…Yes, Apparently There Is One
Let’s not kid ourselves—Wyoming is deeply conservative and proudly Republican. It has been since before statehood. But here’s the twist: that same frontier heritage that bred “rugged individualism” also fostered a culture of mutual aid and collective survival. It’s the paradox baked into our two nicknames—The Cowboy State and The Equality State. This article is part of a series exploring how life in Wyoming isn’t quite the conservative monolith outsiders expect.
Granted, “more liberal than you might think” isn’t a high bar—but we’re clearing it anyway.
Party Politics in Red Territory
At first glance, it’d be fair to assume the Democratic Party in Wyoming is more of an idea than an organization. And in some places, that’s not far off. There are counties without local committees, without chairs, without any visible sign of political life.
Pull up a county-level map and you’ll see one very blue county, one faintly purplish one, and a sea of Republican red. It’d be easy to assume those two are the only places where Democrats even exist. But reality is—as it often is—messier.
Yes, Teton County (home of Jackson, ski resorts, and more Subarus per capita than anywhere else in the state) is a Democratic stronghold. But interestingly, they don’t list regular meeting times. They do, however, maintain a website and a couple of social media accounts.
Meanwhile, other counties—some less expected—have surprisingly active committees. Sweetwater County Democrats meet monthly, although the location changes, so you have to email or text them to find out where. At first, I wondered if that was a security measure, but honestly, Sweetwater’s just that big. Logistics alone could explain the secrecy.
Then there’s Campbell County—yes, that Campbell County, epicenter of fossil fuel extraction. It’s just west of me in the deeply red northeast corner of the state, and yet, it has an active Democratic committee. Gillette (population 33,403—Saaaa-LUTE) probably accounts for most of that activity.
Even Weston County, which has no cities even remotely that size, has a Democratic committee. Weston!
On the other hand, Teton County’s lack of regular meetings is odd—but we’ve covered that.
The only other county to show up blue on D.B.’s map is Albany, home to the University of Wyoming in Laramie. No surprises there. Where there are college students, there are Democrats.
Crook County: Yours Truly
Now let’s talk about home—Crook County. Possibly the reddest county in the entire state. But we do have a Democratic Party chair. That’s more than some counties can say.
What we don’t have: a website, a social media page, a phone number, an address, a regular meeting schedule, or a meeting place. Honestly, we’re just one paranoid newsletter away from becoming a political cryptid.
Still, there’s potential. I may reach out and introduce myself. Worst case, I get to have a very awkward coffee with the only other registered Democrat for 60 miles.
