Matt Mead elected Wyoming governor

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Republican Matt Mead has been elected governor of Wyoming.

Preliminary results show Mead, a Republican, beat Democrat Leslie Petersen.

The 48-year-old Mead is former U.S. attorney for Wyoming. He stepped down in 2007 to seek the U.S. Senate seat that ultimately went to John Barrasso.

Mead spent heavily to win the four-way race for the Republican nomination this summer. Petersen was secretary of the state Democratic Party before entering the race to succeed Democratic Gov. Dave Freudenthal, who is stepping down after two terms.