Wyoming’s two-term governor is not seeking a third term, his office announced Thursday.
Gov. Mark Gordon was first elected to the office in 2018 after serving as state treasurer starting in 2012.
Wyoming law limits the governor to two terms in office, but Wyoming Supreme Court precedent suggests that law may be overturned easily, if a governor sought a third term.
Gordon does not seek a third term, his Thursday statement says.
“We have just come off a solid legislative win, securing the Essentials Budget to help meet the needs of the people of Wyoming, but we are not done yet,” said Gordon in his statement.
He said he met “recently” with his full cabinet to outline his agenda for the rest of his final term, which is about nine months, the statement says.
It adds that he wants to focus on building a strong future for Wyoming, including supporting core industries, growing the state’s economy, strengthening local communities and families, and safeguarding vital natural resources.
The Budget
The “Essentials Budget” was Gordon’s proposed budget from last November, which legislative budget planners in the Joint Appropriations Committee trimmed significantly — by about $480 million in its draft proposal.
But after the state Senate majority took a friendlier position toward the governor’s version, and House members engaged in marathon debates on its provisions, the final version of the biennial budget fell $143 million under the governor’s original $10.13 billion version.
That’s adjusted down from the actual governor’s figure of $11.13 billion due to lawmakers spinning off some expenditures into their own, standalone bills rather than keeping them in the budget bill.
Gordon’s Thursday statement says he’s going to run a series of community visits across Wyoming starting in June through autumn.
“Hallmark throughout his tenure, the Governor will engage directly with citizens during these community visits that will include tours of downtown storefronts, public forums held in parks, and other events as planned,” the statement says.
The statement calls the state’s Aug. 18 primary election “crucial,” and says Gordon will meet with Wyoming residents to talk about “continuing to build a strong future for Wyoming.”
That includes “protecting our resilient property tax base that funds local services like education, fire protection, police services and others, as well as honoring local control, investing in our future through smart saving and continued stewardship of our wildlife, land, and water.”
The Wyoming Legislature has slashed property taxes in recent years and following a post-COVID surge in home values. This affects different counties differently, with hardship counties like Platte voicing shortfall concerns, since property taxes fund local services and school districts.
“You don’t have to be Governor to make a difference in Wyoming,” Governor Gordon said. “Participating in elections is something all of us can do to make a real difference, and these conversations are important to have to ensure everyone makes informed decisions about the future of Wyoming.”
The statement says Gordon’s events schedule will be on his official website.
The Elections
Gordon’s hardest-fought election was the 2018 primary election against five other Republican contenders.
He won with 33.4% of the vote. Teton County philanthropist Foster Friess, who had supported conservative influencer Charlie Kirk’s operation, took second place that year with 25.6% of the vote.
Harriet Hageman, who is now Wyoming’s lone U.S. House representative, took third with 21.5% of the vote, followed by Sam Galeotos at 12.5%, Taylor Haynes at 5.6% and Bill Dahliln at 1.5%.
Gordon’s 2022 primary election win was much more decisive: he took 61.7% of the vote with retired Marine Corps Col. Brent Bien a distant second (29.6%) followed by Rex Rammell (5.7%) and James Scott Quick (2.9%).
This year at least three GOP candidates are running for the party's nomination Aug. 18: Bien, Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder, and state Sen. and former House Speaker Eric Barlow.
Gabriel Green seeks the Democratic nomination.
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
