When the Wyoming Legislature convenes in January, a new group of Republicans will be in charge.
The hard-line Wyoming Freedom Caucus racked up enough wins in Tuesday’s general election to secure a simple majority in the House, wresting control from the traditionalist Republican Wyoming Caucus. In the Senate, conservative allies of the Freedom Caucus retained control of the upper chamber.
With a record-low number of Democrats running for the Legislature this year, the vast majority of statehouse races were decided in August’s primary election. While both Republican factions experienced primary-election upsets, the results largely signaled a shift in the balance of power to the right and a significant loss of institutional knowledge in the Legislature.
By 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, the Freedom Caucus appeared to have picked up at least six House seats, adding to its primary-election victories for a roster of roughly 34 members and allies in the lower chamber. That’s enough to wield a simple majority in the 62-member House.
The results are considered unofficial until they are certified by the state canvassing board.
How we got here
The fracturing of the House Republican bloc can be traced back to at least 2020, when the Freedom Caucus officially formed to negotiate with House Republican leadership.
In 2022, the group grew its ranks to form a roughly 26-member-and-ally voting bloc. While that wasn’t enough to control the lower chamber, it allowed the caucus to block bills on introduction during a budget session when two-thirds support is needed.
Plus, Freedom Caucus member Rep. Chip Neiman (R-Hulett) garnered enough support from other Republicans to secure the position of House Majority Floor Leader — the second-ranking position in the body with the power to effectively single-handedly kill or prioritize legislation.
Wielding those combined powers, the Freedom Caucus killed a number of committee bills in both the 2023 and 2024 session. Those actions broke from a long-held legislative tradition of ushering in committee bills since they cost the state extra resources and get extra attention and deliberation by lawmakers, state agencies, the public and other stakeholders.
It also worked to inspire the formation of the Wyoming Caucus — a group of Republicans ideologically aligned with traditional conservative values and with the existing majority of House members
Ahead of the 2024 election, both caucuses formed political action committees, which allow for higher fundraising and spending limits than individual candidates’ campaign committees. Spending between the two PACs was about even ahead of the primary, but both spent their dollars differently.
While the Wyoming Caucus focused on direct contributions to aligned candidates, the Freedom Caucus’s PAC mostly supported candidates via McShane LLC, a Las Vegas-based consulting firm known for its bare-knuckle tactics. In 2021, the business was reported to have an employee linked to the Proud Boys, a far-right, extremist group.
The Freedom Caucus PAC focused its campaigning on digital advertising and mailers, some of which spurred a defamation lawsuit.
General election results
The Freedom Caucus went into the general election with 28 members and allies from its primary-election victories, meaning it needed to pick up four more seats Tuesday for a simple majority in the House.
Ultimately, it was on track to collect at least six wins.
Rep. Jeremy Haroldson (R-Wheatland), who recently served as Freedom Caucus Vice Chair, fended off Democratic challenger Charles Randolph for a third term.
Newcomer Republican Marlene Brady beat out Democrat Carmen Whitehead for House District 60, which spans the southern section of Green River. Brady, who was endorsed by the Freedom Caucus, triumphed over Rep. Tony Niemiec in the primary election.
Rep. John Winter (R-Thermopolis), a founding member of the Freedom Caucus, will return for a fourth term after defeating Democrat Larry Alwin.
Freedom Caucus-backed Rep. Ken Pendergraft (R-Sheridan) enjoyed a commanding lead over Democrat Martha Wright in Sheridan at press time.
In Laramie County, two Republicans were poised to defeat Democrats in House Districts 11 and 41. While the Freedom Caucus did not endorse Jacob Wasserburger or Gary Brown, campaign finance records indicate that allies and at least one Freedom Caucus member backed them. That included outgoing lawmaker Rep. Allen Slagle (R-Newcastle) and the Crook County GOP.
Additionally, Wyoming State Director for the State Freedom Caucus Network Jessie Rubino endorsed Brown on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Wasserburger and Brown were set to defeat Democratic candidates Sara Burlingame and Jen Solis respectively at press time, according to results from the Laramie County Clerk’s Office.
The Freedom Caucus did suffer an upset in Fremont County, where Democratic challenger Ivan Posey ousted Freedom Caucus member Rep. Sarah Penn (R-Lander) in House District 33, securing Indigenous representation in the statehouse.
Meanwhile, three Republican challengers in Albany County with financial ties to Freedom Caucus members and allies failed to conquer Democratic incumbents Reps. Ken Chestek, Karlee Provenza and Trey Sherwood.
Correction: This story has been updated to correct Rep. Ken Pendergraft’s district. —Ed.
You know what folks. Give them a chance. They were voted in. It was fair honest election. People spoke. Let’s see what they can do. Mineral money is dwindling. So budgets will get squeezed across the state. So let’s see if things will change. Every one of you whining could have thrown your hat in the ring. But you just don’t have the guts to step up to the plate.
As an independent, I disagree with the biased efforts this writer makes to label the freedom caucus as a “far right.” Political bias shouldn’t be part of real journalism, but seems to be the norm these days. Time will tell if the freedom caucus actually supports freedom in Wyoming as the caucus name implies. They are highly unlikely to restrict freedom any more than their predecessors and opposition, so personally I’m willing to give them a chance.
Hey Jeanie,
The freedom caucus isn’t interested in colberative governing. It’s their way or the highway. Traditional Republicans like a good argument to state their case, find the good in other opinions and agree on a mutually beneficial compromise. Snuffing out legislation before it reaches the floor, keeps the public in the dark and frustrates the colberative process. Abortion and transgender issues aren’t the only decisions the legislature was asked to consider. There were other bills like expanding Medicare (which the majority of Wyomingites support) that were never argued on the floor because a small minority didn’t like them. The Freedom Caucus is not interested in solving Wyoming’s most important problems, they are all about doing a narrow constituency’s bidding and posturing for the extream right wing.
Hello Maggie-
I found this article to be a bit bias. What exactly is meant by “hard-line” and “traditionalist?” Chip Neiman is our neighbor, and I would describe him as traditional conservative who cares deeply about his family, community and state.
Among other issues, does wanting less taxation and smaller government, believing that a baby has a right to live, or that children shouldn’t be surgically or chemically altered for sex change make one who was once a traditional conservative into what is now called a hard-liner? If so, Wyoming is loaded with “hard-liners.” And they are voting their convictions. I’m saddened that your article subtly portrays that as a negative thing.
No faction of Republicans in this state, and I would imagine any state, advocate for or support sex changes for children. There are republicans around though, let support helping families get access to early child hood education. If you are or were Neiman’s neighbor then I’m guessing you live in Crook County, which boasts a very below average median family income of 43k. Last time I rolled through there I didn’t sense a booming economy with much opportunity for people. There are people who believe in less government, such as we don’t need the government meddling with health care decisions between adults and the physicians they choose. And if they don’t like what they are being told are free to choose another by the way. There are republicans who know we already enjoy some of the lowest tax burdens in this country. And they realize the days of the kingdom of coal down the road from you paying for more than their fair share of taxes and paying for things Crook County would have no way to on its own are coming to an end. So I think it is fair to say hard line.
They’re hardline because they want to tell people how to live their lives. They don’t have that right.
Just a bit Jeanie. Lol.
I definately don’t see eye to eye with the freedom caucus, but they don’t seem anymore inclined to tell us how to live than any other political organization. It would definitely be nice if we could have real freedom, but I’m certain we will never all agree on everything and if we do then we’re in real trouble because real independence requires independent thinking.
Yea for Lander and Laramie. Don’t give up the fight!!
Sickening. This country has gone into the you know what.