The 2024 campaign season is in full swing and political endorsements are starting to build up like snowbanks in a Wyoming winter storm.
U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman joined in Saturday, endorsing U.S. Sen. John Barrasso in his bid for reelection to a fourth term in office. The endorsement came via a guest column provided to Cowboy State Daily.
Hageman noted former President Donald Trump’s endorsement of Barrasso’s Senate Republican Whip campaign in the column.
"I am happy to join President Trump in endorsing my friend and working partner in Congress, U.S. Sen. John Barrasso, for re-election in November," she said.
She also said Barrasso has remained dedicated to the people of Wyoming and believes he has served them well, deserving of another six years in office.
“There is no question that a lot is riding on the outcome of the November elections, with the direction and fate of the country hanging in the balance,” Hageman wrote. “With that in mind, I firmly believe it is in the best interests of our state to have Sen. John Barrasso representing us in the U.S. Senate.”
The Race
Barrasso, who has served in the Senate since 2007, is being challenged by Reid Rasner in the Republican primary. No Democrats have announced a bid for the seat in the general election.
Hageman’s campaign sent a cease and desist letter to Rasner on Thursday, demanding him to take down social media posts they believe made it look like Hageman was supporting and endorsing his campaign.
Although her support of Barrasso is not a surprise by any means, Hageman’s endorsement is another blow to the Rasner campaign.
Democrats hold the majority in the Senate, numbers they’ve used along with President Joe Biden’s veto power to block nearly all conservative legislation coming out of the Republican-majority House.
Hageman said she’s encouraged by Barrasso’s pledge to better align the Senate Republican agenda with what she sees as the wishes of voters. She also said he’ll be an important leader on economic issues, securing the southern border, “and returning us to the energy dominance the country achieved under Trump.”
“In short, Senator Barrasso will be that strong, conservative voice we will continue to need in the years ahead, hopefully in a second Trump administration,” she wrote.
Partnership
Although Barrasso has fallen out of favor with some conservatives in Wyoming, Hageman said she’s enjoyed working with him.
She said Barrasso has been a key ally in opposing federally mandated electronic ear tags for all cattle and bison, a measure she believes if implemented would financially crush Wyoming’s independent ranchers and leave beef production in the hands of a few major corporations, which is for the most part the current status of the beef industry now.
Barrasso co-authored an amendment with fellow Wyoming Sen. Cynthia Lummis defunding the ear tag program.
Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a rule enforcing the electronic ear tags.
Barrasso also joined with Hageman in supporting the Protect America’s Lands Act, which would stop stock exchanges from listing Natural Asset Companies (NACs), which could seize public and private lands to prevent them from being used for energy production, grazing, mining, recreation or other economic development purposes.
The proposal to create NACs by the Securities and Exchange Commission was rescinded earlier this year after Hageman and others put up a loud vocal campaign against them.
She also mentioned Barrasso’s opposition to proposed plans by the U.S. Postal Service to move its mail processing and distribution centers away from Casper and Cheyenne into neighboring states.
The entire Wyoming delegation sent a letter to the U.S. Postmaster General, expressing opposition to the plan, and joined the POSTAL Act, a bill Hageman introduced to block the closure of a processing facility if it leaves the state without one.
Leo Wolfson can be reached at leo@cowboystatedaily.com.
