Wyoming Legislature to Shift to Conservative Republican Control
A new group of Republicans will be in charge when the Wyoming Legislature convenes in January after the hard-line Wyoming Freedom Caucus secured a simple majority in the House, taking control from the traditionalist Republican Wyoming Caucus. In the Senate, conservative allies of the Freedom Caucus retained control.
With a record-low number of Democrats running for the Legislature this year, the shift to the right was significant. The Freedom Caucus picked up at least six House seats, giving them a majority in the lower chamber.
The fracturing of the House Republican bloc can be traced back to 2020 when the Freedom Caucus officially formed. In recent years, the caucus blocked bills and killed committee bills, breaking legislative tradition. The formation of the Wyoming Caucus in response to the Freedom Caucus’s actions led to a political divide within the party.
In the 2024 election, both caucuses had political action committees, with the Freedom Caucus spending money on digital advertising and mailers. In the general election, the Freedom Caucus won several key House seats, solidifying their majority.
While the Freedom Caucus saw successes, they also faced some losses in the general election, with one member being ousted by a Democratic challenger in Fremont County. Overall, the election results signaled a significant shift to conservative Republican control in the Wyoming Legislature.
Source
Photo credit oilcity.news