Wyoming loser...

Trump-backed Friess loses Wyoming governor's primary

By DANIEL STRAUSS and SCOTT BLAND

Wyoming state Treasurer Mark Gordon won the state’s Republican gubernatorial primary Tuesday, defeating Trump-backed businessman and political donor Foster Friess.

President Donald Trump waded into the race late, tweeting in support of Friess early on Election Day. Friess’ defeat capped a day of political misfortune for Trump, who was implicated in a conspiracy to violate campaign finance laws by former attorney Michael Cohen and saw former campaign chairman Paul Manafort convicted of fraud before Gordon snapped the president’s recent streak of picking winners in Republican governor’s primaries around the country.

Gordon had 32 percent of the Republican primary vote to Friess’ 26 percent when the Associated Press called the primary with 91 percent of precincts reporting.

Current Republican Gov. Matt Mead is term-limited. Gordon will face Democratic state Rep. Mary Throne in the general election.

Gordon was the early frontrunner in the race to succeed Mead, but Friess’ personal wealth and national political connections made him a contender in the crowded primary. Former Sen. Rick Santorum — who benefitted from a Friess-funded super PAC in the 2012 presidential race — backed the megadonor, as did Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and several prominent national conservative groups.

But Friess’ late arrival to state politics meant he had to build up his campaign from scratch, while Gordon could lean on recognition won in his 2014 campaign for a full term as treasurer, as well as a previous unsuccessful run for Congress.

Meanwhile, Republican Sen. John Barrasso easily dispatched a self-funding primary challenger, winning renomination for a second full term.

Barrasso had 65 percent of the vote to businessman Dave Dodson's 29 percent when the Associated Press called the primary with just over one-fifth of precincts reporting.

Dodson fueled his outsider campaign with over $1 million of his own money and attacked Barrasso for accepting contributions from PACs in Washington. But Barrasso hit back, publicizing Dodson's past donations to Democrats and votes in Democratic Party primaries.

Barrasso will face Democrat Gary Trauner in the general election.

In Alaska, former state Sen. Mike Dunleavy locked up the Republican gubernatorial nomination with 62 percent of the vote, outstripping a handful of other GOP candidates including former Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell. Former Sen. Mark Begich won the Democratic primary unopposed, setting up a three-way general election with Gov. Bill Walker, an independent.