Foster Friess said in 2017 that he was interested in running for Senate, possibly even in a primary against Republican Sen. John Barrasso. | Keith Srakocic/AP Photo GOP megadonor Friess announces run for Wyoming governor

Republican megadonor Foster Friess announced Friday that he will run for governor of Wyoming.

Friess made the announcement outside a delegate luncheon for the state Republican Party.


"I'm announcing that I'm officially running for governor,” Friess said. “It's only going to be one term and I'm going to donate my salary to charities that the people in Wyoming pick. There will be a little contest. I want to harness my ability to bring people companies because of the contacts I have around --mainly around the states, not so much around the world but in other places."

Friess said in 2017 that he was interested in running for Senate, possibly even in a primary against Republican Sen. John Barrasso. But he began informing party leaders that he would run for governor instead on Friday, according to three people with knowledge of those conversations.

A bid for governor will be far more fertile ground for Friess than a primary challenge against a popular incumbent in Barrasso. GOP Gov. Matt Mead is term-limited, and a handful of Republicans are running in an open primary to succeed him in one of the reddest states in the country. Mark Gordon, the state treasurer, is the current frontrunner.

In announcing his candidacy, Friess also endorsed Barrasso for reelection to another term in the Senate. “We need him there,” Friess said of Barrasso.

Friess, a multi-millionnaire, made his money in investing and asset management. He has demonstrated a willingness to spend his own money on politics in the past: Friess has given millions of dollars to Republican candidates and causes over the last decade, according to federal campaign finance records. In 2012, Friess was the major donor to the super PAC supporting former Sen. Rick Santorum’s presidential campaign, giving over $1.7 million to boost Santorum's campaign.

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Friess is known as one of the most prominent socially conservative political donors. He found himself in the spotlight in 2012 for comments about birth control on MSNBC.

“This contraceptive thing, my gosh it’s such [sic] inexpensive. You know back in my days, they used Bayer aspirin for contraception,” Friess said. “The gals put it between their knees and it wasn’t that costly.”

Friess has been active in other gubernatorial races so far this year. He donated money to Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt, the frontrunner for the Republican nomination there, and he was listed on the finance leadership team for Rep. Ron DeSantis' gubernatorial campaign in Florida. In March, Friess penned an op-ed in USA Today in which he promised to match up to $2.5 million in donations to organizations that improve school safety and help with youth mentoring as a way to reduce gun violence.