Wyoming Freedom Caucus Members Split on Governor Endorsements

Reps. Pendergraft and Haroldson back different candidates in the GOP primary race

Apr. 9, 2026 at 11:42pm

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A dynamic, fragmented painting featuring overlapping geometric shapes in navy, green, and orange hues, conceptually representing the split among conservative lawmakers over the gubernatorial primary.The Wyoming Freedom Caucus' divergent endorsements in the governor's race reflect the group's internal diversity and the broader ideological divisions within the state's Republican party.Sheridan Today

Despite being in the Wyoming Freedom Caucus together, Republican state representatives Ken Pendergraft and Jeremy Haroldson are endorsing different candidates in the upcoming GOP gubernatorial primary. Pendergraft is supporting retired Marine Colonel Brent Bien, while Haroldson has endorsed Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder. The split highlights the diversity of views within the conservative caucus.

Why it matters

The endorsement split among Freedom Caucus members shows the group is not a monolithic voting bloc, and its members are willing to back different candidates based on their own assessments of who would be the best governor. This could impact the primary race and signal broader divisions within the state Republican party.

The details

Pendergraft cited Bien's conservative credentials and maverick style as reasons for his endorsement, while Haroldson argued Degenfelder has a better chance of winning the general election. Haroldson also diverged from Pendergraft and others in the caucus on some budget issues this year. The two representatives have differing views on the role of the state government and how to best serve Wyoming's interests.

  • The primary election is scheduled for August 18, 2026.
  • The candidate filing deadline is May 13, 2026.

The players

Rep. Ken Pendergraft

A Republican state representative from Sheridan who is endorsing Brent Bien for governor.

Rep. Jeremy Haroldson

A Republican state representative from Wheatland who is endorsing Megan Degenfelder for governor.

Brent Bien

A retired Marine Corps Colonel running for governor on a platform of cutting residential property taxes by 50%.

Megan Degenfelder

The current Superintendent of Public Instruction who is running for governor, endorsed by former President Donald Trump.

Rep. Scott Heiner

The House Majority Floor Leader who has also endorsed Megan Degenfelder for governor.

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What they’re saying

“It's a silly rumor that we all vote as a bloc and we take our directions from above. Yeah, a couple of (my fellow members) came out – Scott and Jeremy came out and endorsed Megan. I think that's a horrible mistake. I don't see Megan as particularly conservative, and I've been pretty vocal about that.”

— Rep. Ken Pendergraft, Republican state representative

“The beauty . . . about all of this is we all have the ability to endorse whoever we want to endorse, and support whoever we want to support.”

— Rep. Jeremy Haroldson, Republican state representative

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This endorsement split among Freedom Caucus members highlights the diversity of views within the conservative group and signals potential broader divisions within the Wyoming Republican party as the gubernatorial primary race heats up.