The Wyoming Republican Party ended the state’s 2024 convention Saturday by censuring Governor Mark Gordon, without debate.
“This censure resolution brings some accountability, according to Secretary of State Chuck Gray. “Governor Gordon has enabled Biden and the most radical leftists in America who are trying to help illegal immigrants vote in our elections,” according to a statement to Cowboy State Daily.
There were only about 50 delegates who stood up to support a debate on the topic. But fell short of the 75 delegates needed to actually open the topic for discussion. The lack of votes to debate also shows that if the issue had gone to a vote, it probably would have passed by a large majority.
Secretary of State Chuck Gray said the resolution brings accountability. “Governor Gordon has enabled Biden and the most radical leftists in America who are trying to help illegal immigrants vote in our elections,” according to Cowboy State Daily.
Wyoming Republican legislators were initially angered by Gordon over comments he made last fall at Harvard University in which he said he wants to reduce the state’s carbon output as a way to fight climate change. The legislature voted “no confidence” afterward.
Republican members were also angered after Gordon vetoed a property tax legislation that he believed would provide tax breaks to the wealthy including residents who had just moved to Wyoming and were part of the reason that longtime residents saw their property taxes increase. That legislation, Senate File 54, would have exempted 25% of property tax assessments on home values worth up to $2 million for all Wyoming residents.
Gordon also vetoed a bill that would have allowed concealed carry in public schools and government meetings. Gordon said he was concerned that the bill would exceed the separation of powers provision in the state constitution.
At the time, Republican legislators called for a special session to overturn his actions, but it failed on a 50-43 vote.
This weekend’s censure vote was compliments of the Park County GOP which passed the censure that was approved by the state GOP on Saturday night. With the vote, Gordon became the first governor to be censured by a state Republican Party since former
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey was censured by his state GOP in 2021 for opposing former President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.
While Governor Gordon didn’t attend the GOP convention this weekend, his spokesperson did have a comment about the censure. Michael Pearlman says the vote is concerning and that the governor stands behind his vetoes.
“Our traditional, conservative Grand Old Party policies are the bedrock of a free and civil society,” said Michael Pearlman, a spokesperson for the governor. “However, the traditions, decorum, and civility of the party’s actions should be of great concern to all. They merely hinder our ability to fight the harmful policies of the Biden Administration and future Democratic administrations that are hostile to Wyoming’s legacy industries, values, and people.”
Hot Springs County GOP delegate Phillip Scheel, who wanted to open a debate about the censure prior to the vote, believes the vote to censure Gordon is a huge loss of political capital. “We have a great relationship in Hot Springs County with the governor and the entire executive branch,” he said.
He believes the party is squandering what good currency it has left with the office, a relationship he values in his county’s work with the governor’s office.
