike team, when we're successful next Tuesday, next Wednesday, we're kicking it off and we're inviting people.

And actually folks are stepping up saying, I want to be a part of this because we need health care in Wyoming.

No question.

We talked about maternity, desert, mental health.

We need it here in Wyoming.

Wyoming can do it a Wyoming way.

Let's just get to get to it and get the work done.

Superintendent Degenfelder 20s.

Well, as a cancer survivor with a husband in the medical field and having lost my mother far too soon because of waitlists for specialized care, this is deeply personal to me.

And we don't solve health care with another government program.

What we do is ensure that we have regional coordination, that we look for increased telehealth.

We fix our EMS in the state.

We also increase the workforce pipeline in the medical field, because you can have all the programs in the world, but if you don't have a workforce, then none of it matters.

Muskegon.

20s.

Yeah, I have no intention of increasing Medicaid, but I do recognize what we have out there, and we have a significant amount of money, as you know, that goes toward health care about $2.5 billion.

I want to make sure that money is actually getting down to the patient provider.

That has to be the focus.

That has to be the priority.

We know that we living in Wyoming, that we have significant rural areas, and it's a matter of figuring out what those deficits are reforming as necessary and going forward from there.

Senator Barlow, 15 seconds to follow up.

The Medicaid program that Wyoming currently has, supports our elderly and our disabled.

Actually, we need to do work in that shore up that so that our elders and those that have challenges, we're taking care of them.

Thank you.

The next question is from Clair McFarland.

Thank you.

Yes.

So in recent months and years, we've seen a rash of, governor's investigations filed where the governor is called to investigate local county officials and perhaps recommend them to the Attorney General for removal prosecution.

Our governor has not gone so far as to call it a drain, but it has been a juggle for him.

How would you manage governor's investigations?

Look, this is another aspect of those checks and balances that we have in place, ensuring that protections are out there for our people, that your elected officials are working within the bounds of the law and are delivering results for you.

And so that is a part of the governor's job.

And whether or not it's a juggle, it's part of the job, and it needs to be done to protect our people.

Yeah.

The people who are well within right to do what they're doing, whether regardless of what county it is, and it is an avenue for them to, to register their complaint.

And it comes down to the governor to, to prioritize and actually act on them because the people are looking for action, regardless of whatever type of action that is.

But they deserve to know that.

And that's a, that's a responsibility of the governor to be accountable to the people on that.

Senator Barlow 20s.

So this is a part of the law.

This is an assignment to the legislature by the legislature, to the governor.

And if the governor is expected to do this, they ought to be resourced to do it to.

There's other agencies that aren't resourced well enough to do the job.

They're expected to.

As governor, let's have that conversation with the Wyoming Legislature.

Superintendent.

15 second follow up.

Nothing further.

It's a duty of the governor and must be done.

All right.

Thank you.

The next question is from Melodie Edwards and Superintendent Degenfelder.

I'm sorry, Mr.

Bien.

You'll be first.

Governor Mark Gordon started the Wyoming Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Task Force in 2019 to address the state's disproportionate rates of violence against native people.

This year, in addition to compiling data, the task force worked to develop a teen dating violence awareness campaign.

Would you continue this task force, and what steps would you take to implement solutions based on the information that it gathers?

Well, absolutely.

And it's not obviously relegated to just the reservation.

You know, this is something that's prevalent around the state, but we've got it.

You know, we have that, that jurisdictional thing with B, I, A, and those kind of things.

And I want to make sure that this is reported right away, whether it's on the reservation or not, you know, because there may be troubled young folks out there, whatever the thing is.

And, you know, if they're if they're runaways, then they've got to be reported immediately.

But whatever it takes to find these folks, whatever jurisdictional hurdles we got across to make sure that we're actually participating in that on the reservation, even off the reservation, then we need to do it.

So I have every intention of continuing that and figuring out what's a better way to do it if there are better ways to do it and, and to get the people involved, because it's so much of this comes down to public awareness on what's going on there and getting that information out there so that people know that somebody's missing, because we know it's a huge thing.

Thank you, Senator Barlow 20s.

Absolutely.

Continue it, grow it, build the relationship with our tribal citizens, these two tribes that I've had the privilege of serving on, the select Tribal relations and learning so much about their culture and their people.

It's, it's a priority.

Every one of our, every one of our citizens needs to be protected.

Superintendent Degenfelder 20s absolutely.

Even one missing or murdered indigenous woman or person is too many.

And so we will continue that effort further, the government to government partnership with the tribes has got to start with the governor's office, whether it be education, whether it be public safety, whether it be economic development.

And after the work that I've done with creating a stakeholder cabinet and education will continue that in the governor's office as well to better our relationships.

Mr.

Brian, 15 seconds to follow up.

Yeah.

I will uphold and agree to whatever we agreed to back in the 1868 treaty with with Eastern Shoshone and with the with the with the tribal nation as necessary.

And so much of that does have to do with those those boundaries that jurisdictional boundaries that we need to somehow get over.

So it's a matter of working with them to make sure that happens.

Candidates.

Thank you.

I have the next question.

Candidates.

Wyoming governors often launch broad based economic education or other policy initiatives while in office, only to see them scaled back or ignored.

Sometimes, once a new administration takes over, sometimes even when those initiatives have become part of state law, are there initiatives from Governor Gordon's administration that you would continue to prioritize, or others that you would not?

Senator Barlow, your first.

Back to health care?

Governor Gordon has done a remarkable job bringing awareness and building partnerships with health care, mental health care providers across the state of Wyoming.

So we have our medical care and we have mental health care.

So that part of it, the governor has initiated that, and that will continue as a part of the broader medical reforms that we need to take on as a state of Wyoming.

Thank you.

Superintendent Degenfelder 20s.

My initiative areas are very simple.

We are going to unleash energy dominance.

We are going to deregulate to make it more cost effective for businesses to thrive.

We're going to ensure that we reduce the cost of living for individuals in the state, from housing to health care, and we are going to build a stronger, more robust education system that is less about test scores and more about hands on learning and workforce preparation.

And then we're also going to reform state government.

Mr.

Bien 20s.

You bet.

I mean, this comes down to accountability.

There are some things, particularly with veterans, that I do agree with, that, you know, we can go forward with that.

But I tell you what, folks, my energy policy is 180 out from what we've got right now, we've got everything underneath our feet.

Our future is in our hands right now as a matter of exercising that and unleashing our businesses across the state.

Senator Barlow, 15 seconds for follow up.

If it's working, we continue.

We build on it, we make it stronger.

And serving the citizens of Wyoming even better.

Thank you.

Next question comes from Clair McFarland.

Is there more Wyoming can do to protect its citizens gun rights?

And if so, what would that be?

Superintedent.

Degenfelder.

Excuse me.

We should always be working to protect our Second Amendment rights.

They are foundational to who we are as Americans.

And so ensuring that we are working with the legislature to pass updated Second Amendment protection rights.

I've partnered with the legislature in many ways over the last few years to ensure that we do that.

But as always, something that we cannot become complacent on.

So even if we have strong protections in place, if we are complacent, those can slip away before you know it.

And so I plan to continue to advocate for Second Amendment rights, partner with our legislature and make sure those are in place.

20s you know, I often ask, you know, what part of UN infringe don't people understand?

You know, I tell you what I will I will support our Second Amendment all the way through, you know, whatever Sapa bills are required.

This last one, I would have signed it without a doubt.

Senator Barlow 20s.

1600 people Wyomingites have had their Second Amendment rights restored because of a bill I sponsored three years ago.

That's how much I care about Second Amendment rights.

Took the legislation to the legislature, made the case, and now more people have their rights restored in Wyoming.

Superintendent Degenfelder 15 seconds, if you'd like.

We've done incredible work in partnership with the legislature to protect our Second Amendment rights.

But again, the work is never done and complacency will be our worst enemy.

Candidates.

Thank you.

Next question from Melodie Edwards.

Mr.

Bien, you'll be first.

Federal dodge cuts are causing food pantries and other programs that address hunger in the state to turn people away from accessing food.

What can the state do to address food insecurity in this state?

As the federal government reduces such funding?

Well.

Oh, you bet, you bet.

I mean, it's agriculture will be critical infrastructure under my administration.

It has to be.

We've got to look I mean, we can we can grow anything here in the state of Wyoming, you know, and I think we really encourage those charities, those nonprofits, to, to fill those food banks as we go through.

And, you know, if there are deficits, then we look at other sources of funding for them.

But, you know, we've really got to look internally here, and this is why our agriculture, without our growers, we don't eat.

And we got to recognize that across the state.

And this is why really our agriculture should be feeding our schools.

Let's get rid of this highly processed stuff.

Get it out of there.

Let's use our, our agriculture more internally as we go forward.

And of course, this will also help along the lines of actually protecting our water too.

But, but I recognize that there are some cuts out there, but I think we can do far more internally in the state.

And I think we get those nonprofits and charities to start, start working for this.

Thank you.

Senator Barlow 20s.

Food insecurity is real.

This Sunday is our soup Kitchen Sunday.

We've been doing it one Sunday a month for 25 years.

Families are challenged.

And these economic times can get really challenging.

There's a place for government and one of those places, and we're having that discussion right now is in our schools.

Should school lunches be a part of a child's day?

Right now?

They are not not funded by the state of Wyoming.

Superintendent Degenfelder 20s.

I'm no stranger to the discussion around food insecurity, particularly around our students, because we know that if our students are hungry, we can't expect them to be learning.

We can't expect them to learn how to read and to do well on our state assessments.

And so what we've done is worked to solve this issue the Wyoming way work with our local food banks, work with local summer feeding sites in which we've increased across the state, utilize those programs that are already in place to make sure that our kids are accessing the meals that they deserve.

Thank you, Mr.

Bien.

15 seconds follow up.

No, I think it's cognizant.

You know, among all of us here to make sure that we recognize how important of an issue this is.

I mean, we are America, we're Wyoming.

I mean, we used to feed the world and we should be able to do that right here in the state.

Candidates.

Thank you.

We've reached the end of the question and answer portion of tonight's debate.

We'll move now to closing statements for each of you.

You'll be allotted 60s.

We'll go in reverse order from our very first round.

Meaning, Mr.

Bien, your first step.

Okay.

Folks, thank you very much for being here, for taking part of this process.

I will tell you, I do believe that this is the most important election in our state history.

There is so much at stake here.

We see all these globalist influences coming into our nation, to our state.

We see that there are states in our nation that are actually welcoming in socialism.

Folks, this is about restoring the greatness of Wyoming.

This is about restoring the greatness of America.

And it starts by returning Wyoming to the people and remembering who we are as Wyoming Americans.

I mean, we are truly exceptional people, and we've got to believe that, folks, my whole adult life has been about leadership.

It's been whether it's small to large, managing projects that are larger than our state budget.

Okay.

And it's all been done successfully and it's been done that way because of the trust that I earned from the folks who were under me, who worked with me adjacent, whatever it was, to make these huge things happen.

We were always far more successful than than adjacent units.

Whatever we were doing, whether it's in combat or not, folks.

But this comes down to you.

This comes back to you and recognizing that without our freedom, we have nothing.

And folks, I've served this nation.

I'm here to serve again, not to climb ladders.

So thank you very much.

Thank you sir.

Megan Degenfelder.

Ladies and gentlemen, we find ourselves at a crossroads here in Wyoming, and this race is right at the center of it.

Will we accept the status quo, or will we decide that Wyoming is meant to lead boldly and unapologetically?

I'm a Wyoming ranch kid who went to the University of Wyoming, who built a career in the mineral industry and then ran for state superintendent so that we could reform education.

And I'm running for governor because this state is worth fighting for.

We need a leader who is going to lead boldly.

Think outside the box, solve these real problems for real people in our state.

Make sure that we have a strong economy, a strong mineral industry, that we reduce the cost of living for young people in the state, that we have a strong public education system that is centered around career preparedness, and that we also modernize government and make it operate more like the private sector and deliver better results for the taxpayers of Wyoming.

When Wyoming became the first state in the country to grant women the right to vote, we didn't care what any other state thought.

We did what was best for Wyoming and the rest of the country followed.

That is the type of leadership that I will bring into the governor's office.

I'm Megan Degenfelder, and I humbly ask for your vote on Tuesday, August 18th.

Thank you.

Eric Barlow.

Well, thank you, ladies and gentlemen.

It's been a pleasure being here with you tonight.

Our thanks to our our hosts.

You know, when you think about what the differences are between the candidates, first of all, I want to be clear.

I'm not running against anybody.

I'm running for Wyoming.

I've lived Wyoming.

My wife and I have lived Wyoming.

That means me and this fly, I've lived Wyoming raised our family here, made decisions about health care and educating our kids.

We've worked Wyoming.

My wife is an educator.

Myself as a veterinarian, a rancher, a business owner, signing the front of the check, going to the bank when things were working and going to the bank when things didn't turn out.

And then service, service in the Marine Corps, service in our community.

4H leadership Wyoming all those different things that build people up.

And then the Wyoming Legislature.

So when you've lived in Wyoming, you've worked Wyoming, you've served Wyoming.

You are prepared to lead Wyoming in an effective and respectful manner.

My name is Eric Barlow, and I'd appreciate your support.

On August 18th.

Thank you.

Candidates.

Thanks for your participation tonight, voters.

If you haven't voted early, remember the primary election is next Tuesday, August 18th.

This debate can be seen again anytime online at Wyoming PBS.org and on YouTube.

The next debate Democratic Party candidates for governor starts in approximately five minutes.

Thanks for being with us.

You're watching Wyoming PBS.