It's not too early to start thinking about Wyoming's next Governor

One side benefit to the widening story of judicial interference in the authorized plenary powers of a co-equal branch of the federal government, i.e. the executive branch, should give Wyomingites pause to begin thinking more seriously of the implications of our state judiciary.

We tend to focus quite of bit of attention on our legislature and on the governor, but too little on the Wyoming judicial system. Without delving too deeply into the gritty details of our state’s system of appointing and retaining judges, it suffices to understand that the key player in this matter in Wyoming is our governor. He is the official who, based on recommendations from the state bar association, makes the ultimate decision as to the appointment of all judges in Wyoming from the district and circuit judges to the Wyoming Supreme Court. [Note: The Wyoming Attorney General works for and is appointed by the Governor also.]

As long as judges preside over their assigned courts and cases in a truly objective manner, our constitutional order can proceed in a rational manner. However, as we’re seeing at the federal level, judges can, at times, succumb to the very human condition of permitting their own personal political beliefs and their ideological proclivities to creep into what should be the objective process of applying the law as written and ratified by the people’s representatives to every case at issue before them.

We can expect the Wyoming gubernatorial campaign to begin very shortly. One matter which appears to have been seriously unattended to is the matter of the basis upon which a candidate for governor will approach the matter of judicial appointments. I believe this matter deserves our full attention as the 2026 campaign begins to unfold.

Wyomingites need to question all candidates for governor in detail as to this crucially important matter. It’s far too late to lament the appointment (and retention) of judges whose rulings from the bench appear to be politically motivated. Given the abnormally high retention rate of Wyoming judges every election cycle, it is of paramount important to elect a governor who will carefully, thoughtfully, and seriously carry out his/her function of judicial appointments.

I urge each Republican in this state to make sure that this issue receives the very high level of consideration it deserves throughout the upcoming debates, town hall meetings, and other campaign events which will unfold over the next year. This is too important a matter to allow it to slip through the cracks due to a lack of awareness, to apathy, or inattention to it.

Charles Cole,

Sheridan