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In 2024, the Freedom Caucus won a majority of the Wyoming House of Representatives. And it was a chance to show what it could do with control of a legislative chamber. The caucus had an expansive agenda - opposing abortion rights, making deep cuts in government and increasing voting requirements, among other things. But last week, many members in the state House lost primaries to more moderate Republicans. Wyoming Public Media's Jordan Uplinger looks at what happened.
JORDAN UPLINGER, BYLINE: The Wyoming Freedom Caucus made national headlines after taking power. The caucus was focused on invalidating driver's licenses for immigrants without documentation, on bathroom laws for trans people in state buildings. It targeted DEI initiatives, sought to ban certain books in school libraries and make deep cuts in property taxes. But public sentiment could be changing. Here's associate professor of political science at the University of Wyoming, Ryan Williamson.
RYAN WILLIAMSON: You shouldn't be too terribly surprised to see the Freedom Caucus struggle as public sentiment shifts slightly towards the center or the left.
UPLINGER: This year, after Republican Governor Mark Gordon submitted his budget, the caucus went for deep cuts, trying to eliminate a summer food program for kids, cut money for state agencies and the University of Wyoming, including Wyoming Public Media. Republicans said they heard complaints from voters and they restored the money. Here's Williamson again.
WILLIAMSON: The appetite for some of the more hard-line conservative positions. When they run on those positions, they're going to struggle.
UPLINGER: On top of that, the caucus faced what became known as Checkgate. Members were seen on the floor of the House accepting campaign donations from a right-wing activist. Some of them were among the more than a dozen Freedom Caucus-aligned members who lost in this year's primaries for House seats or trying to switch to the Senate.
Wyoming is still a conservative state that voted heavily for Trump in all three of his runs for president, and Republicans still control the state House of Representatives. But Freedom Caucus Republicans are no longer the majority. The incoming crop of winners includes Republican state representative-elect Jessica Crowder.
JESSICA CROWDER: I can certainly tell you that the number one question that I received while visiting with constituents and the people in my community was, are you Freedom Caucus?
UPLINGER: Crowder, owner of an agricultural consulting firm, won with more than 60% of the vote over a Freedom Caucus incumbent.
CROWDER: So it's certainly on everyone's mind, and it looks like there's a shift across the state, just based on the results of the night.
UPLINGER: NPR reached out to several Freedom Caucus members, but they didn't respond with a comment. Some are returning. They were unchallenged or won their primaries. The caucus released a statement saying the results won't undo their policy achievements and, quote, "we exist for the people of Wyoming, not any particular legislature or candidate. We will never stop fighting for Wyoming, America's last hope."
For NPR News, I'm Jordan Uplinger in Laramie, Wyoming. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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