Wyoming

Republican Brent Bien First To Announce Campaign For Wyoming Governor In 2026

Published

1 year ago

November 17, 2024

Republican Brent Bien First To Announce Campaign For Wyoming Governor In 2026

BIG PINEY — The first candidate to throw his name in the ring for Wyoming governor in the 2026 election is Cody Republican Brent Bien.

Bien told Cowboy State Daily on Saturday at the Wyoming Republican Party Central Committee meeting in Big Piney that he’s running for governor in 2026. Bien believes he can bring strong leadership to Wyoming and represent the voice of the people.

“It’s like any corporation, any entity, the climate is all set by whoever’s leading,” he said. “It’s community climate and having a direction where Wyoming is going to be 10 years from now, where is it going to be five years from now, where’s it going to be next year?”

Bien ran for governor in 2022, finishing a distant second to Gov. Mark Gordon in the GOP primary out of four candidates.

Bien was a relative unknown in the Wyoming political scene headed into that election and was outraised by Gordon financially roughly five to one.

Since that time, Bien has gained much larger statewide recognition, staying actively involved in politics and spearheading a ballot initiative campaign over the past 18 months to cut property taxes by 50% in Wyoming, which is nearly guaranteed to go to voters in 2026.

The 2026 Field

Bien is officially announcing his campaign substantially earlier than any candidates did for the past two governor elections, but that could be because there have been at least a handful of Republican names already tossed around as potential hopefuls for Wyoming governor in 2026.

Gordon and Secretary of State Chuck Gray did not immediately respond to Cowboy State Daily’s request for comment.

State Treasurer Curt Meier said he doesn’t want to run for governor, but may be forced to if changes aren’t made to his office and the Secretary of State’s Office that he wants to see take place.

There have also been rumors that Gordon may consider a run for a third term, but the governor has been noncommittal about this and numerous sources have said he would have to take the matter to court to get it approved.

“Whoever’s going to run, let them jump in,” Bien said. “If he (Gordon) wants to challenge it, let him jump in and let the folks decide when the time comes.”

Bien said he’ll support any candidate in the race who he thinks will advance liberty, but said that’s a high bar to achieve.

“I’m very picky when it comes down to who I’m going to trust my liberty to, and right now I’m not seeing it,” Bien said.

Bien’s Platform

Bien is a hardline conservative who believes Wyoming is headed in a negative direction despite President-elect Donald Trump winning the election and the Wyoming Freedom Caucus taking over a majority in the House.

“On the right side of the equation of politics we have a tendency to sit back on our laurels after we have a good victory,” Bien said. “Now is the time to capitalize.”

Bien grew up in Laramie and served in the Marines for 28 years. He retired to Wyoming in 2019 after finishing his military career as officer-in-charge of the U.S. Marine Corps base on Guam.

Bien believes there has been a lack of principled, conservative leadership in Wyoming and wants the state to become more self-sufficient to create better individual liberties.

“That’s what makes America so great, it’s that self-governance,” Bien said.

Bien wants to make enshrining civil liberties and freedom the cornerstones of his campaign agenda to reduce federal government overreach in Wyoming.

He said he believes the federal government has allowed an anti-American, globalist, elitist agenda to pervade society and undermine constitutional rights, putting the government’s priorities over its people.

Bien asserts that the government should work for and gain the trust of its people, not the other way around.

“I really believe that the strength of every relationship, no matter what it is, revolves around trust,” Bien said. “If the folks trust you, there’s no telling what we can do with this state.”

He also believes Wyoming has become a corporatocracy, with its state lands being sold off to the highest bidder. The State Board of Land Commissioners recently approved a $100 million sale of the iconic Kelly Parcel to Grand Teton National Park after a call to put the land up for public auction was rejected last year.

Taking up the property tax initiative, he believes, was one step in his fight against this. If elected governor, Bien said he will continue to address this issue.

“This all comes down to our liberty because without our liberty we own nothing, we have nothing,” Bien said.

Earlier this year, Bien’s BCR Voter Initiatives started a new campaign to require all Wyoming election ballots be counted by hand, and Bien said he will make election integrity a major priority of his campaign.

He also wants all judges and the attorney general elected by a public vote in Wyoming. These positions are currently selected by the governor.

Bien said he has no concerns about fundraising this go-around and feels confident about his chances because of the network he’s built around the state.

“We do have a lot bigger groundswell right now, a lot bigger network,” he said.

Leo Wolfson can be reached at leo@cowboystatedaily.com.

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Wyoming

Wyoming’s Title X Family Planning network remains a critical part of the state’s health care system

Published

10 hours ago

April 22, 2026

Press Room

Wyoming’s Title X Family Planning network remains a critical part of the state’s health care system

When a clinic closes in Wyoming, it doesn’t just close a door; it can cut off access to care for entire communities.

For many residents, getting to a health care provider already means traveling long distances across multiple counties, and local clinics are often the only nearby option for basic health care. With one Title X Family Planning clinic in western Wyoming now closed, the challenge is becoming even more real for many people.

Reproductive and sexual health care is a key part of overall health, but it’s often one of the first services people lose access to when clinics close. Title X Family Planning is a federal program that helps people get essential preventive care, no matter their income. These clinics offer services like birth control, cancer screenings, STI and HIV testing, and care before pregnancy. They help people stay healthy, catch problems early, and plan for their futures.

The need is real. Wyoming’s Title X Family Planning network remains a critical part of the state’s health care system, helping bridge gaps in both access and affordability. With 9 clinics currently serving communities across the state, these providers cared for nearly 12,000 patients through more than 28,000 visits between 2022 and 2025. For many, these clinics are their only source of care: 49% of patients were uninsured, and nearly half were living at or below the federal poverty level.

In a state where distance and cost can both be barriers, affordable care is essential. About 14.6% of Wyoming women ages 19–44 are uninsured, higher than the national average. Title X clinics help meet this need by offering low- or no-cost care, while also connecting patients to referrals and additional health services when needed, ensuring more individuals can get the care they deserve.

These clinics are also on the front lines of prevention. In recent years, they delivered more than 3,100 cervical cancer screenings and about 20,000 STI and HIV tests. Services like these support early detection and treatment, helping reduce the need for more serious and costly care down the line.

In rural states like Wyoming, once a clinic closes, it is very hard to bring it back. These clinics are more than buildings; they are part of the local health care system that keeps communities healthy.

The good news is that Title X Family Planning clinics are still open, working every day to serve their communities. The Wyoming Health Council supports this network of clinics and works to ensure that people across the state can access the care they need. Through partnerships, education, and community-based programs, the organization helps connect Wyoming residents to reproductive and sexual health services, no matter where they live.

In a state where distance, cost, and provider shortages all play a role, these clinics, and the work supporting them, are more than just a convenience. They are a lifeline.

To help sustain this work and protect access to care across Wyoming, consider making a donation to the Wyoming Health Council.

Donation Link: givebutter.com/WYTitleX

Required Federal Funding statement:
This project is supported by the Office of Populations Affairs (OPA) and the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health (OASH) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award 1 FPHPA 006541-0-00 totaling $978,380 with 100 percent funded by OPA/OASH/HHS. The contents are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by OPA/OASH/HHS or the U.S. Government.

PAID FOR BY WYOMING HEALTH COUNCIL
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Wyoming

Casper approves Wyoming Boulevard property rezoning

Published

22 hours ago

April 21, 2026

Press Room

Casper approves Wyoming Boulevard property rezoning

CASPER, Wyo. — The Casper City Council voted Tuesday to approve on first reading a zoning change for a vacant 2.4-acre parcel located at 1530 SE Wyoming Boulevard, transitioning the property from residential to commercial use.

The ordinance reclassifies Lot 4 of the Methodist Church Addition from Residential Estate to General Business. Located between East 15th and East 18th streets, the irregular-shaped property has remained undeveloped since it was first platted in 1984.

While original plans for the subdivision envisioned a church and an associated preschool, Community Development Director Liz Becher reported those projects never materialized.

According to Becher, the applicant sought the rezoning to facilitate the potential installation of a cell tower or an off-premises sign. Under the new C-2 designation, a cell tower up to 130 feet in height is considered a permitted use by right, though any off-premises sign would still require a conditional use permit from the Planning and Zoning Commission. The applicant also owns the adjacent lot to the north, which the city rezoned to general business in 2021.

Becher said the change aligns with the “Employment Mixed Use” classification in the Generation Casper comprehensive land use plan. This designation typically supports civic, institutional and employment spaces.

Despite the new zoning, the property remains subject to a subdivision agreement that limits traffic access. Entry and exit are restricted to right turns onto or from East 15th Street, and no access is permitted from East 18th Street.

The council will vote on two more readings of the ordinance before it is officially ratified.

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Wyoming

Two men detained in Wyoming in connection with deadly shooting at downtown Salt Lake hotel

Published

1 day ago

April 21, 2026

Press Room

Two men detained in Wyoming in connection with deadly shooting at downtown Salt Lake hotel

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Two men were detained in Wyoming in connection with a fatal shooting at a downtown Salt Lake hotel that killed one man.

Carlos Chee, 23, and Chino Aguilar, 21, were both wanted for first-degree felony murder after the victim, identified as Christian Lee, 32, was found dead in a room at the Springhill Suites near 600 South and 300 West.

According to warrants issued for their arrest, Chee and Aguilar met with Lee and another woman at the hotel to sell marijuana. During the alleged drug deal, Aguilar allegedly shot and killed Lee after he tried to grab at his gun.

MORE | Shootings

Investigators said they found Lee dead in the room upon arrival, as well as a single shell casing on the floor and a small amount of marijuana on the television stand.

The woman told investigators she had met Chee on a dating app and that he agreed to come to the hotel to sell her marijuana. She had been hanging out with him in the room, which Lee rented for her to use, when Lee asked them to leave. Lee was then shot and killed following a brief confrontation.

Chee and Aguilar allegedly fled the scene in a 2013 Toyota Camry with a Texas license plate that was later found outside of Rock Springs, Wyoming just a few hours later.

The two men were taken into custody and detained at the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office.

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