In early April, members of the Park County Republican Party elected Bob Ferguson as their vice chairman. On Saturday, Wyoming Republican Party members picked the Meeteetse resident to serve as the vice chair of the state party, too.

In a close race that required a couple rounds of voting, Ferguson prevailed over Fremont County Republican Party Chair Ginger Bennett.

Speaking at a convention in Cody, Ferguson said he wants to “dramatically increase” the state GOP’s visibility and outreach, saying the party is not as effective as it needs to be. While the more conservative Wyoming Legislature “got a lot more accomplished” in last winter’s session, “there’s a little bit more work to be done,” he said.

“Right now the Legislature doesn’t have to listen to us, because they view us as 74 people sitting in a room,” Ferguson told the state central committee members gathered at the Cody Auditorium. “But if we involve the grassroots, if we get people mobilized, if we have 1,000 calls … come into the Legislature, they’re going to start paying attention and they’re going to start listening.

“And I think that’s crucial to the success of our party,” he said.

Both Ferguson and Bennett align with the more conservative portion of the Republican Party, making Saturday’s race not so much a vote on ideologies but approaches.

Bennett led the initial vote count 36-34, but it was later determined to be a 37-37 tie. In a second round of voting, Ferguson prevailed, 38-36.

Bennett put an emphasis on promoting unity within the party, which has seen especially sharp division between more moderate and more conservative Republicans. She said the infighting inhibits the party’s efforts to advance its platform and goals.

“We must be able to put aside the name calling if we’re going to accomplish this work,” Bennett said.

Ferguson agreed that the party needs to unite — calling for members to listen to each other’s perspective — but also indicated that disagreements are inevitable.

“The only person I agree with on politics 100% of the time is the guy looking back at me in the mirror when I’m shaving,” he said, “and a lot of the times I disagree with him in the afternoon.”

Ferguson has spent roughly 30 years in finance. He moved to Park County about eight years ago, leaving a position as a high-end fundraiser for the NRA.

“I gave up that job so we could live here,” he said. “We love Wyoming.”

He became the vice chair of the county GOP and treasurer of the state party roughly six years ago.

Ferguson suggested that he’d like the party to increase its fundraising and spending. 

For example, he said it would be great if the party could offer “platform candidates” — that is, those who back the Republican Party platform — a sum like $10,000 rather than $1,000 or $2,000.

Ferguson also said the $1,250 a month that the Wyoming GOP spends on social media advertising is “not even close to what we really need” to “get our message downstream” and gather feedback from grassroots Republicans. He also said party leaders need to do more outreach through podcasts and other media.

“We need to inform the electorate so they are basically our mouthpiece,” he said, “so they’re the ones making the phone calls to the Legislature, knocking on doors.”

As vice chair, Ferguson will serve as the state party’s second-in-command, behind newly elected chair Bryan Miller of Sheridan. Miller, the former chair of the Sheridan County Republican Party, defeated Teton County Republican Party State Committeewoman Rebecca Bextel by a vote of 42-32, according to media reports.

(Zac Taylor contributed reporting.)