Wyoming’s Governor and Conservative Bloc Collide as Budget Battle Begins

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The 2026 Wyoming legislative session opened this week with a sharp clash between Governor Mark Gordon and a bloc of conservative lawmakers, setting the stage for a contentious four-week battle over the state’s financial future and core government functions.

In his State of the State address, Governor Gordon urged the legislature to restore key parts of his original budget proposal, which had been heavily altered by the Joint Appropriations Committee (JAC). The JAC, led by lawmakers aligned with the Wyoming Freedom Caucus, has proposed deep cuts, including the dismantling of the Wyoming Business Council and a $40 million reduction to the University of Wyoming’s budget. Gordon framed the debate as one between responsible investment and reflexive opposition, coining the nickname “Club No” for lawmakers he sees as obstructing progress.

“The things that matter most to Wyoming citizens are on the chopping block,” Gordon told lawmakers. “Using ‘no’ as a club is not how America became great.”

The governor’s plea for a more collaborative approach was swiftly rebuffed by Representative John Bear (R-Gillette), the House Appropriations Chairman and a leading Freedom Caucus member. “Mark Gordon’s pleas for the status quo, after seven years of growing budgets and decreasing Wyoming’s household spending power, is offensive,” Bear stated. “Fortunately, the people of Wyoming stood up in the 2024 election and said no more.”

Beyond the budget, Gordon used his speech to press for a constitutional amendment that would allow the legislature to restrict abortion, a direct response to a recent Wyoming Supreme Court decision. This call drew a standing ovation from Republican lawmakers, while Democrats in the chamber remained seated. The governor also advocated for pay raises for state employees, full funding for a state Asian trade office, and continued investment in tourism, including support for relocating the ProRodeo Hall of Fame to Cheyenne.

As the session unfolds, the central conflict will be whether the legislature follows the governor’s path of strategic investment or the Freedom Caucus’s drive for dramatic spending cuts and a smaller government footprint.