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At a panel discussion in Laramie, 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.
Sherwood talked about a need for rental housing regulations and protections for renters, especially in Albany County.
Bear mentioned one day building small coal-fired power plants across the state, each potentially powering its own micro-grid.
Driskill touted a strong state savings account, thanks to mineral revenues.
But simmering underneath all the policy talk was the fact that the further-right Wyoming Freedom Caucus will have a majority next session for the first time since officially forming in September 2020.
After the panel, Sen. Driskill told Wyoming Public Radio that Wyoming is in a “new era of politics.”
“We are, because of the outside money coming in,” said Driskill, referring to huge spending by out-of-state political action committees in the run-up to the primary election. “We are in a new era, and it’ll be much different. What we really need is voters to really pay attention to who actually is leading the state.”
Driskill expects to be booted from his leadership position in the Senate, where he’s been accused by some lawmakers of being too moderate.
He’s been a leader in the upper chamber since 2019.
“I’m Christmas past,” Driskill said. “I’ve been there, and it’s really not my place to forward policies to you folks here anymore.”
The state Legislature’s other presiding officer, House Speaker Rep. Albert Sommers (R-Pinedale), was forced out of Cheyenne entirely when he lost to sheep rancher Laura Pearson in the primary. She was endorsed by the Freedom Caucus.
If a Freedom Caucus ally isn’t made president of the Senate, Driskill said he’s heard Democrats in the House might be left off key committees as a form of retaliation. That could preserve the potency of caucus members’ votes in those committees.
At the same time, Sherwood told WPR in a hallway after the panel that she’s concerned about plans by some in the Freedom Caucus to further restrict diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and programs, both at the University of Wyoming and in state government.
“That does break my heart to think about the negative impact I’ve seen that’s had on the morale here on campus and in Albany County,” said Sherwood.
For his part, Bear emphasized a priority in the upcoming session needs to be lowering property taxes in Wyoming by trimming government funding. Until this past September, Bear was the chairman of the Freedom Caucus.
“My philosophy has always been that the government needs to run much more efficiently on a much smaller amount,” said Bear. “So that’ll always be an effort of mine personally, and I think a majority of the conservatives in the House of Representatives would agree with that statement.”
As far as what that reduction in government funding might look like, Driskill said he’s received campaign flyers supporting caucus-aligned candidates that call for a 30 percent cut to the size of the biennium state budget.
The 68th Wyoming Legislature will convene for the first time on Jan. 14 in Cheyenne.
This reporting was made possible by a grant from the Corporation For Public Broadcasting, supporting state government coverage in the state. Wyoming Public Media and Jackson Hole Community Radio are partnering to cover state issues both on air and online.
