Wyoming Freedom Caucus

Seven out of 10 incoming committee leaders in the House of Representatives will be members or endorsees of the further-right Wyoming Freedom Caucus. At least two of the Senate’s 10 committee leaders will be lawmakers who’ve been endorsed or tended to vote with the caucus in the past.

One policy will require clinics that provide procedural abortions to become licensed ambulatory surgical centers. That law would impact the only clinic left in Wyoming that provides the procedure. Another will be a requirement for Wyomingites to get ultrasounds before they can receive medication to end a pregnancy.

GOP members of the Legislature nominated Rep. Chip Neiman (R-Hulett) to be speaker of the House, Rep. Jeremy Haroldson (R-Wheatland) to be speaker pro tempore and Rep. Scott Heiner (R-Green River) to be majority whip. All are Freedom Caucus members or endorsees.

Campaign finance reports show spending by the more-moderate Wyoming Caucus PAC and the further-right Freedom Caucus PAC dropped off during the state’s general election cycle. In a state like Wyoming, where one party clearly dominates, it’s generally primary elections where the most upheaval can happen, and the most money flows.

With the election behind us, we’re taking a moment to go over how election day went, what the results mean for the next state Legislature and what the next steps the Legislature will take before the session starts in January.

At the Governor's Business Forum in Laramie, a panel of state lawmakers looked forward to the next legislative session. Reps. Trey Sherwood (D-Laramie), Freedom Caucus member John Bear (R-Gillette) and Senate President Ogden Driskill (R-Devils Tower) discussed policies they’re angling to pass this January.

In Wyoming, the far-right caucus has been particularly successful. After the recent election, the group will hold a majority in the state house.

Democrat and Eastern Shoshone tribal member Ivan Posey won the race to represent House District 33, which includes much of the Wind River Reservation. He beat incumbent Republican Sarah Penn, who was endorsed by the Freedom Caucus and held the seat for two years.

The Road to Cheyenne is our special series tracking the 2024 election. With less than two weeks until the polls close on Nov. 5, we’re taking a look at the competitive races that will determine the balance of power in Wyoming’s state House.

It isn’t easy being a Democratic lawmaker in Wyoming. But after Tuesday’s primary, many districts fell into the hands of the far-right Freedom Caucus, making the chasm between Democrats and Republicans even vaster. State House Minority Leader Mike Yin of Jackson thinks that negative mailers aimed at moderate Republicans had a lot to do with the election results.