Wyoming Democrats Elect New State Party Chairman To Replace Barbuto

ROCK SPRINGS--The Wyoming Democratic Party has a new chairman, and he’s a 32-year-old from Laramie. 

Lucas Fralik gives up his seat as the Wyoming Democratic State Central Committee’s committeeman to the Democratic National Committee, to serve as the party chair. He also previously served as Campbell County and Albany County party chairman.

He won the seat by a 52-4 vote during the party leadership’s Sunday meeting in Rock Springs, running against Evansville Mayor Candace Machado. The term is for four years. 

On hearing of his win, Fralik immediately stood, shook Machado’s hand and applauded her, along with the other meeting attendees, of whom there were about 50. 

Fralik fills the seat of outgoing Chairman Joe Barbuto, who announced his departure from the post May 21 after three terms (two of them under the party’s prior two-year term structure and one under the current four-year structure). 

Barbuto is going to join a national organization that helps state Democratic parties, he said at the time. 

"For The People"

During his campaign speech, Fralik touted the party as inclusive and servant-hearted. 

“We’re here for the people,” he said. 

“It doesn’t matter if you’re an immigrant coming through, trying to make a life here and you choose Wyoming as your home,” Fralik continued. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a worker who gets up every morning to make a life for your family. 

“And it doesn’t matter if you’re a kid who just wants to read any book you want in the library, a couple who just wants to — couple.”

Laughter erupted among attendees. 

In an earlier interview with Cowboy State Daily, Fralik said the issues people characterize as left and right are not his focus, but the people contending with them are.

The Wyoming party has energy, but must learn to translate that to Wyomingites, he said, adding that that means volunteerism, involvement, and “showing up.”

The party’s platform doesn’t necessarily need a tweak, said Fralik.

“It’s not really about being left or right,” he added. “It’s about being for the people… It’s about showing up where people need us the most, which i think a lot of our county parties do already.”

Fralik’s now-vacant seat of national committeeman will be filled at a later date, possibly August, he told Cowboy State Daily during a follow-up interview. 

"We Are Called To Fight"

During her campaign speech, Machado emphasized her high energy level and ability to serve a “Republican-type of a town” as mayor of Evansville. She said she’s confronted myriad challenges in that role. 

“We are called now to fight. We are called now to rise — to stand up and say that we’re here, we are not going anywhere,” said Machado. “And we are specifically being called to address the big key issues that don’t get addressed in Wyoming.”

According to Machado, those include human rights, women’s rights, civil rights and immigration reform.

The attendees gave Machado a standing ovation to acknowledge her run, a practice the Democratic leaders repeated for each losing candidate as the election continued. 

Vice Chair

The party’s former communications director and 2023 Nellie Tayloe Ross Award winner Lindsey Hanlon was nominated for the seat of vice chair, as was Machado. 

Machado declined the nomination, and Hanlon was elected unanimously. 

Hanlon during her speech said the party needs to reach out to stray Democrats throughout Wyoming and connect them to their county parties, and to connect county parties to other parties. 

She urged Democrats to connect with voters and volunteers through volunteerism and community involvement. 

“We have people suffering right now,” said Hanlon. “We need to be doing everything we can, that is within our power, to help those people.” 

Treasurer

The party’s interim labor caucus chair Kyle “El” Cameron, who challenged Wyoming Republican U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman for her seat in 2024, was nominated for party treasurer, as was sitting Treasurer Dudley Case. 

Case won 30-27.

His campaign speech consisted of a plan to improve the party’s financial situation.

He said he hopes to position the party better to jump-start Democratic candidates for public office. 

Numerous party leaders reiterated the need for statewide fundraising throughout the four-hour meeting. 

In her campaign speech, Cameron spoke of her considerable budget-managing abilities and lauded Case’s goals as worthy. 

Secretary

In the secretary’s race, Natrona County party precinct committeewoman Dacia Edwards — who was not at the meeting because she was attending her son’s graduation — beat her fellow precinct committeewoman Leslie Kee for the seat 33-24. 

Two ballots were left blank. 

Like Machado, Edwards is an Evansville official, serving as a town council member. 

Crook County Democratic Party Chair Randy Leinen congratulated his party on running a smooth election, unlike “the other party” — a reference to a contested Hot Springs County Republican Party election that has since sparked litigation. 

“I’m proud of each and every one of you,” said Leinen. 

Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.