Wyoming gubernatorial candidate Brent Bien, who has centered his campaign on Christian family values, has faced scrutiny over his campaign's social media activity. The campaign's official accounts were found to be following sexually suggestive online profiles, some of which appeared to include content featuring underage individuals.
Bien, a retired U.S. Marine Corps colonel, has publicly emphasized his Christian faith, a 30-year marriage to his wife Susan, and their three daughters as core tenets of his campaign. He is running on a hardline conservative platform that includes slashing property taxes, advocating for hand-counting ballots, and auditing state spending. He also pledges to support the state's oil, gas, and coal industries while opposing wind energy expansion.
However, screenshots obtained by the Daily Mail prior to the campaign being approached reportedly show that Bien's official campaign accounts on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X were following various profiles. One Facebook account, identified as 'Alexiii,' featured a provocatively dressed woman and linked to more explicit content. On Instagram, two accounts reportedly displayed photos and videos of minors, with one post indicating a user had recently turned 16. The campaign's TikTok account was also following a profile featuring women and a young child, while the X account followed a Wyoming-based user who posted political content alongside provocative images.
A spokesperson for Bien's campaign stated that he was not following the referenced accounts. However, the provided screenshots suggest otherwise. Bien previously ran for governor in 2022, releasing a campaign video titled "The Brent and Susan Bien Story. Faith, Family, and How we met," in which he discussed instilling Christian values within his family.
Bien recently secured the endorsement of the Wyoming Republican Party. The state's primary election is scheduled for August 18. He faces competition, with State Superintendent Megan Degenfelder considered a frontrunner, backed by President Donald Trump and possessing strong statewide name recognition. Election analysts at Cook Political Report have identified Degenfelder as the favorite to win the Republican primary.