Harshman Wins Wyoming Superintendent Race
Republican state legislator Steve Harshman defeated Democrat Ana Cordova to become Wyoming's superintendent of public instruction.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Administration
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Steve Harshman, a state legislator of nearly 24 years and former two-term Wyoming House speaker, was elected Wyoming superintendent of public instruction on November 3, defeating Democratic challenger Ana Cordova. Harshman won the GOP nomination on August 18 by defeating Chad Auer and Tom Kelly.
Why it matters
The superintendent oversees Wyoming's K-12 education system, and Harshman has called for undoing the recent recalibration of school funding. Both candidates opposed the school-choice vouchers passed in 2024 and bolstered in 2025, setting up a potential shift in state education policy.
Harshman, 62, won the GOP nomination on August 18 and the general election on November 3, 2026. The extraction does not report vote totals or the margin of victory.
The players
Steve Harshman
A Republican state legislator of nearly 24 years who served two terms as Wyoming House speaker and has led the Natrona County High School football team for 36 seasons.
Ana Cordova
The Democratic challenger who opposed school-choice vouchers and lost the 2026 superintendent race to Harshman.
The details
Harshman called for undoing the recent recalibration of Wyoming K-12 school funding, which isolates increases to classroom educators so the money cannot be used for other staff, activities, equipment or programs. The Wyoming Supreme Court reversed a court-ordered pause on the Steamboat Legacy voucher program in May.
Timeline
2024: Harshman brought a bill to eliminate most property taxes, and Wyoming passed school-choice vouchers.
August 18: Harshman won the GOP nomination by defeating Chad Auer and Tom Kelly.
May: The Wyoming Supreme Court reversed the pause on the Steamboat Legacy voucher program.
November 3: Harshman defeated Democrat Ana Cordova in the general election.
Political Context
The 2024 school-choice voucher legislation, which Wyoming passed and bolstered in 2025, now faces an opponent in the superintendent's office. Harshman's call to undo the funding recalibration places him in direct disagreement with the current state approach.
Wyoming parents and educators should watch for any changes to classroom funding rules and voucher program administration as Harshman takes office. Because the recalibration currently restricts how increased school money can be spent, any reversal would directly affect district budgets.
The takeaway
The election shows that Wyoming voters have chosen an education leader who opposes the state's current school-choice direction. Readers tracking education policy should follow how the new superintendent approaches funding and vouchers.
Further reading
Explore more on Administration for context on how state education offices are run.
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