Wyoming Watch: Wyoming News & Politics
Wyoming Watch: the latest Wyoming news, state politics and Legislature coverage from The Open Range Record.
- Fmr WYGOP Chair Frank Eathorne Endorses Bextel for Governor
Eathorne says in the video, as Bextel joins him on camera. "She is a Constitution Party gubernatorial candidate. I'm voting for her because I am a principled Republican, and I know you want to save Wyoming". - "Washington Monument Syndrome" Wyoming Style with Prop 1
By parading volunteer firefighters and sheriff deputies in front of local media cameras while leaving administrative line items untouched, county machines are executing a textbook case of malicious compliance: give us every dollar we demand, or the fire statio... - Better Deception: Better Wyoming's Misleading Politics
The Cheyenne screening, particularly with its post-film “action steps,” was therefore more than a presentation of a documentary. It also served as an opportunity for political education and organizing around a contested understanding of library policy. - Barlow Supported Recreational Marijuana, Claims He NEVER Did.
Residents could legally cultivate as many as 12 mature flowering marijuana plants at their residences. It also authorized marijuana edibles, concentrates, and other cannabis products, along with licensed retail establishments selling marijuana directly to cons... - There's a Data Center Bubble. Is Cheyenne Seeing It?
Across the country, the speculative frenzy is unraveling. Over 300 bills targeting data center regulation have hit state legislatures. State power grids like the Electric Reliability Council of Texas have paused massive interconnection queues. But, not in Wyom... - The Math Behind Proposition 1: Fact Checking the Panic
In Hot Springs County, for instance, public discussions arose after officials had to trim $1.2M dollars from local budget projections. Research into county revenue sources revealed that the required reduction lined up directly with the loss of expiring federal... - WYGOP 2025 Resolution Prevents Party From Supporting Barlow
The Wyoming Republican Party’s August 2025 resolution says it will withdraw all support from elected officials who fail to support the legislation it seeks. - Wyoming Lawmakers to Weigh Nine Technology Bills at September Meeting
Rather than treating privacy only as a consumer-protection issue, the measure would classify personal data as intangible property and create four levels of protection based on the sensitivity of the information. - Media Silence in Thayne as WYGOP Expands Court Wins
The contrast between the substantive policy actions taken in Thayne and the media blackout highlights an ongoing disconnect in state political reporting. Throughout the spring and summer, legacy outlets dedicated extensive coverage to party disputes and proced... - Cowboy State Daily Makes False Claims About Iverson
Miller knew before his appearance on the CSD show that the claims he was going to make weren’t, at the very least, substantiated. He said so himself. - Who Was the Alpine Education Foundation Trying to Elect?
The Aug. 18 message did not simply remind recipients to vote. It named three candidates and highlighted their support for the charter school and a "family-friendly Alpine." Whether the message was legally attributable to the foundation, and whether it violated... - Wyoming Conservatives Coalescing Around New Governor Candidate To Defeat Left-Leaning GOP Nominee
Bextel supports tax reform to protect property owners and “hold government accountable for how taxpayer dollars are spent” according to her website. She would withdraw Wyoming from the federal refugee resettlement program and end policies allowing illegal immi... - Bextel Launches General Election Bid, Offering Wyoming Conservatives Another Choice
For Bextel, the central issue is larger than any one vote. She argues that Barlow’s overall record is more closely aligned with establishment and Democratic priorities than with the limited-government principles regularly promoted by the Republican Party. - Barlow Can't Deny His Own Record on Medicaid Expansion
Barlow voted repeatedly to advance Medicaid expansion numerous times, sponsored his own expansion bill, and authored an expansion amendment. These are simply Barlow's votes. - The Results: Conservatives Get Shellacked in Primary
No single explanation accounts for every defeat. But the statewide pattern is unmistakable: conservative candidates were targeted, and many were successfully removed. - 2003 Barlow: We Must Move Beyond Fossil Fuels
He ended his testimony to Congress by declaring that America must “move beyond” nonrenewable energy and treat fossil fuels as a bridge to something else—not as resources upon which the nation should continue to rely. What cannot reasonably be argued is that th... - Marquardt: Three Voter Pools — And Megan Degenfelder Has a Foot in Two
Megan Degenfelder appears to be trying to build her winning pool one scoop from the right and one scoop from the left. And that leaves the questions: Are there enough voters in the middle, and enough she can peel from both sides to win? Or are there enough vot... - Barlow's Illegal Immigration Record Isn't That Complicated
Barlow voted to kill the legislation before that work was completed. With SF166, Wyoming had an opportunity to stand with states bearing the immediate cost of the border crisis. Barlow voted no. When illegal immigration demanded more than campaign rhetoric—whe... - Who Actually Votes Against Wyoming Energy, AFP and the Candidates They Support
There is nothing inherently wrong with criticizing a candidate's record. Elections should include spirited debate, and voters deserve to know where candidates stand on important issues. The problem arises when campaign advertisements leave voters with an impre... - Barlow Campaign Now Says von Ahrens Not Part of Campaign Despite Earlier Public Announcement
The same leadership announcement was also published on the Barlow campaign's official website, where Fred and Susie von Ahrens continue to be listed as members of the campaign's statewide leadership team. - Marshall: Wyoming Solutions for Wyoming Problems?
Wyoming Blue Republicans tell us all the time that people want to move to Wyoming because we have no income tax…yet Wyoming ranked #30 in population increase (1.9%) from 2020-2025. WHY? As a matter of fact, there were 10 high-tax blue states that saw larger po... - CJ Young Holds Town-Hall in Sheridan
Young emphasized that Wyoming statutes already provide opportunities for hand-count verification, and that election integrity depends on citizens being willing to serve as election judges and observers. - Bien Releases White Paper on Repeal of Carbon Capture HB0200
In his white paper, Bien contends the legislation represents government interference in the energy market by forcing utilities to adopt expensive technology that has yet to prove commercially viable on a broad scale. He argues the mandate threatens the long-te... - UPDATED: Barlow Staff Used "ParentSquare" School Resources to Recruit Volunteers
The ParentSquare notification was distributed through a taxpayer-funded communication system maintained by the school district. Whether that use complies with Wyoming’s ethics laws is a question that deserves careful review based on the facts and any applicabl... - An End to Energy Lip-Service: Brent Bien Launches Energy Agenda
Bien says his approach will be focused on protecting Wyoming’s coal, oil, and natural gas industries and reversing policies he believes have made it more difficult for those industries to compete. - Rebecca Bextel Wins Constitution Party Nomination, Adds New Dynamic to Wyoming Governor’s Race
Bextel’s nomination ensures Wyoming voters will have another choice — and the Republican primary will determine which vision heads into the November election. - Two Appointed Democrats Act as Supreme Court to Strike Down Property Tax Cap
Two politically active members of the Wyoming tax board have refused to execute the state's new property tax cap, creating an immediate constitutional crisis over regulatory overreach. - Campaign Activity at Casper State Building Raises Questions for Superintendent Candidate Steve Harshman
Following the committee meeting, Harshman, who is currently seeking election as Wyoming's Superintendent of Public Instruction, was photographed standing outside the building near a vehicle that contained campaign signs. - The Open Range Record Announces the High Plains 2026 Republican Primary Debates
Gubernatorial and U.S. Representative debates will be held July 16, 2026 at the Rialto Theater in Casper. - Senate Leadership Violated Agreement Nethercott Signed, Refuses to Investigate
If no rule was violated during the pizza incident, an investigation would clear the air. If a rule was violated, an investigation should have exposed it, but refusing to vote does neither. - Wyoming Supreme Court Lifts Injunction on Steamboat Legacy Scholarship
One of the Court’s most significant findings centered on the fact that the parents involved in the lawsuit admitted they had no intention of using the ESA program themselves. The opinion noted the plaintiffs voluntarily keep their children in public schools an... - Bextel Seeks Constitution Party Nomination As Conservatives Look For A Stronger November Strategy
Former Teton County GOP committeewoman says she is not running against Brent Bien or Megan Degenfelder, while the Constitution Party of Wyoming frames her campaign as a serious conservative alternative in the general election. - WHSAA Funding Warning Sparks Larger Debate Over Taxpayer Accountability
As Wyoming’s recalibration debate continues, the central question may no longer be whether the state values education. The deeper question may be whether Wyoming’s education system is prepared to embrace the same level of accountability taxpayers are increasin... - "The Buck Does Stop With Me:" Degenfelder's Convention Conversation
As the conversation turned to responsibility inside the Wyoming Department of Education, Degenfelder said the sentence that now frames the whole controversy: “The buck does stop with me. No matter what an employee does.” - JD WIlliams' Not So Welcoming "Welcome" Speech
Williams’s speech did not sound like it was aimed only at voters who have checked out. It sounded like a criticism of where party is heading — and who is now steering it. For months, establishment Republicans have hammered the Freedom Caucus and grassroots con... - Wyoming GOP Changes Bylaws to Challenge Decades of State Control
This legal strategy, described by party leadership as a necessary defense of constitutional rights, is expected to argue that Title 22 unconstitutionally infringes upon the party's ability to communicate its preferences to its members. - "Protect Wyoming" is Really Protecting an Agenda
"Protect Wyoming" co-founder Zach Lentsch supported Bernie Sanders in 2018. His political action committee, under the guise of fairly evaluating legislators on public lands, created a scorecard with a predetermined outcome--to penalize conservatives and reward... - It's a Liberty Issue: Brent Bien in Kemmerer
After nearly three decades in the Marine Corps, he said returning home to see government restrictions and shutdowns was the moment he decided Wyoming needed a different course. - Degenfelder HAS NOT Contacted All Families in Document Release
The public statement issued by the WDE leaves out affected families, and at least one of them has not, as of April 3, even spoken to anyone from Degenfelder’s office. - Degenfelder's Office Exposes Confidential Student Information...TWICE
WDE said the error “was quickly identified, corrected within the online folder containing the produced documents, and communicated to recipients the day after the matter was brought to the department’s attention.” But this isn’t accurate. The WDE released the... - Retired Judge Denies Bid to Add Heartbeat Bill to Ongoing Abortion Case
Retired Natrona County Judge Campbell denied a motion by Wellspring Health Access to combine its challenge to HB0126 Human Heartbeat Act with the ongoing challenge to Wyoming's abortion regulation laws. - WATCH: Brent Bien Live on Cowboy State Politics March 26 9am
Gubernatorial Candidate Brent Bien joins Cowboy State Politics Live March 26 - April Marie Morganroth's (Marie Hamilton's) Claims in Black and White
April Marie Morganroth aka Marie Hamilton has been released from the Platte County Jail. We thought we'd line up several of the claims she has made about her credentials side by side. The result was a series of credentials that change over time. - WYGOP Chair Attempts to Bar Members of the Press from Participation in Party
At this past Saturday's Sheridan County GOP Convention, State Chairman Bryan Miller attempted to bar members of the press from being in any leadership position in the Party. - Cody Lawmaker Rachel Williams Announces Run for Secretary of State
A former law enforcement officer, Williams was first elected to the House in 2020. Her campaign highlighted her current role as chair of the House Labor, Health & Social Services Committee and emphasized her identity as a wife, mother of two, and community vol... - Capitol Security Video Surrounding Check Incident Deleted
Whether the security footage requested was overwritten by the Capitol’s security system or if it was intentionally deleted, the result is the same. Those records do not exist anymore. One thing is certain, this is a staggering breach of government transparency... - The $400.00 Campaign Donation That Raises Big Questions
"This isn’t to suggest the existence of a quid pro quo with any of these campaign donations but it certainly raises the specter of one." - SF101, The Truth about what the Governor, Lobbyists and the Media are Saying-UPDATED
Ironically, a section of the Cowboy State Daily’s March 6 article is titled, “As Written.” It begins by quoting Senate President Dennis “Bo” Biteman when he said, “Read the bill!” The Cowboy State Daily clearly did not follow Biteman’s advice. - Teton, Lincoln County GOP Attempt Censure of Bextel, Fail Overwhelmingly
Once the meeting began, several individuals who had signed the Teton petition reportedly said they believed they were signing a request simply to hold a meeting to fill vacant party positions, not specifically to pursue a censure resolution. - WATCH: David Interviews Natrona High Club America President Kylie Wall
Natrona County High School Club America President Kylie Wall sits down with David to discuss HB159, the ban on "viewpoint discrimination." HB159 would prohibit school officials from suppressing views with which they disagree. This is the same treatment Wall re... - Legislating in the Budget: Who Does It and Why It's Bad
There are countless other examples where policies were created by a small budget amendment without any public testimony or discussion in a committee. Critics of this practice claim that this eliminates public participation. - Gordon's Exec Order: Election Hypocrisy or Within His Power?
"Public capitol grounds are public forums and are constitutionally protected. A blanket prohibition on campaign check exchanges, particularly if selectively enforced, could invite constitutional scrutiny." - BREAKING NEWS 12PM Feb 17
The Open Range Record will go live at 12:00 PM with a Breaking News report concerning the events of the last 4 days in the Wyoming Legislature. - Week 1 in Review: Viral Votes, Procedural Gates and an Ethics Storm
The legislative week goes by quickly. Here's a quick review of some of the bigger happenings in Cheyenne. - Watch: The Roundup Episode 4, Feb 12, 2026
Join David as he breaks down the day's events. Guests: Rebecca Bextel and gubernatorial candidate Joseph Kibler - 34 Legislators Vote to Spend Your Money on Lobbyists
"The central question is should taxpayers pay for lobbying organizations that often advocate in favor of government and not on behalf of citizens. 34 members of the House think you should." - The Uncomfortable Reality of Child Sexual Abuse in Wyoming
Legislation in 2026, showcased a growing problem in our state. Bills usually arise when there is a need to correct or protect a certain situation. These pieces of legislation unveiled an unpalatable truth, there is a massive growing problem in our state. - A Morning With the Speaker
"Good hearts exist on both sides of the aisle. And sometimes, in the middle of the loudest storms, it’s the quiet gestures that steady you." - Three Democrat Claims and the People Who Helped Them
"The connection between what happened on the House floor Feb. 9, and any piece of legislation was entirely contrived. That became clear in the investigatory committee. But the narrative was extended and escalated beyond legislators into the Republican Party ap... - Due Process or Public Spectacle? What the February 26 Investigation Revealed
"After more than three hours of testimony from witnesses, representatives, and individuals directly involved, a clearer picture emerged. The narrative initially presented in media reports — that something covert or improper had occurred — did not withstand scr...