ROCK SPRINGS – Republican voters in Sweetwater County have seen their mailboxes filled with mailers from candidates and political action committees attempting to influence their vote in the upcoming Primary Election on Aug. 20.

Mailers have been a topic of contention for local Republican incumbents as the primary election approaches. Mailers targeting candidates J.T. Larson in House District 17 and Cody Wylie in House District 39 became state news and were the basis of an opinion piece signed by multiple Republicans, including Rock Springs Mayor Max Mickelson and Sweetwater County Treasurer Mark Cowan. However, despite condemnation and a defamation lawsuit filed against one Wyoming PAC, mailers with information considered false by candidates continue to show up in the mail.

One recent mailer from the Students for Life Action, an anti-abortion group headquartered in Fredericksburg, Virginia, targets Rep. Clark Stith of House District 48 while supporting his opponent Darin McCann, urging residents to call Stith and tell him “to stop opposing pro-life laws!” The mailer highlighted a bill Sen. Tim Salazar, R-Riverton, introduced into the Wyoming Legislature in 2021 seeking to ban the use of abortion drugs. The mailer has Stith’s cell phone number printed on it

When SweetwaterNOW initially attempted to contact Stith through his cell phone, he did not answer and a message about the voicemail box being full was played. Contacting Stith later, he told SweetwaterNOW the mailer wasn’t the reason for his filled voicemail box. He also said he doesn’t mind that his cell number was printed on the mailer and encourages people to contact him if they have questions about his voting record or legislative actions and the committees he’s involved with.

“I signed up for this,” Stith said.

Stith questioned the PAC using a 2021 vote in its mailer when in 2023 he voted for Salazar’s bill, with the bill later becoming law. He said the Wyoming House of Representatives was unable to introduce it in 2021 despite it passing in the Wyoming Senate. With the accusation of him opposing pro-life laws, Stith said the claim wasn’t true, calling it “false and materially misleading.”

McCann said he was unaware of the Students for Life Action mailer being sent out and supporting his bid for House District 48. He said his understanding is that it’s illegal for candidates to be in contact with PACs. The mailer states McCann returned a Students for Life Action survey that pledged support He admits he isn’t completely sure of the specific legalities surrounding PAC support of candidates, but said it’s a guideline he’s operated under during the campaign as he doesn’t see the possible consequences worth getting involved with PACs. With the mailers, McCann questions if most voters even care about them.

“My feeling is … most people destroy or trash them,” he said.

McCann said no one has talked to him about the mailers that have been sent out regarding the House District 48 race and thinks it’s the candidates themselves making a big deal about them.

Mailers are the topic of a lawsuit filed against the Wyoming Freedom PAC July 25 by Larson and Wylie, with Stith representing the duo. SweetwaterNOW broke news of the lawsuit when it was filed July 25. The suit stems from claims made in separate mailers alleging the two voted to keep former President Donald Trump off the ballot, despite no such vote taking place. A jury trial is being sought to handle the matter.

The suit highlights both text messages and physical mailers sent to voters. In Larson’s HD 17, voters received a text July 15 alleging Larson voted to remove Trump from the ballot.

“As our fellow Republicans gather in Milwaukee this week to nominate President Trump as our official nominee, you should know that your state Rep J.T. Larson voted with the radical left to REMOVE President Trump’s name from the ballot,” the text cited in the complaint reads.

According to the complaint the Wyoming Freedom Caucus used a vote on an unrelated Wyoming budget amendment focused on the secretary of state being limited to participate in litigation within or outside the state without specific legislative authority where the secretary of state wasn’t listed as a party. The complaint states only Gov. Mark Gordon has authority to “appear in such a lawsuit on behalf of the State of Wyoming” and said the proposed amendment required Secretary of State Chuck Gray to not violate state law. Wylie voted “conflict” on the amendment while Larson voted “no” and states the vote was not tied to any initiative to keep Trump on the ballot.

The full complaint can be read below: