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who is the guy running for office in wy that is an x usmc officer

The person you’re likely thinking of is Brent Bien , a retired U.S. Marine Corps colonel (X USMC officer) who is running for Governor of Wyoming in the 2026 election.

Who is Brent Bien?

Military background

  • Brent Bien is a Wyoming native from Laramie and a University of Wyoming graduate.
  • He served in the U.S. Marine Corps and retired as a Marine Corps colonel , with his final role as officer-in-charge of a U.S. entity (details vary by source, but he routinely describes himself as a “retired Marine Corps Colonel and combat veteran” in campaign materials).
  • In his own words and campaign bios, he frames his service as a core part of his identity: “one of us” is a stated slogan tied to his military background.

Political run

  • He is running for Wyoming governor in the 2026 gubernatorial election as a Republican candidate.
  • His campaign emphasizes issues like:
    • Safe and secure elections
    • Government reform and accountability
    • Energy and economic development in Wyoming
    • Veterans and military issues.
  • He has previously run for Wyoming governor (earlier cycles, including 2022), so this is not his first statewide campaign.

Why he fits your description

Your description: “the guy running for office in WY that is an X USMC officer” matches:

  • Location : Wyoming (WY) — yes, he’s running for governor in Wyoming.
  • Office : Governor — a major statewide office, not just local.
  • X USMC officer : He is explicitly described as a retired Marine Corps colonel in multiple sources, including his own “About” page and media interviews.

There are other Wyoming veterans running in 2026 (for example, U.S. House candidate Kevin Christensen, a long-time military vet, and Senate candidate Jimmy Skovgard, a National Guard member), but the only prominent Wyoming candidate highlighted as an ex-USMC officer (colonel) is Brent Bien.

Quick context on the race

  • The 2026 Wyoming gubernatorial race is shaping up as a Republican-leaning contest, with several candidates having announced or considering bids.
  • Bien’s campaign positions him as a “one of us” outsider with a focus on military discipline, election integrity, and reform, drawing on his Marine Corps background as a central theme.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.