With Wyoming’s state primary approaching, competing Republican groups are vying for control of the state legislature, inundating voters with campaign mailers. One of these mailers falsely features a Virginia-based Keith Kennedy as a “gun rights CHAMPION” for a Wyoming state senate candidate. The Virginia Kennedy has no ties to Wyoming politics and only learned of the mix-up after receiving a call from a local outlet. Despite inaccuracies in the campaign material, the organization responsible, Make Liberty Win, downplayed the errors as simple mistakes. Make Liberty Win has spent a significant amount on Wyoming’s Republican primary, receiving funding mainly from the Texas-based Young Americans For Liberty (YAL).
Politicians in Wyoming have criticized the mailers as misleading, but some are skeptical about their impact in the state’s close-knit communities. Make Liberty Win’s efforts have also stirred controversy in other states, such as Ohio and Idaho, leading to complaints and accusations of misinformation. The organization’s executive director sees Make Liberty Win as a political disruptor challenging the establishment and argues that their use of out-of-state funding is no different from that of established politicians. Despite negative pushback, Make Liberty Win defends its tactics by targeting a similar Republican primary electorate in red states across the country. The group’s actions in Wyoming and elsewhere have sparked debate over the influence of out-of-state money in local political races.
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