A general election was held in the U.S. state of
Wyoming on Tuesday, November 2, 1954. All of the state's executive officers—the governor, secretary of state, auditor, treasurer, and superintendent of public instruction—were up for election. The result was largely a continuation of Republican rule, though Democrat
Velma Linford won the election for Superintendent and the margins in most of the other races shrunk considerably from
1950.
Following Governor
Frank A. Barrett's election to the U.S. Senate in
1952, Republican secretary of state
Doc Rogers became acting governor. He ran for re-election, but was defeated by former state representative
Milward Simpson in the Republican primary. In the general election, Simpson then narrowly defeated
William M. Jack, the former secretary of state and state auditor.
Incumbent Republican secretary of state
Doc Rogers simultaneously served as acting Governor following Governor
Frank A. Barrett's election to the U.S. Senate in
1952, and opted to run for re-election as Governor rather than for re-election as secretary of state. State Auditor Everett T. Copenhaver ran for secretary of state, and won the Republican primary unopposed. In the general election, he faced Zan Lewis, a former aide to Senator
Lester C. Hunt and the longtime chief clerk in the secretary of state's office. Copenhaver was able to build on his record of electoral victories and defeated Lewis in a landslide, and was the strongest performing statewide candidate that year.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Zan Lewis, former legislative aide to U.S. Senator
Lester C. Hunt, chief clerk in the secretary of state's office[2]
Incumbent Republican state auditor Everett T. Copenhaver opted against seeking a third term, instead running for secretary of state. Accordingly, State Treasurer Minnie A. Mitchell, barred from seeking a second term as treasurer, ran for auditor. She defeated Rusty Rothwell, secretary to the State Board of Charities and Reform, in the Republican primary and then faced Democratic nominee Bob Adams, a real estate broker, in the general election.
Incumbent Republican state treasurer Minnie A. Mitchell, appointed to the post following the death of her husband in 1952, was barred from seeking re-election due to term limits. Charles B. Morgan, who served as deputy state treasurer for 41 years and to 12 different state treasurers, won the Republican primary over Insurance Commissioner Ford S. Taft. In the general election, he faced former state representative W. D. "Jud" Witherspoon, the Democratic nominee, whom he narrowly defeated.
Democratic primary
Candidates
W. D. "Jud" Witherspoon, former state representative from
Lincoln County[7]
Incumbent Republican superintendent of public instruction Edna B. Stolt declined to run for re-election to a third term.[10] State Education Commissioner Ray Robertson won the Republican nomination to succeed Stolt unopposed and faced
Velma Linford, the
1946 nominee for superintendent. In the Democratic Party's only pickup of a state executive office, Linford narrowly defeated Robertson to win her first term.
A general election was held in the U.S. state of
Wyoming on Tuesday, November 2, 1954. All of the state's executive officers—the governor, secretary of state, auditor, treasurer, and superintendent of public instruction—were up for election. The result was largely a continuation of Republican rule, though Democrat
Velma Linford won the election for Superintendent and the margins in most of the other races shrunk considerably from
1950.
Following Governor
Frank A. Barrett's election to the U.S. Senate in
1952, Republican secretary of state
Doc Rogers became acting governor. He ran for re-election, but was defeated by former state representative
Milward Simpson in the Republican primary. In the general election, Simpson then narrowly defeated
William M. Jack, the former secretary of state and state auditor.
Incumbent Republican secretary of state
Doc Rogers simultaneously served as acting Governor following Governor
Frank A. Barrett's election to the U.S. Senate in
1952, and opted to run for re-election as Governor rather than for re-election as secretary of state. State Auditor Everett T. Copenhaver ran for secretary of state, and won the Republican primary unopposed. In the general election, he faced Zan Lewis, a former aide to Senator
Lester C. Hunt and the longtime chief clerk in the secretary of state's office. Copenhaver was able to build on his record of electoral victories and defeated Lewis in a landslide, and was the strongest performing statewide candidate that year.
Democratic primary
Candidates
Zan Lewis, former legislative aide to U.S. Senator
Lester C. Hunt, chief clerk in the secretary of state's office[2]
Incumbent Republican state auditor Everett T. Copenhaver opted against seeking a third term, instead running for secretary of state. Accordingly, State Treasurer Minnie A. Mitchell, barred from seeking a second term as treasurer, ran for auditor. She defeated Rusty Rothwell, secretary to the State Board of Charities and Reform, in the Republican primary and then faced Democratic nominee Bob Adams, a real estate broker, in the general election.
Incumbent Republican state treasurer Minnie A. Mitchell, appointed to the post following the death of her husband in 1952, was barred from seeking re-election due to term limits. Charles B. Morgan, who served as deputy state treasurer for 41 years and to 12 different state treasurers, won the Republican primary over Insurance Commissioner Ford S. Taft. In the general election, he faced former state representative W. D. "Jud" Witherspoon, the Democratic nominee, whom he narrowly defeated.
Democratic primary
Candidates
W. D. "Jud" Witherspoon, former state representative from
Lincoln County[7]
Incumbent Republican superintendent of public instruction Edna B. Stolt declined to run for re-election to a third term.[10] State Education Commissioner Ray Robertson won the Republican nomination to succeed Stolt unopposed and faced
Velma Linford, the
1946 nominee for superintendent. In the Democratic Party's only pickup of a state executive office, Linford narrowly defeated Robertson to win her first term.