Wyoming
Opinion | Wyoming anti-Trump protests sent a message to MAGA movement
Wyoming got a lot less red on Saturday. And boy, am I inspired.
Combined, thousands of people gathered in cities throughout Wyoming as part of the national “Hands Off!” peaceful protests against Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and their attempt to ruin everything “the land of the free and the home of the brave” is supposed to stand for.
It was a moment of hope when that feeling has been in short supply for everyone watching the nightmarish Trump Train barrelling across the country as people worry about so many things. Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Workers and students living here legally swept from their homes and put in jail. Abandoned allies, especially war-torn Ukraine, facing a future fraught with danger.
Plus, a plunging stock market and skyrocketing prices for groceries and other essentials. I wonder how many Trump voters who were worried about the thriving economy we had will be happy when they check out at the supermarket today.
I asked Facebook friends from around the state to fill me in on what happened at protests. They offered some great insights about a day when Democrats, frustrated Republicans and independents united to show their disgust with the “Department of Government Efficiency” headed by Trump’s top donor, the increasingly unhinged Musk.
You know the times are really changing when you see a cowboy in ultra-red Cody on horseback carrying a “Down with DOGE” sign. The lines in the city were four blocks long when the march began.
One of the participants was Ryan Chafee, a first-time protester.
“I was worried I would be one of the only people in attendance,” he wrote. “My fiance and I were relieved to see a bunch of like-minded people here in little ol’ Cody.”
The event reminded Chafee he’s not crazy for feeling the way he does about how the country is rapidly going downhill.
“I heard speeches and stories that made me feel like I’m not just screaming into the void,” he wrote. “My fellow neighbors and countrymen were all exercising their rights as citizens. It was a very positive experience despite the frustrating nature that made all of us gather.”
One of my favorite signs of the many Wyoming protest photos published is one in Cody: “Grandma worked in the B-42 factory to free her great-great-grandchildren from fascists and Nazis.”
Janine Boyle Cole of Cheyenne wrote that she went to the Capitol in honor of her father, a World War II prisoner of war.
“I went today for my dad, for democracy,” she explained. “This country is amazing with all the diversity and I don’t want to lose it to this corrupt administration.”
In Casper, someone dressed in a very creative Bigfoot costume, expressed his ire at one of Wyoming’s biggest Trump sycophants, U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman, with this awesome sign: “Why are you hiding, Harriet?”
Tom Rea of Casper told me he struck up a conversation with a protester he guessed was a Trump voter. “There are so many friends I can’t even talk to anymore; this Trump stuff is terrible,” the man said. “My retirement fund has lost $60,000 in the past month and a half.”
Lindsey Hanlon of Cheyenne, where more than 300 people rallied at the Capitol, felt compelled to attend the protests “because they represent everything about Wyoming that Trump and his enablers seek to destroy: community, creativity, passion, bravery and empathy.”
“The Trump regime is turning a firehose of awfulness on us to make us fearful, compliant and lonely,” Hanlon wrote. “He is destroying the institutions we trust and actively encouraging people to turn on [one] another.
“The Wyoming I grew up in didn’t believe in bullies and in kings, and we are not going to quietly accept people deconstructing our home,” she added.
Amen. That’s exactly how I feel. As a “military brat” whose father’s last assignment was at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, I dreamed of moving back to my temporary hometowns in California, Pennsylvania and New York, or Tennessee, which most of my relatives adopted as their new home in the 1970s.
Many readers have suggested over the years that I go back to where I came from. I know that would please them, but there’s not a chance it’ll happen, folks. Wyoming has everything I want: small cities, extraordinary landscapes and friendly people.
Well, I would change a few things, like less wind and snow. And the state’s politics. When my family moved here, Democrats could actually get elected. When I began my journalism career and started covering the Legislature, I saw how different sides of the aisle could join together to pass good legislation.
It was the antithesis of today’s Freedom Caucus, which is chock full of people who want the power to tear down the separation of church and state so they can pass bills that fit their extreme religious beliefs. That’s why the Legislature’s agenda consists of banning abortion, punishing LGBTQ individuals and joining Trump in destroying the federal government.
We need legislators committed to improving life for hardworking Wyomingites, building a more diverse economy, and providing a better safety net for the poor.
Chafee thinks political compromise is still possible here. “I am reaching out with love to anyone on the other side of the picket line, talk to me,” he wrote. “Although I may be considered a ‘political adversary,’ you might find we agree on most of the things in our day-to-day life.”
This isn’t just a pipe dream. I think the protests that attracted more than 2 million people throughout the U.S. are building blocks to greater things and better times. The numbers in Wyoming — including more than 400 in Laramie, 300 in both Casper and Sheridan, 150 in Rock Springs — are signs that Wyoming will be a part of the growing anti-Trump movement.
Protests were also held in Buffalo, Gillette, Jackson, Lander, Pinedale and Sheridan.
Here’s a confession: When I’ve called myself an optimist in this column over the past dozen years, I was kidding. But now I’m pleased to tell you I’m finally hopeful, for real.
While anti-Trump demonstrations played out in about 1,200 cities, including a protest that drew more than 100,000 in Washington, D.C., and a small one near the president’s home in Florida, he was playing in a senior tournament at one of his golf courses.
The White House released a statement saying that Trump placed first in his second-round match-up, followed by Sunday’s bulletin that he won his own tournament!
What a great way to end his pretty horrible week. Trump started a global trade war that angered most of the world, and watched as Wall Street braced for a possible recession of his making.
Trump decided to play golf even after being roasted by veterans’ groups for skipping a ceremony that honored four fallen service members. Then came the protests.
Now, it’s time to keep the momentum going. Many people all over the state now realize they are not alone; people share their vision for improving our nation and stopping the administration’s destructive action.
It’s difficult for both progressives and moderates to engage with strangers without knowing if they are going to be dismissed or bullied for being in the minority.
In the wake of these protests, it’s important for those of us who want the country to move in a positive direction to unite. Talk to your friends, neighbors and anyone you can persuade to come to the next rally. If each person encourages at least one or two people to turn our for the next protest, and these recruits follow suit, this can lead to monumental changes. Nothing happens immediately, but be prepared for the long haul. It will be worth it.
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Wyoming Sun Bucks is a net gain for children, families
Dear Casper,
Rep. Ken Pendergraft’s recent column opposing the Sun Bucks program raises concerns about cost, but it does so in a way that risks giving readers an incomplete picture.
It is true that the Department of Family Services requested approximately $3.5 million for startup and operations. However, that figure represents a combined state and federal investment, split evenly. Wyoming’s share is half of that — and more importantly, those dollars are not intended to purchase food directly. They fund the administrative framework required to deliver federally funded benefits to eligible children.
Those responsibilities are not trivial. They include verifying eligibility, processing applications, maintaining technology systems, preventing fraud and ensuring benefits are accurately distributed. Without that infrastructure, the program simply cannot function, and no child would receive assistance.
The initial startup cost of $1.6 million covers one-time expenses such as building the IT system, setting up application processing, contracting with the EBT vendor that issues and loads benefit cards, and establishing temporary staffing and support systems to serve families statewide. This is not “an office for one person,” but the foundation of a program designed to reach roughly 32,000 children.
Once operational, the ongoing cost to Wyoming is estimated at about $483,000 per year in state funds. In return, the program would deliver approximately $3.84 million annually in federal food benefits to Wyoming children. That is a significant net gain for families across the state.
While the article emphasizes administrative expenses, it overlooks the scale of the benefit those costs unlock. The question is not whether administration exists — it must — but whether the outcome justifies the investment. In this case, a relatively modest state contribution enables millions in direct food assistance to flow into Wyoming communities.
Reasonable people can debate the role of government programs. But that debate should be grounded in a full accounting of both costs and benefits. When viewed in that light, the Sun Bucks program is less about bureaucracy and more about whether Wyoming chooses to participate in a federally funded effort to help ensure children have access to food during the summer months.
Mike Thompson, Chairman of the Department of Family Services Oversight Council
Evansville
Wyoming GOP endorsement of candidates
Dear Casper,
I have read about the plans for the Wyoming Republican party to endorse specific candidates in the upcoming primary election. It is my understanding that the state law currently prevents the Wyoming Republican party from officially endorsing a candidate. I agree with the party’s position that this is not in keeping with the party and its members’ First Amendment right to free speech.
However, I think that the party should be careful in exercising this right. As the purpose of the primary election is to select the candidate that the majority of the registered Republican party members feel is best suited for the position, it feels like there could be a conflict of interest in explicitly endorsing a specific candidate without receiving the input from all of the registered members of the party.
Without seeking the input of the entire Republican electorate, how will the party itself provide a fair and accurate endorsement of a candidate? I certainly hope that the party leadership is not intending to offer an endorsement on behalf of the entire party based simply on what they (the leadership) might believe. To offer such an endorsement without seeking the input from all of the party members would be anti-democratic and would invoke Orwellian images of the party which, rather than listening to and responding to the input from the party members, would tell the party members what they should think.
If the members of the party leadership wish to offer an endorsement, they should do so as individuals and should not presume to speak for the entire membership of the party, at least not before the entire Republican electorate has had a chance to provide input regarding a party-level endorsement.
To circumvent this problem, I would recommend that the Republican party hold a vote among all of its registered members to determine whom the party ought to endorse. Maybe we could hold an event where polling places are established, where party members can go to indicate their preference for that endorsement. This would provide a fair and democratic method to ensure that the Republican party’s endorsement reflects the will of the party members.
I think that there might be an event similar to what I have described scheduled for Aug. 18. Maybe the party could do more or less the same thing for their endorsement event — or just wait until then.
Carlos Buckner
Casper
Related
The 2026 Wyoming High School boys’ soccer season is close to its finish. Only three weeks remain. 4A teams will conclude the regular season, as they jockey for positions going into next week’s regional tournaments. Meanwhile, 3A schools have this week and next week left in the regular season. They are trying to reach the top four of the league standings, as those are the teams that qualify for the state tournament in two weeks.
WYOPREPS WEEK 8 BOYS SOCCER SCHEDULE 2026
Three matches this week feature ranked opponents squaring off. Sheridan will host Thunder Basin on Friday. In 3A on Saturday, top-ranked Cody is at No. 5 Mountain View, and four-rated Torrington goes to No. 2 Buffalo. Just like the ladies, you have some rivalry matches on the schedule with Rock Springs-Green River, Jackson-Star Valley, and Thunder Basin-Campbell County. Wednesday will bring new soccer rankings. This is the boys’ schedule for Week 8. Schedules are subject to change.
TUESDAY, MAY 5:
CLASS 4A
Final Score: #2 Sheridan 2 Campbell County 1 (conference match)
Final Score: Riverton 3 Natrona County 1 (conference match)
CLASS 3A
Pinedale at Rawlins – postponed to May 11 – changed to May 9 for boys’ match only!
WEDNESDAY, MAY 6:
CLASS 4A
Laramie at Cheyenne Central – postponed to May 9
Cheyenne South at Cheyenne East – postponed to May 9
Read More Soccer News from WyoPreps
WyoPreps Boys Soccer Standings on 5-4-26
WyoPreps Week 7 Boys Soccer Scores 2026
WyoPreps Coaches and Media Soccer Polls 4-29-26
Nominate a Boys Soccer Player for WyoPreps Athlete of the Week
WyoPreps Week 6 Boys Soccer Scores 2026
WyoPreps Coaches & Media Soccer Polls 4-22-26
WyoPreps Boys Soccer Standings on 4-20-26
WyoPreps Week 5 Boys Soccer Scores 2026
WyoPreps Coaches & Media Soccer Polls 4-15-26
WyoPreps Week 4 Boys Soccer Scores 2026
WyoPreps Week 3 Boys Soccer Scores 2026
WyoPreps Week 2 Boys Soccer Scores 2026
WyoPreps Week 1 Boys Soccer Scores 2026
THURSDAY, MAY 7:
CLASS 4A
Final Score: #1 Jackson 8 Star Valley 2 (conference match)
Final Score: #4 Thunder Basin 3 Campbell County 1 (conference match)
Final Score: Rock Springs 2 #5 Green River 1 (conference match)
FRIDAY, MAY 8:
CLASS 4A
Final Score: Cheyenne Central 6 Cheyenne South 0 (conference match)
Final Score: #2 Sheridan 3 #4 Thunder Basin 1 (conference match)
Final Score: #2 Kelly Walsh 6 Riverton 0 (conference match)
Final Score: Laramie 3 Cheyenne East 1 (conference match)
Final Score: Evanston 2 Natrona County 2 – TIE (conference match) – Red Devils scored with 1 second left for the draw.
CLASS 3A
Final Score: #4 Worland 1 Rawlins 0 (conference match) – Kobe Bradshaw scored the GW goal on a PK in the 1st half.
Final Score: Douglas 2 Torrington 2 (conference match) – Shootout = Torrington wins 4-3!
Final Score: #1 Cody Lyman (conference match)
Final Score: #2 Lander 3 Pinedale 0 (conference match)
Final Score: Powell 1 #5 Mountain View 0 (conference match) – Gianrey Dallesandro with the GW-goal, assisted by Ethan Frame.
Final Score: #3 Buffalo 1 Newcastle 0 (conference match) – forfeit win for the Bison.
SATURDAY, MAY 9:
CLASS 4A
Laramie at Cheyenne Central, 11 a.m. (conference match)
Evanston at #2 Kelly Walsh, noon (conference match)
Cheyenne South at Cheyenne East, noon (conference match)
Riverton at Natrona County, noon (conference match)
Rock Springs at Star Valley, 1 p.m. (conference match)
CLASS 3A
Pinedale at Rawlins, 11 a.m.
#1 Cody at #5 Mountain View, noon (conference match)
Powell at Lyman, noon (conference match)
Torrington at #3 Buffalo, 2 p.m. (conference match)
#4 Worland at Douglas, 2 p.m. (conference match)
Final Score: Rawlins 1 Newcastle 0 (conference match) – forfeit win for the Outlaws.
Cheyenne Central vs. Cheyenne East HS Softball 2026
The Indians faced the rival Thunderbirds on April 15, 2026
Gallery Credit: David Settle, WyoPreps.com
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