2018 Wyoming Proper special election

 

2018 Wyoming Proper special election

Setpember 29, 2018

Candidate Anietta Johnson Joseph Keyes Michelle Swinson Party Tory Unionist Tory Liberal Democrat Popular vote 25,144 11,245 4,322 Percentage 44.3% 27.6% 10.6%

House Delegate before election Justin LeMour United Conservative Elected House Delegate Anietta Johnson Constitutional Unionist

The 2018 Wyoming Proper special election was held on September 29, 2018 to fill the vacant seat in the House of Delegates for Wyoming Proper. The election was held after Justin LeMour of the United Conservative Party announces his resignation from the House of Delegates and wouldn't run for re-election for the upcoming 2019 Superian federal election. There were three main candidates running in the election from the United Conservative Party, Liberal Democratic Party and Constitutional Unionist Party since all three parties are the only major parties in Wyoming.

Primary elections were held on August 31 among the three main parties running candidates with Joseph Keyes winning the United Conservative nomination thanks to the endorsement of long-time MP LeMour. Michelle Winson, Minority Leader of the Wyoming House of Representatives, won the Liberal Democratic nomination and Anietta Johnson eventually winning the Constitutional Unionist nomination. Anietta Johnson stood out as she had no previous political experience and was notable for being a high-profile actress from Wyoming.

Originally Keyes lead as the frontrunner in the polls with many believing that he would emerge victorious in the race. Many political analysts predicted that Johnson would potentially split some of Keyes' vote and cause him to win by a more closer margin that expected with some believing that Swinson would win the highest plurality for a Liberal Democratic candidate in Wyoming. Despite polling very low, Johnson would rise rapidly due to her performance in the debates and her stark, aggressive, and charismatic personality and eventually emerged victorious on September 29 winning 44.3% of the vote to Keyes' 27.6% and Swinson's 10.6%.

Johnson's victory was a major upset victory as she won the seat despite her party's previous low performances in other elections. Her victory was an upset to the political establishment, especially that of the United Conservative Party. Her victory was also seen as validation of the Constitution and Unionist Party in federal politics, with her election being called a direct reason for the party's invitation to the Conservative Coalition. She was sworn into Parliament on October 6 and since her victory, no candidate from the Conservative Coalition has run against her.

Background

Justin LeMour had served as a Member of Parliament for Wyoming Proper since the 1989 Superian federal election where he was elected on the United Popular Front ticket and later the United Conservative ticket after the party's creation in 2002. LeMour was a well-established figure and a very powerful figure within the conservative political establishment in Superior and was re-elected multiple times by large margins and only faced challengers from either the Liberal Democrats or the Constitutional Unionists with the latter usually coming in a very distant third place. In 2018, LeMour found himself injured in a car crash. While he would survive and eventually make a full recovery, he ultimately resigned from politics and left his seat open.

LeMour's resignation was met with widespread media attention as now Wyoming Proper, the largest parliamentary district in Superior, was left vacant. The Conservative Party of Wyoming, the state-affiliate of the United Conservative Party in Wyoming, announced that primary elections would be held sometime before a fixed date for the special election was to take place and would allow multiple candidates to run.

Results

2018 Wyoming Proper special election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Tory Unionist	Anietta Johnson	25,144	44.3%	+31.4%
	Tory	Joseph Keyes	11,245	27.6%	-27.7%
	Liberal Democrat	Michell Swinson	4,322	10.6%	-
Turnout			40,711	82.5%
	Tory Unionist gain from Tory		Swing