Campaign Finance 2020: House District 46

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Republican Ocean Andrew handily defeated Democrat Tim Chesnut in the contest for Wyoming’s 46th House District — with nearly a 60/40 vote split (Andrew’s 57.3% to Chesnut’s 39.1%). The seat was open this election cycle because current Rep. Bill Haley (R) did not file to run for a third term.

While Chesnut is a former Albany County Commissioner, Andrew was most recently a University of Wyoming student. Andrew, 26, launched and led UW’s Young Americans for Liberty chapter.

Young Americans for Liberty — a group that keeps finding itself in bed with white nationalists — endorsed three successful Wyoming candidates during the 2020 election, including Marshall Burt, a man with a Three-Percenters tattoo.

Andrew has not voiced any allegiance to such groups, but did speak during a militia-recruiting event before the election. At that event — which was hosted by HD-45 candidate Roxie Hensley and featured County Commission Chair Terri Jones — other speakers downplayed the pandemic and shared fears of looting and rioting in connection with Black Lives Matter and Antifa protests.

Drawing on data from the Wyoming Secretary of State’s office, the following is a breakdown of both the Andrew and Chesnut campaigns’ contributions during the 2020 race for House District 46.

Andrew raised almost five times as much as Chesnut.

Ocean Andrew raised a total of $10,008.90 with an average donation of $303.30. Andrew spent $228.90 of his own money in his successful house bid. His top donors include Republican party organizations and Jackson-based mega-donors Dan and Carleen Brophy.

Tim Chesnut raised a total of $2,166.44, with an average donation of $309.49. Chesnut had just seven donors total, raising nothing during the primary. He spent none of his own money on his unsuccessful bid for the seat. Chesnut’s top donors were the Albany County Democratic Party, an educators’ union PAC and local attorney Reba Epler.

Ocean Andrew (Republican)


Raised: $10,008.90

Spent: $8,523.27

Average Donation: $303.30

Own Money: $228.90


Contribution Breakdown:

            $100            Candidate Committee

            $250           Federal/Out-of-State PAC

            $85.50         Immediate family/personal

            $5,573.40    Individual

            $1,000         Wyoming County Party

            $300            Wyoming PAC

            $2,500         Wyoming State Party

            $200            In-Kind Contributions


Top Donors:

            $3,000         Dan and Carleen Brophy, ultra-conservative Jackson mega-donors

            $2,500         The Republican State Party

            $1,000         The Crook County Republican Party

            $900            Susan Gore, the founder of Wyoming Liberty Group



Tim Chesnut (Democrat)


Raised: $2,166.44

Spent: $1,917.36

Average Donation: $309.49

Own Money: $0


Contribution Breakdown:

            $1,016.44    Individual

            $650            Wyoming PAC

            $500            Wyoming County Party


Top Donors:

            $500            Albany Democratic Party Central Committee

            $500            Reba Eppler, probably a misspelling of Reba Epler, a local attorney

            $500            WEA PACE, the political arm of the Wyoming Education Association



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