Wyoming is not just where we live; it is who we are. Our identity is etched into the granite of the Tetons, carved by the winds of the Red Desert, and rooted in the vast sagebrush seas that sustain our way of life. These public lands are our heritage, our playground, and our economic backbone. They belong to every Wyomingite who has ever cast a line in a mountain stream or watched a sunrise over the High Plains.

That is why my position is unwavering: we must keep public lands in public hands.

Lately, we have seen a disturbing trend from those who claim to represent us. There is a growing, reckless push among some politicians to “transfer” or “dispose” of our federal lands. Let’s be clear: in Wyoming, “transfer” is often just a polite word for “sale.”

Our current U.S. Representative, Harriet Hageman, has consistently championed the “No Net Gain” policy and supported measures that would force the federal government to relinquish land. While she frames this as “fighting federal overreach,” the reality is much more dangerous. By treating our public acreage like a bargaining chip, she ignores the massive financial burden the state would face to manage these millions of acres—costs for wildfire suppression alone could bankrupt our state treasury.

Furthermore, several of the Republican candidates vying for this same House seat have signaled their support for “extinguishing federal title” to these lands. They speak of state sovereignty, yet they offer no plan for how Wyoming would maintain access for hunters, anglers, and hikers once the land is gone.

I am angry. I am angry because these proposals are being pushed without forethought or a clear plan for what happens next. When public land is transferred to the state, and the state cannot afford the management costs, those lands are sold to the highest bidder. Gates go up. “No Trespassing” signs appear. The pristine vistas we love become private playgrounds for the ultra-wealthy, and the “Wyoming Way of Life” becomes a relic of the past.

It is a betrayal of the trust we place in our leaders. They should be working to improve management and increase local input, not looking for the nearest exit sign to offload our birthright.

I believe in the Multiple Use mandate. We can have responsible energy development and grazing while protecting our watersheds and wildlife. But we cannot do any of that if we no longer own the land.

I will fight every attempt to sell off our public lands. I will stand against the short-sighted politicians who see our mountains and prairies as line items on a ledger. Our public lands are the soul of Wyoming, and I will keep them where they belong: in your hands.