Wyoming’s 17 delegates attending the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this week are an unusual bunch. They come from the reddest Republican state in the union and represent a rural culture and support of fossil fuels industries that are not often associated with their party’s national identity or the energy policies of President Joe Biden or former President Barack Obama’s administrations.
But state Rep. Mike Yin, D-Jackson, said these differences don’t stop him from trying to find a balance between Wyoming’s needs and the energy policies of the DNC. Wyoming is deeply dependent on mineral industry proceeds, drawing nearly 50% of its annual revenue from fossil fuels.
“I think my goal here as a delegate is to also let other people in the national party know what are Wyoming’s issues and how can we solve them on a national level?” Yin said.
Although new alternative energies like wind and solar have grown in Wyoming, they still represent a small fraction of the state’s overall revenue picture.
Yin believes he can still promote Wyoming’s core energy industries while acknowledging the existence of climate change. He wants to find ways for Wyoming to succeed in a future energy landscape that is slowly moving away from fossil fuels.
“For me that doesn’t mean advocating for any specific energy approach, but advocating for how can we best approach a way for Wyoming to succeed,” he said. “If that’s trying to create economic viability across all of our communities while one industry might have a downturn, I think that’s what I want to communicate to the folks here.”
During Cowboy State Daily’s live election night coverage Tuesday, former Gov. Mike Sullivan agreed and said there needs to be a balanced approach to energy in Washington, D.C., and said the oil and gas operators he’s spoken to in Wyoming are still succeeding under Biden.
Sullivan questions whether Republican desires to lower energy prices will help the industry as a whole and believes higher oil prices and the resurgence of industries like uranium and trona are a positive for Wyoming.
“That’s (low prices) not in our favor,” he said. “They talk a big talk about how you can drill, drill, drill, but if you drill, drill, drill it will go back to $20 (per barrel).”
Yin believes Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Act is one example of this effort as well. Wyoming received $3.8 billion through this funding package, but most of the work came in the form of one-time relief and solutions rather than lifetime employment and revenue opportunities.
More targeted relief could come through the Wyoming Grant Assistance Program, which provides local governments, nonprofits and small businesses with support.
Yin said more also needs to be done to bring more manufacturing and high-tech jobs to Wyoming. He said the state can do its part by offering wider training and education opportunities so a foundation can be laid for these new jobs.
Out Of Touch
There’s a somewhat common refrain among Democrats who live in urban areas that people who work in fossil fuels should find a new career to better support the environment.
Yin said one of his biggest goals is explaining to other Democrats that it’s not acceptable for energy-producing cities like Gillette, Kemmerer and Rock Springs to die because their lifeblood industries have been diminished by green energy pursuits.
“If we’re going to have these types of policies on a national level, we’re going to have to find a way to keep our communities whole,” he said.
He said making this argument to other Democrats doesn’t take much convincing and serves as more of a reminder. When a person only surrounds himself with like-minded people with a similar lifestyle, an echo chamber effect can sometimes be the result.
“It’s more of a reminder or an educational process than anything else,” he said. “I don’t think people are trying to wipe us out.”
Declining Dems
Although rarely ever a majority, Wyoming’s Democrats made up a much larger portion of the state’s voting pool than they do today as recently as the 1990s. These Democrats were typically much different from the mainstream Democratic figures of today, taking a more centrist approach that could be seen as somewhat conservative by today’s standards.
In many ways, this approach worked, as Wyoming elected Democratic congressmembers and governors into the early 21st century.
Former Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal was the last Democrat to hold statewide office, leaving in early 2011.
Since then, the Democratic presence has dwindled considerably, with Democrats now holding only seven total seats in the Legislature.
There are not many reasons to believe any of that will change after this election cycle.
There are only 16 Democrats running for the Legislature statewide, including the five House incumbents. The party’s two candidates for U.S. Senate and Congress are relatively unknown with little financial backing to go against the well-funded U.S. Sen. John Barrasso and Rep. Harriet Hageman.
What To Do?
Freudenthal had a rather blunt analysis about what it will take for Democrats to succeed again when speaking Tuesday.
When he and former Democratic Govs. Mike Sullivan and Ed Herschler were in office, Freudenthal said none were viewed as real Democrats by the “hardcore Democrats.” Sullivan agreed, and said no one called him a “crazy, left-wing liberal.”
“Right now, simply being a Democrat automatically seems to suggest you’re a crazy, left-wing liberal,” Sullivan said.
What this narrative has done, Sullivan said, is create a tribalistic loyalty to party line voting down to a local level, leading to people voting for relatively unknown candidates instead of familiar faces.
Coming Present
Historically, representing unions and blue-collar workers was the bedrock of the Democratic Party.
Although Yin believes it still is, the party’s base has drifted toward a more affluent and college educated base. White working-class voters make up a significant portion of former President Donald Trump’s base.
Many of Trump’s supporters have a fierce distrust of the federal government and political institutions, seeing him as the spark that can “drain the swamp.”
Freudenthal said the Democratic Party has also become more urban and national focused than due to the overall nationalization of politics.
“I don’t think their heart and soul is with the core of the Western states,” he said. “If the Democrats of Wyoming want to be relevant, first thing they have to do is distance themselves from the national administration.”
For Republicans, this strategy has often worked in Wyoming, as it gives their base the red meat-type information they already agree with and possibly find more interesting. But substantively, it may not be the spinach they need to hear about that affects them most on a day-to-day basis.
Freudenthal said putting a focus on local issues and moving away from actions like bashing Trump would be the first step in allowing Wyoming Democrats to chart their own destiny.
“The state’s electoral votes are going to go to Trump and they will historically continue to go Republican,” he said. “The question on an individual race, can you develop a locally, sufficiently set of important issues that allow you to distinguish yourself in terms of the people you want to represent, rather than the party label?”
Certain Wyoming Democrats have taken some steps toward this, but by and large the state party is in sync with the DNC and Biden administration.
Some of the more conservative Republicans in Wyoming have also argued for the Democratic Party to be stronger in Wyoming, as they believe many Democrats are hiding in the Republican Party ranks.
This Week’s Convention
Yin said he’s been energized by the speakers at this week’s convention and believes the DNC still represents many values Wyoming residents can connect with.
Best of all, he said, is the newfound sense of excitement for the upcoming election among younger voters since Biden stepped down and Vice President Kamala Harris launched her campaign.
“It’s gotten younger people more involved and invigorated in seeing a party where they feel like they can be a part of it instead of just two really old presidential candidates running for office,” Yin said. “I think when it comes to young people today, they want someone who has gone through the experiences they’re experiencing now.”
The Democratic convention hasn’t been free of divisive moments, however. Pro-Palestine protesters have made their presence known outside the convention hall all week, urging the party’s leaders to shift their stance on the war.
Yin said this is the byproduct of a big tent party and that everyone can agree on a desire to see an end to war.
“To succeed, you need a big tent,” Yin said. “I’ve seen the Republican Party keep pushing people out of their tent, frankly kicking them out and saying they’re not Republicans. Democrats are learning to succeed, you need to support all Americans, not just some Americans.”
Leo Wolfson can be reached at leo@cowboystatedaily.com.
