Friday, President Trump endorsed Megan Degenfelder to be Wyoming’s next governor. Curiously, though, Degenfelder had not yet made any announcement to that effect. Rumors have been circulating for months, however, that the current Superintendent of Public Instruction may seek the governor’s mansion.
Trump made the announcement on Truth Social:
In elections past, Trump’s endorsements of Wyoming candidates have been slow in coming. This election is different. Two hours after Representative Hageman announced her run for the Senate, she had the President’s nod in hand. Faster still was his choice for Wyoming Governor—his pick hadn’t even publicly decided herself!
The post on Truth Social caught many in Wyoming politics off guard; most of all the bevy of candidates already in the race. What has not been reported is what really led to the endorsement. Trump did mention in his post that many people have been calling him on Degenfelder’s behalf. During a brief phone call interview, Degenfelder said, “It really is a mystery to me who was talking to the President. Whomever it was, I am incredibly honored that they would do that.”
Should Degenfelder decide to run for governor, which is almost a certainty at this point, she would join an already crowded field among Brent Bien, Eric Barlow, Joseph Kibler—three who have officially announced. Senate President Dennis “Bo” Biteman is reportedly also considering a run, though he hasn’t officially announced his candidacy.
When asked by The Open Range Record when she would announce, Degenfelder replied, “You’ll be hearing from me very soon.”
Windy Questions
While the president says that Degenfelder would “Unleash American Energy DOMINANCE,” some of the votes she has made on the State Lands and Investment Board call that into question. Every member of the SLIB board, at one time, has voted for some type of wind project development on state land.
One notable example is Degenfelder’s vote in favor of advancing Pronghorn’s wind energy farm. The Glenrock Independent reported in a March 28 piece:
“Gov. Mark Gordon (chairman), Wyoming Treasurer Curt Meier, Superintendent of Public Education Megan Degenfelder and State Auditor Kristi Racines voted to move the project forward to the next stage, which will include Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality and Industrial Siting Council reviews and permits at some point in the future.”
This project was later overturned in a decision by District Judge F. Scott Peasley in a December 2025 ruling. Reporting indicates that ruling is being appealed by the AG.
Trump has publicly stated that his administration will not be approving any more wind energy projects. In an August 2025 post on Truth Social, he wrote,
“Any State that has built and relied on WINDMILLS and SOLAR for power are seeing RECORD BREAKING INCREASES IN ELECTRICITY AND ENERGY COSTS. THE SCAM OF THE CENTURY! We will not approve wind or farmer destroying Solar. The days of stupidity are over in the USA!!! MAGA”
The board, made up of the top five elected officials in the state is tasked, in part, with approving or denying leases on state land. Leases, when approved, serve as a source of revenue for the state.
The Endorsement
In response to Trump's endorsement, Degenfelder wrote on X, “When my President calls on me to serve my state and my country, I answer. Stay tuned friends!”
Dating back to his first term, and before the 2016 election, Donald Trump's endorsement has been a coveted prize for aspiring politicians. It almost guarantees an electoral victory, almost.
It was Megan Degenfelder who defeated the Trump-endorsed candidate to win the job of Superintendent of Public Instruction against Brian Schroeder. Degenfelder won that race by 3,565 votes.
Asked by The Open Range Record how the endorsement came about, Degenfelder said the Trump Administration had offered her a “high position in the Department of Education,” but she turned it down “because she wanted to stay in Wyoming.”
The Superintendent went on to say that The White House has been impressed with the changes her office has made in Wyoming specifically with transparency and accountability. “Parents deserve to know what their children are being taught and we have made it nearly impossible. You have to sign up for this service or that one and it just ends up being so complicated that you can’t even find the curriculum. At the same time, school districts tell parents, ‘the curriculum is there,’ when it’s really not. That had to stop.”
It also certainly didn't hurt that she has been an outspoken supporter of dismantling the U.S. Department of Education. In March of last year, the superintendent attended a signing ceremony at the White House to celebrate an executive order de-funding the department. At the time, Degenfelder said,
“It’s just a truly momentous and historic day for education in America, and it’s a win for American students. We’re taking out the middle man in education, putting education back where it belongs — in the classroom and not in D.C. offices.”
The Race
Wyoming has a history of crowded gubernatorial races. If this trend of announcements continues, the 2026 governor's contest is shaping up to be no different. In the last two instances, without an incumbent, Wyoming's governor has been chosen with far less than 51% of the vote. In 2010, in a race of seven Republicans, Matt Mead won the primary with 28.7%. Eight years later, Mark Gordon won his first term as Governor with 33.4%. That year there were six people vying for the office. With that many people in any race, it's anyone's game.
For this story, Degenfelder provided this statement to The Open Range Record.
"I can't speak to the President's process, but as his strongest supporter I am deeply humbled that he is encouraging me to run. Should I move forward, I will champion the same Wyoming conservative values I have as Superintendent, where I helped position Wyoming as a national leader for conservative, parent-driven education reform. I fought for school choice, protected women's sports and backed the President's efforts to close the Department of Education. And as Governor, I would work tirelessly to promote President Trump's agenda in Wyoming, including lowering taxes, protecting the unborn, and unleashing Wyoming's energy dominance."
With Trump's endorsement, and a likely one from Representative Hageman, the schools chief has the clear advantage--definitely among announced candidates and likely throughout the election cycle. The question is who else will enter the race? That remains to be seen; but if Wyoming election history is any indicator, expect a couple more. Regardless of who may jump in, with Trump's endorsement in hand, Degenfelder will be a formidable candidate to beat.
Degenfelder is scheduled for a live interview on Cowboy State Politics Live Thursday, January 15 at 9 am.