Meet the candidates — GOP schedules candidate forums ahead of primary
Weston County voters will have multiple opportunities this summer to hear directly from candidates seeking local and state offices before casting ballots in the 2026 primary election on Aug. 18.
According to Weston County Republican Party Chair Kari Drost, the party has scheduled a series of candidate forums and town hall events aimed at helping residents become more familiar with those running for office.
“The Weston County Republican Party believes that it is vitally important for the voters to get to know all candidates personally so that they can make informed decisions at the ballot box,” Drost said in announcing the schedule.
The forums continue a long-standing effort by the local party to provide opportunities for candidates to discuss issues and answer questions from the public ahead of the primary election.
The first event is scheduled for June 22, following the Republican Party’s regular meeting at 6 p.m. The evening will feature a forum for House District 2 candidates Zeta Nuckolls Anderson and Troy Claycomb.
Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder will hold a town hall meeting in Weston County on July 6.
Statewide Republican forums featuring candidates for superintendent of public instruction and secretary of state are planned for July 7 and 8, although additional details have not yet been released.
Local races will take center stage later in the summer. A forum featuring sheriff candidates is scheduled for July 21.
Candidates for Weston County treasurer, clerk, clerk of district court, assessor and coroner will participate in a forum on July 29.
A Senate District 1 candidate forum featuring Chip Neiman and Ogden Driskill is scheduled for Aug. 4.
The final candidate forum currently on the schedule will be held Aug. 12 and will focus on candidates seeking seats on the Weston County Board of Commissioners.
Drost said additional details about locations, times and forum formats will be released as the events approach.
In addition to the public forums, Drost said the party has seen significant interest in precinct committee positions this election cycle.
“We have had many new faces register to become precinct committeemen and committeewomen — this is super exciting,” Drost said.
To help familiarize first-time candidates with the responsibilities of those roles, the party plans to host informational sessions focused on the Wyoming Republican Party platform and the duties of precinct committee members.
According to Drost, candidate packets will also be distributed and the information received by the party will be available on the Weston County Republican Party website.
Drost said the forums are designed to give voters an opportunity to evaluate candidates beyond campaign advertising, yard signs and written materials.
“In my experience with elections and candidates, if you listen closely, candidates will always tell you what they are going to do. But that requires active listening by voters,” Drost said. “Campaign ads, posters and written material won’t do it. The personal connection of putting your eyes on a candidate and actively listening to them in unscripted conversation is vital to getting to know them and how they will govern.”
She said voters should approach elections as they would a job interview, carefully considering whether candidates possess the qualifications, judgment and values needed for the offices they seek.
“Voters can and should be interviewing candidates for a job,” Drost said. “The United States of America is a representative republic and voters are hiring someone to be their voice.”
According to Drost, voters should look beyond personal relationships when evaluating candidates and instead focus on whether those individuals can effectively represent their interests.
“It does not matter if a candidate is your friend or neighbor or if you like them as a person,” Drost said. “When voters go to the voting box, they should be asking the questions, ‘Can the candidate do the job? Do I trust this person to speak for me? And will they do the job in a way that is morally and ethically consistent with my values?’ These forums are designed to help voters answer those questions for themselves.”
More information about upcoming forums and candidate materials can be found on the Weston County Republican Party website.
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