Martin Falbisoner / Wikimedia Commons
Why It Matters
A Republican primary fight in Natrona County has turned personal, pitting two one-time political allies against each other over a proposed nuclear microreactor facility near Bar Nunn, Wyoming. The August 18 contest will decide who represents House District 58 — and reflects a broader pattern of conservative-on-conservative primary battles playing out across Wyoming heading into the 2026 election cycle.
What Happened
Republican Rep. Bill Allemand, who has held the House District 58 seat since 2023, is facing a primary challenge from Peter Boyer, the outgoing mayor of Bar Nunn. The two men were formerly political allies, but a proposed Radiant Industries microreactor manufacturing facility near Bar Nunn drove a wedge between them — and the falling-out has been anything but quiet.
Radiant Industries has proposed building a microreactor manufacturing facility near the small Natrona County community of Bar Nunn, a city of more than 3,000 residents. A key sticking point is the company’s plan to store spent nuclear fuel at the site. Public disputes between Allemand and Boyer over the project escalated to include mutual accusations of corruption, turning what began as a policy disagreement into an all-out political rivalry.
Boyer flatly denied any suggestion that he accepted money in connection with the nuclear project. “I’ve never taken money. I wouldn’t ever take money,” he said in a public statement. “That’s bullshit. And I’m pissed, and I’m tired of this.”
Allemand, for his part, questioned the logic behind Boyer’s challenge. “If Peter Boyer thinks he’s as conservative as I am, and he wants conservatism, why is he running against me?” the incumbent said.
Who Is Peter Boyer
Boyer is originally from Alabama and served eight years in the military, including two deployments to Iraq. He relocated his family to Bar Nunn in 2016 and has since worked in the oil industry, transporting crude. He served as the city’s mayor before his term expired, and now he’s making his first run for a state legislative seat.
On policy, Boyer supports transferring federally held public lands to Wyoming state ownership — a position that aligns with the broader movement gaining traction among Western conservatives. His entry into the race signals an appetite among some local conservatives for new legislative representation, even when the incumbent holds similarly conservative credentials.
By the Numbers
- 2023: Year Allemand began serving House District 58
- 3,000+: Residents of Bar Nunn, the community closest to the proposed nuclear site
- 8 years: Boyer’s total military service, including two Iraq tours
- 2016: Year Boyer moved his family to Bar Nunn
- Aug. 18: Date of the Republican primary election
Zoom Out
The House District 58 contest is one of several Wyoming Republican primaries where conservative incumbents are being challenged from within their own party. The Wyoming Freedom Caucus has been actively targeting legislative seats in 2026, and competitive primaries have emerged across the state on issues ranging from energy policy to federal land ownership. The nuclear microreactor question adds a localized but high-stakes dimension — questions about spent fuel storage and industrial development near residential communities are politically volatile in ways that cut across traditional partisan lines.
The winner of the August 18 primary will face Democratic candidate Keenan Morgan in the November general election. In a district like House District 58, the primary is widely expected to be the decisive contest.
What’s Next
Voters in Bar Nunn and the broader House District 58 area will head to the polls on August 18 to choose between Allemand and Boyer. The outcome will likely hinge on how constituents weigh the nuclear facility dispute — and which candidate they trust to represent the community’s interests in Cheyenne. With Wyoming’s 2026 primary season already producing notable clashes across the state, the Natrona County race is one to watch as a bellwether for intraparty dynamics heading into the fall.
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