Now A Candidate For Gov, 50-Year-Old Rule Says Eric Barlow Can’t Chair Committee

A Wyoming state legislator who’s announced his candidacy for governor has stepped down as chairman of a state Senate committee.

That’s because of a Wyoming legislative Management Council rule dating back to 1975, which says any committee chair running for a statewide office “shall immediately resign from his or her chairmanship” of the committee. The rule does not apply to other leadership roles like Senate President or House Speaker.

Sen. Eric Barlow, R-Gillette, announced his candidacy for the 2026 governor’s race Aug. 12.

As a state senator, he chaired the Senate Labor, Health and Social Services Committee starting this year and was a member of it dating back to 2023.

He also chaired the House of Representatives version of that committee from 2017-2018 during his 2013-2022 tenure as a state representative, which culminated in his serving as House Speaker from 2021-2022.

Barlow has chaired various select committees and task forces, and remains chair of the Mental Health and Vulnerable Adult Task Force, which is not governed by the committee chair election rule.

Senate President Bo Biteman, R-Ranchester, this week appointed Sen. Evie Brennan, R-Cheyenne, to serve as the new Labor-Health chair. He assigned Barlow to fill the seat Brennan is vacating on the Senate Transportation, Highways and Military Affairs Committee.

She’ll have plenty of meetings to run going forward. The committee has one more interim meeting this year, and then will meet repeatedly throughout the lawmaking session, which convenes Feb. 9.

Barlow said he believes the late U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyoming, had to step down from a state legislative committee chairmanship when he ran for Congress in 1996, but otherwise the rule does not often come into play.  

Enzi chaired the State Senate Revenue Committee in 1996. 

Because Of Grandstanders

Sen. Cale Case, R-Lander, one of the longest-serving members of the Legislature with a tenure of 32 years, told Cowboy State Daily that he doesn’t outright resent the rule, but he finds it superfluous.

“I’m not sure where that rule came from or what purposes it served,” said Case. “I assume to keep the chair from being a grandstander.”

There are people now in Wyoming politics who would use a position of leadership to grandstand for a higher office, said Case, but Barlow isn’t one of them.

“Imagine a really bombastic person who wanted to run for governor, and how he would abuse his position — I could see that happening,” said Case. “But on the other hand, it would also show he’s not a good candidate for governor.”

Case called Barlow “a gentleman.”  

Case stopped short of endorsing Barlow, however, saying he disagrees with Barlow’s committee “aye” vote on a bill (now paused by court order) requiring pregnant women to get ultrasounds before receiving an abortion.

The bill passed out of Barlow’s Labor-Health Committee this year with a 4-1 vote and the chair in favor.

“My vote stands,” countered Barlow. He added, with a laugh, “I don’t even remember how Senator Case voted on most bills.”

Addressing the rule itself, Case said the rules and mandates out of the legislative Management Council in general remind him of the final pages of George Orwell’s novel “Animal Farm,” in which the pigs oppress the other animals.

“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others,” Case quoted from the famous novel.    

Gone To Be A Prosecutor

Barlow’s chair resignation isn’t the only shift Biteman has maneuvered in recent days.

Former Sen. Darin Smith, R-Cheyenne, resigned from his seat Aug. 11 to take a post as U.S. Attorney for Wyoming. He now serves as the interim head of that office while awaiting U.S. Senate confirmation.

When he left the Legislature, Smith also left the Senate Appropriations Committee, one of the most powerful places for a state lawmaker to serve.   

Sen. Tim French, R-Powell, has been appointed to that seat.

Smith also served as a member on the Management Audit Committee and the Select Committee on School Facilities.

Biteman did not respond by publication time to a request for comment.

On The Road

Barlow said his campaign efforts are going well. He's traveled "a lot of miles" visiting communities and has many more to go, he said, adding that he's been learning a lot. 

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