(WYOFILE) – Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon will not seek a third term, his office announced Thursday. However, the two-term Republican governor has not ruled out running for another office.

“He’s still kind of exploring his options,” Amy Edmonds, Gordon’s spokesperson, told WyoFile.

As candidates across Wyoming have announced bids for various statewide offices in recent months, Gordon has been tight-lipped about his own plans, leading to speculation that he would put the state’s gubernatorial term limits to the test.

In two opinions about a decade apart, the Wyoming Supreme Court ruled that term limits on legislators as well as on most top elected positions in the state were unconstitutional. While the high court has not addressed the qualifications for governor, it’s been widely suggested that a court challenge would be successful. Such was the discussion in 2010, when Democratic Gov. Dave Freudenthal ultimately chose not to seek a third term.

There’s also been speculation that Gordon may run for Congress, which he’s done in the past. In 2008, Gordon ran for the U.S. House of Representatives. He was ultimately defeated by Cynthia Lummis in the primary election. If Gordon seeks the seat in 2026, he’ll join a crowded field that has already attracted at least 10 Republicans. It’s possible he could also be eyeing a run for Wyoming’s soon-to-be open U.S. Senate seat — a choice that would pit him against Rep. Harriet Hageman, whom he defeated in the governor’s race in 2018.

Wyoming’s candidate filing period opens for two weeks at the end of May.

As for the rest of Gordon’s final term in the governor’s office, his “focus remains on essential pillars like supporting core industries, growing Wyoming’s economy, strengthening local communities and families, and safeguarding Wyoming’s vital natural resources,” according to the Thursday press release.

Starting in June, Gordon will set out on a series of community visits to “engage directly with citizens,” the release states, and is particularly interested in having discussions about “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 governor also pointed to the Aug. 18 primary election.

“You don’t have to be Governor to make a difference in Wyoming,” Gordon wrote. “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.”

Whether Gordon will run for office is one lingering question — to what degree he will support other candidates is another.

In 2024, Gordon personally spent more than $160,000 on statehouse races, backing non-Wyoming Freedom Caucus Republicans who generally aligned with his positions on energy, economic diversification, mental health services and education.

While many of those races did not go Gordon’s way — the Freedom Caucus won control of the House — the governor is coming off a legislative budget session where lawmakers largely approved his proposed budget.

More specifically, the Legislature’s final budget came in about $53 million shy of the governor’s $11 billion recommendations after significant cuts were floated by the Freedom Caucus lawmakers ahead of the session. Many of those notable cuts — including to the University of Wyoming and the Wyoming Business Council — were ultimately rejected.

While Gordon applauded the final budget, he also said in March he was “saddened by some of the reductions,” including the Legislature’s decision to nix SUN Bucks, the summer food program that fills the gap for kids when there are no school lunches. Wednesday, however, the governor signed an executive order that will start delivering food benefits to Wyoming families as early as June.

Details for Gordon’s upcoming community visits will be posted to the governor’s website, according to the press release.

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One of San Francisco’s busiest freeways remained shut down Saturday, creating major traffic delays and dampening business for some local restaurants and shops.

All eastbound lanes of Interstate 80 just before the Bay Bridge are closed as crews work around the clock to rehabilitate the roadway. The 55-hour shutdown, which began on Friday night, is scheduled to last until Monday morning in time for the commute.

The closure has forced drivers onto detour routes, leading to heavy congestion for those trying to reach the East Bay, including Oakland and Berkeley. 

The impact is being felt beyond the roadways.

At MoMo’s, a restaurant across from Oracle Park, staff found business noticeably slower.

“A little bit more mellow than usual. We usually see a little bit more foot traffic, a little bit more people on Saturdays,” said Daniel Bermudez, executive chef at MoMo’s.

Bermudez believes the freeway closure may be discouraging visitors from coming into the city this weekend, despite favorable weather.

“The weather is beautiful today. It’s nice and sunny. So we have plenty of tables outside,” he said.

With the San Francisco Giants playing an away game, the restaurant had hoped fans would still gather to watch, but turnout during game time remained light.

“This is kind of like our off-season Saturday. A lot slower than our baseball weekend,” said Casandra Alarcon, general manager at MoMo’s.

Other small businesses in the Mission Bay and South of Market neighborhoods reported similar trends, saying most of their customers are regulars who live nearby rather than visitors.

“A little bit slower for sure. Before, we had tourists come and walk to the baseball park,” said Ajaree Safron, manager at Brickhouse Cafe & Bar.

Caltrans has shut down eastbound lanes between 17th and 4th streets to repave the 71-year-old roadway. The goal is to extend the life of the Bayshore Freeway by another decade.

City and transportation officials said the timing of the closure was intentional, noting fewer major events scheduled in San Francisco this weekend, aside from the Cherry Blossom Festival.

Westbound lanes remain open, and officials said traffic heading into San Francisco from the East Bay has not been significantly affected.

“Getting into the city, it wasn’t too bad.  Regular [traffic], what we expect on a Saturday morning,” said visitor Andrea Inouye.

While the closure has posed challenges for businesses, some workers said they are taking it in stride.

“Hopefully, it’s not for too long and we get past it, and get back to our normal routine,” Bermudez said.

Despite early concerns about widespread gridlock, transportation officials said the region has avoided the worst-case scenario. Traffic remains heavy in areas near detours, but the anticipated “carmageddon” has not materialized, in part because many drivers chose to avoid the area or take public transit.

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