It might be a perilous environment for incumbents nationally, but for the second straight Tuesday, the establishment candidate appears to have bested a fresh-faced political outsider in a Mountain State Republican primary, with former two-term Wyoming Treasurer Cynthia Lummis leading wealthy rancher and political novice Mark Gordon in the GOP primary for the Equality State’s lone House seat.

Nearly three hours after the polls had closed in Wyoming Tuesday evening, Lummis was leading Gordon 17,053 votes to 13,875 votes, according to Casper Star-Tribune. Retired Navy officer and 2006 GOP primary candidate Bill Winney was in third place with 4,428 votes.

Incumbent Rep. Barbara Cubin (R-Wyo.) is retiring. The winner of Tuesday’s primary will move on to face Internet entrepreneur Gary Trauner (D) in the general election. Trauner nearly ousted Cubin in 2006, despite the state’s heavy Republican lean.

The Republicans’ chances of holding the House seat appear brighter with Cubin off the ballot in November.

Last Tuesday in Colorado’s 6th district GOP primary, Secretary of State Mike Coffman beat businessman Wil Armstrong by 10 points. Armstrong, making his first run for political office, was campaigning as a political outsider and repeatedly hit Coffman for being a career politician.