When politicians announce they’re visiting Wyoming, they usually mean they’re visiting Jackson. Later this month, the second-in-line to the presidency will be in Jackson.
The New York Times reports that Vice President J.D. Vance is the name at the top of a high-priced fundraising event in Jackson on July 29. He will be there in his capacity as vice president and finance chair of the Republican National Committee.
The announcement came as a surprise to many Jackson residents, including Katherine Rueckert, chair of the Teton County Republican Party.
“I didn't know Vice President J.D. Vance was going to be in town until yesterday,” she told Cowboy State Daily on Thursday. “I only learned about it when I got a call requesting a comment from our local paper.”
With one of the powerful people in national politics attending an event in Jackson, it’s destined to be a high-dollar affair. And Jackson residents have the dollars to do it.
Follow The Money
Teton County consistently ranks as the wealthiest county in the United States, so it’s not surprising that politicians from both sides of the aisle frequently fundraise there.
President Donald Trump appeared at a “lunch reception” at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort during his election campaign last year. It was held Aug. 10 and attended by several of Wyoming’s Republican leaders, including U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman.
It’s easy to see how a Jackson fundraiser could be lucrative for a politician. At last year’s lunch with Trump, a photo with him cost $35,000 or a pledge to raise $70,000 for his reelection campaign.
Co-hosting the lunch, which included a table, a photo with Trump and an entry to the lunch reception, cost $150,000. Sponsoring the event as a host committee cost $250,000.
The baseline for attending the event was $5,000.
Mary Martin, the former Teton County Republican Party chairman, told Cowboy State Daily that they had originally planned a more intimate event with 20 attendees with a $250,000 buy-in.
“They want the party faithful to have the opportunity to support him,” she said in July 2024. “Trump is a man of the people. He’s not going to price out people from coming.”
Vance’s presence can also command high ticket prices.
The New York Times reports that similar events held in Atlanta, Georgia, and Nashville, Tennessee, had ticket prices ranging from $100,000 to $250,000 per couple.
Who’s Going?
Not many details on the July 29 have been released. Rueckert was still awaiting more information about the vice president’s visit.
“I was not aware of the event, and do not plan to attend at this time,” she said.
Hageman was one of the hosts of Trump’s 2024 event in Jackson, along with philanthropist Lynn Friess and Jay Kemmerer III, the former owner of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and a major contributor to Republican politicians.
U.S. Sens. John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis held their own fundraising events in Jackson in the days leading up to Trump's arrival.
Teton County is one of the few bastions of blue in Wyoming, having predominantly voted for and elected Democrats in recent elections. That hasn’t stopped Republicans from visiting Jackson and leaving with considerably larger war chests for their political campaigns.
With Vance as the Republican frontrunner for the party’s 2028 presidential nomination, so far, he could capitalize on the significant drawing power of President Trump. That could come with the same campaign capital Trump received during his multiple visits to Jackson over the years.
However, Martin said these events are about more than money. These fundraisers are opportunities for Wyoming Republicans to support their chosen candidates and get a chance to take in some of their "star power."
“I’m just thrilled to have the opportunity for Trump to come to Jackson,” she said at the time of Trump’s visit.
Andrew Rossi can be reached at arossi@cowboystatedaily.com.
