One of these authors is a 4th generation Wyomingite. The other is not. We agree on an awful lot, though.
In recent months, we've noticed a growing tendency among some in Wyoming politics to sidestep meaningful debate by retreating into a tired talking point: “You’re not a fifth-generation Wyomingite, so your ideas don’t count.”
Let’s be clear — heritage is something to be proud of. We respect the ranchers, oil hands, and small business owners who built this state, many of whom passed their legacy down through generations.
But when someone uses their family tree as a shield against legitimate policy discussion, we have to call it what it is: a distraction. One is not responsible for with whom one's ancestors slept.
Wyoming is facing real issues. Federal overreach, attacks on parental rights, a bloated budget, and a war on energy threaten our way of life.
Instead of debating these topics head-on, some would rather deflect by asking where your grandfather was born. It’s a convenient tactic when you don’t want to answer for the policies you support.
The Wyoming Freedom Caucus doesn’t care how many generations you’ve been here — we care whether you’ll stand up for liberty, fiscal responsibility, and the Constitution.
That’s what our neighbors sent us here to do.
Some of our colleagues in the Legislature and our constituents alike came to Wyoming for the very reasons this state is worth fighting for: freedom, opportunity, and a culture that still believes in personal responsibility.
Ironically, many of these so-called “outsiders” fight harder to preserve those values than some who’ve never lived anywhere else.
There’s a difference between living in Wyoming and choosing Wyoming. Those who choose it do so with open eyes, deep conviction, and a real appreciation for what makes this place special. We’re not trying to change the culture — we’re trying to protect it.
If the only qualification for good policy is a birth certificate stamped in Wyoming, we’re in trouble. Ideas should rise or fall on their merits — not on where someone’s great-grandfather ran cattle.
This state was built by pioneers who came here for freedom. That spirit should unite us, not divide us.
So to those who try to dismiss our positions based on lineage: We’re not going anywhere.
We’re here to debate ideas, to uphold the Constitution, and to represent the people — whether their families are indigenous, arrived in the 1880s or last year.
Freedom doesn’t have a bloodline. And we won’t apologize for standing up for it.
Representative Ken Pendergraft (HD 29, Sheridan)
Representative Steve Johnson (HD8, Cheyenne)
