Five generations of my family have grown up in Wyoming. From Powell and Riverton, to Sheridan and Douglas — as blacksmiths, lawyers, educators, and soldiers — the Democratic party has run in all of their blood. Historically, Democrats have succeeded in Wyoming not due to alignment with national identities but their divergence from them.
Opinion
My grandfather, Mike Sullivan, a Democrat from Casper, was elected governor in part because of his conservative stances on Wyoming issues. He was a Democrat not because his politics necessarily aligned with the positions of national Democrats, but because his values aligned. Wyoming’s problems are different. Indeed, Wyoming’s people are different. Wyoming Democrats need a path forward separate from the Democratic machine that dominates national headlines.
Wyoming Democrats seem to have forgotten the time when they contested statewide elections. A quick look through the Wyoming Democratic Party’s 123 policy positions across 14 issue areas, adopted in 2024, shows a significant skew towards national identity and away from Wyoming specifics. Included, among many other positions, are advocacy for a nationwide high-speed rail system and seven points on foreign policy. Wyoming is only mentioned in 12 of these 123 policy prescriptions.
Compare this to the 23-point platform passed by the Republicans. Scott Merrifield, the executive director of the Wyoming Democratic Party, has written about the importance of political parties as instruments for values. One hundred twenty-three policies are not values; they are demands.
Wyoming Democrats should not be expected to act or look the same throughout the state. The priorities of voters in Jackson are vastly different from those in Star Valley or Cheyenne. The state party needs to focus on creating a forum for critical thought grounded in Wyoming values — courage, pride, follow-through, fairness, duty, integrity, principle, and restraint. Democratic voters can decide their policy preferences by choosing whom to vote for. Candidates should understand their policy priorities through deep engagement with their local communities, while still being bound by values.
The Wyoming Republican Party continues to move away from values and into intra-party turmoil, performative Cowboy costumes, and purity tests. Wyomingites deserve a space for value alignment on the core principles that make us a great state. There needs to be options for coalitional change. Right now, Democrats are switching parties to have any voice at all in Wyoming politics. Democratic leadership needs to understand that this is not a fight over policies; it’s a fight against extinction.
Rather than calling our fellow Wyomingites out, it may be time to call them in. The party needs to embrace traditional and thoughtful Wyoming Republicans’ voices to cross the aisle and fight against growing extremism and the destruction of Wyoming values. Independent thinkers wishing to be free of pledges and purity should feel welcome to find a home in the Democratic Party of Wyoming.
Instead of a policy bible, the path forward is cultural change focused on the deliberate inspection of what is best for the people of Wyoming, led by a few specific values-based priorities:
- Respect for the land to preserve our home for our children.
- Plain talk: decency and honesty before all else.
- Freedom of speech and thought to keep Wyoming independent.
- Rural representation: every corner of the state at the table.
- Wyoming over party to benefit all.
This is the ground that Wyoming Democrats should stand on — step away from national issues and towards better governance for Wyoming.
Great Article! Down to the point! I am 4th generation and I am not liking what Wyoming is turning into! Hagatha and barrasshole both Cult members and the freedumb caucus with people not even from here pushing only bad and selfish idea-All about the $$. Everyone must start paying attention to what is going on with Wyoming and the country! We must preserve the beautiful places, public land and the truthfulness of our rep’s. I for MANY want the truth and empathy!
The complete dominance of the Republican Party in Wyoming has not only allowed for the rise of extremist right wing Freedom Caucus candidates (and its friends who are afraid to so identify) but also seriously weakened the brand of any competing party, which we need in a democracy. The current Hobson’s choice presented to primary voters whereby the Republican primary is the only one where our votes matter presents an existential dilemma to the Wyoming Democratic Party. Given that primary reform leading to open primaries seems highly unlikely under the Republican controlled legislature the Democratic Party should seriously consider opting to nominate its candidates through a private caucus or convention system. Perhaps this would allow Democrats to rebuild their brand, generate party enthusiasm—while also potentially allowing Democrats and anyone else to continue to vote in Republican primary elections (perhaps revealing the shortcomings of the current public primary system and lead to serious reform).
Current law requires that the major parties nominate their candidates via the current election primary system, but that requirement pretty clearly violates both the Wyoming and US guarantees of political association. Wyo Dems should consider breaking free of the current broken primary system through filing a constitutional challenge which would provide a better opportunity to rebuild and create some much needed energy and momentum for alternative candidates nominated through a caucus or convention system to compete against Republicans in the general election. What do Wyoming Democrats have to lose?
Excellent points! Opposing forces are not always a bad thing. Often times the best solution lies somewhere in the middle, but the only way to get there is through compromise. Modern politicians seem to have forgotten the idea of compromise.
If you have time read this from national catholic reporter
https://www.ncronline.org/opinion/can-democrats-get-their-act-together?utm_source=NCR+List&utm_campaign=c22fc92e1c-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2026_05_26_05_00&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6981ecb02e-c22fc92e1c-231054228
This is a very well thought out editorial. Thank you.
As always-so succinctly stated! Both parties have forgotten that Wyoming is a different entity than what the extremist on both sides of the aisle espouse!
Decency and honesty are the two principals that separate the Democratic party from the Republicans. Somewhere along the line, probably about the time that the tea party immerged on the right, is where the Republicans lost their way. Instead of trying to unite they chose the path of division and cruelty which continues to this day.
A well written opinion Mr. Kuehl. Thank you.
Excellent commentary. Governor Sullivan has been a friend and a hero to Wyoming. No one really cared whether it was (D) or (R) after his name. Many in Wyoming today cannot identify any candidate’s position unless they are told (R) of (D) and yet persist in honoring that ambiguous label
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Democrats are on the rise !
Recent new members include “ republicans “ like the Cheney’s.
“Democrats need to cut national identity politics and spend more time building a robust base”
Would love to see a Democrat in Wyoming stand up for the 2nd Amendment and against the DC Democrat gun control dogma.
But the group think amongst the rank and file would immediately dismiss them. That issue alone will always sink Democrat candidates in WY. in the general election amongst quite a few other issues that dont fly in the Cowboy State.
Chad, it’s already happened. Democrats in Wyoming support the 2A, but we don’t all vote the same on every 2A bill. I also bet I could out shoot half of my republican colleagues at the firing range.
Let’s go find out, even if you beat me, which you probably will, we’ll have a heckuva good time!
Reposting as I see nothing that breaks guidlines.
I’ve seen your record on 2A issues. You are absolutely NOT a supporters of Second Amendment protected rights.
Red Flag Laws
Gun Free Zones
18 yr old ADULTS not having Rights
You are anti 2A, I don’t really care how good of a shot you are.
I can’t think of any Wyoming Democrats that are against the second amendment.
Gordon, Mr. Yin himself is.
He supports,
Red Flag Laws
Gun Free Zones
18 yr old ADULTS not having Adult Rights
He’s not anti gun. He is for common sense rules that make sense. I’m a gun owner and a Wyoming native. There should be some common sense rules for gun ownership- like the ones you mention. Why are you threatened by them?
Maybe Republicans could remember the concept of responsible gun ownership. People leave loaded guns in unlocked cars on the regular. A kid in search of a gun can will find one if they open enough car doors. Ask any Casper cop.
Any attempt to require safe storage, any discussion about red flag laws, is instantly shut down by a primal scream from the entire right-leaning community “pry it out of my cold dead hands!” The LIE that Democrats want to take guns from law-abiding citizens prevents any rational discussion. We put up with exponentially more mass shootings than any other country on earth because the Scalia side of the Supreme Court chose to ignore the first half of the single sentence that is the 2nd Amendment. Republicans guzzling paid propaganda, internalizing messaging that is crafted as targeted advertisements specifically to appeal to the emotions of their demographic, enthusiastically accepting lies as truth, insulates Republicans from any rational discussion with their (liberal-oh horrors there is nothing worse than a liberal) neighbors.