5 things to know about Wyoming's primary elections

CHEYENNE, Wyo. - Wyoming voters overwhelmingly chose incumbents in the top races in Tuesday's Republican primary election. Here are five things to know about the election:

STAYING WITH MEAD: Gov. Matt Mead fended off his Republican opponents, including state schools Superintendent Cindy Hill, who has had an open rivalry with Mead over the last three years. Mead signed the legislation that stripped Hill of most of her powers, only to have the Wyoming Supreme Court overturn the law. Hill finished a distant third Tuesday, behind Mead and Taylor Haynes. Mead now faces Democrat Pete Gosar, who was unopposed Tuesday.

ENZI vs. HARDY: U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi easily won the Republican Senate primary and will face Democratic nominee Charlie Hardy of Cheyenne. Enzi's most serious challenger had been Liz Cheney, the elder daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney. She dropped out in January. Hardy is former Roman Catholic priest.

LUMMIS vs. ?????: U.S. Rep. Cynthia Lummis had little drama in her victory Tuesday as she seeks a fourth two-year term. Her general election opponent could be Richard Grayson, a political gadfly from Apache Junction, Arizona, who put his name on the Democratic ballot with no thought of running a serious campaign. Lummis likely can look forward to another two years in Washington.

STATE SCHOOLS CHIEF: Voters gave a clear rebuke to anything having to do with schools Superintendent Cindy Hill. Hill lost badly in her GOP bid for governor, and voters also rejected Sheryl Lain, one of Hill's top deputies, in the GOP primary for superintendent. Jillian Balow beat both Lain and Bill Winney. Balow now faces Mike Ceballos, a retired telephone company executive who was unopposed in the Democratic primary.

SECRETARY OF STATE: With incumbent Max Maxfield deciding not to seek another term, the GOP primary for secretary of state became the tightest of Tuesday's statewide races. Cheyenne businessman Ed Murray edged former state House Speaker Ed Buchanan of Torrington by 37 percent to 35 percent of the unofficial vote. No Democrat ran for the office.

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