At Risk: The Character of the Wyoming Republican Party

I believe in voting for the person and not a label. Here is my take on the current split that seems to have developed in the Republican Party in this state.

On Political Labels:

I have been asked recently if I am “Freedom Caucus,” probably so that they can put me in a box. I am not a box-checker. I do not care if someone is a member of a particular caucus or if they are not a member. I care if that individual has a good head on their shoulders and good, fiscally responsible, Constitutional policies – ones that follow the rule of law.

I refuse to give anyone a badge of honor or a free pass for being a member of a caucus or for not being a member of one. Each candidate must demonstrate their own character to the voter. They are not allowed to inherit values and reputation based on their membership status in a particular group within the party one way or the other.

To start asking candidates for a “litmus test” smacks of McCarthyism. It seems to be happening from both ends of the party. This shortcut to voting I find very disturbing. It creates fear where we don’t need it and creates an environment where people start ignoring the opinions and concerns of one group of people over another.

I believe in voting for the person – not a group.

A Call for Integrity:

We should not be voting for or against anyone solely because they identify as being with or against a particular political faction within our own party. I am sure that even within a legislative group like the Freedom Caucus there is disagreement on how to handle different issues.

The Democratic Party is the party of identity-based politics and I will not play that game as a Republican. I do not want to see an us vs them mentality develop and dominate the Wyoming Republican Party, a game that risks splitting our party down the middle and throwing away the values we as Republicans believe in, handing the elections and the control of this state over to the Democrats. If we start acting like the Democrats, it will create a system that is not fair to the voter and not fair to the candidate.

We are not the party of government overreach; we are the party that believes that if you work hard and play by the rules you have every opportunity to thrive. We are the party of individualism. We are not the party of collectivism.

We are the party that doesn’t play these divisive games. We have always, since at least Reagan, been the party that has people in the middle, people on the extreme, but most importantly, people who want to work together in the best interests of this country. We may not always agree on every issue, but we are the party of integrity and character. We are the party that listens to its voters, not special interest groups from within or without.

My Commitment to You:

I will tell you how I intend to vote this primary season. I will vote for the candidates who provide me with the information that proves to me that they know the job and align with the ideals that I believe best suit this country—These candidates all need to remember that first and foremost the job of the government is to protect the people, foster growth by creating a fair playing field, by treating everyone, every industry, equally under the law. They must respect the people, as well as the U.S. and Wyoming Constitutions. No special treatment for any one group, no special treatment for any one industry.

I do not believe that activists should be put in positions of power because they rarely, if ever, listen to both sides of an issue. This is true for all political parties. Both parties have activists; both parties need to remember to listen to their concerns, but always put their weight behind the correct decisions based on facts, not feelings.

We need elected officials willing to listen to the concerns of every member of our party and every voter regardless of party.

We need people in office who are willing to stand on the principles that the Founding Fathers laid out for us in the founding documents of this country. We need people of integrity and principle. We must not play games that will hurt this county, state, or country.

In Conclusion:

So, to answer this question as directly as I am willing: I am a Republican. I am a believer in the Free Market; I am a believer in the individual; I am a believer in this great country and our Constitution. I don’t have time for internal party culture wars. What about you?

Cameron Savage

Candidate, Natrona County Commissioner