Gordon will not seek third term 

CHEYENNE — Gov. Mark Gordon announced Thursday he will not seek a third term as the state’s top elected official, ending months of speculation over whether he would attempt to challenge the state’s gubernatorial term limits.

He told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle that the decision was not a difficult one, and that he was never really in doubt about his future.

“I didn’t really have any grand ideas about serving longer than that. I always feel that these are jobs you do because it’s about service. It’s about giving back. And this is a state that’s given a lot to me, and it’s not about a career,” he said.

Meeting with his full cabinet to outline an agenda for his remaining time in the statehouse, Gordon signaled that he intends to remain highly active until his successor is sworn in next January.

“We are going to run through the tape strong,” he stated in a news release. “We have just come off a solid legislative win, securing the Essentials Budget to help meet the needs of the people of Wyoming, but we are not done yet.”

Gordon’s legacy

Born in New York City in 1957, Gordon was raised on his family’s ranch in Johnson County near Kaycee. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in history from Middlebury College in Vermont in 1979, he returned to Wyoming to work in the oil and gas industry and run recreation and tourism companies.

Gordon’s political career began with an unsuccessful 2008 run for the U.S. House of Representatives against current U.S. Sen. and former Rep. Cynthia Lummis. In 2012, he was appointed as Wyoming state treasurer by then-Gov. Matt Mead, a role he held until 2019.

During his tenure as treasurer, he was ranked in the top 100 “most significant and impactful public investor executives,” according to his website, and Wyoming’s sovereign funds earned a No. 1 ranking for the United States and No. 3 in the world for transparency by the Peterson Institute.

Elected as the state’s 33rd governor in 2018, Gordon navigated Wyoming through the COVID-19 pandemic and an evolving energy market. He won reelection in 2022 with 79% of the vote, the largest win of any gubernatorial candidate in Wyoming’s history.

Reflecting on his time in office

Gordon told the WTE on Thursday there are several things he is proud of achieving while serving as governor, and some things he would have done differently, while attributing what he sees as successes to the people of Wyoming.

“I would like people to remember what they did for this state,” he said.

He views education developments like the RIDE Initiative and the Wyoming Innovation Partnership as successes, along with supporting efforts to diversify the state’s economy.

Throughout his tenure, Gordon has championed an “all-of-the-above” energy strategy, advocating for traditional fossil fuels like coal and gas while simultaneously supporting technological advances in nuclear energy and carbon capture and sequestration, and has posited himself as an anti-abortion politician.

As governor, he has characterized himself as a pragmatic conservative with a focus on fiscal responsibility.

Above all, Gordon said he is most proud of supporting his wife, Jennie, in helping to develop the Wyoming Hunger Initiative, which works to prevent food insecurity across the state.

On what he would have done differently, Gordon said he would have liked to have been “more strident” during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in helping organize teachers and educators on a plan forward before schools shut down.

Priorities for his final term

For the remainder of his administration, Gordon has set a clear agenda focused on pillars like supporting core industries, growing Wyoming’s economy, strengthening local communities and families and safeguarding the state’s natural resources.

To do this, he announced Thursday that he will conduct a series of community visits across Wyoming beginning in June and continuing through the fall. These visits will include public forums and downtown tours, allowing the governor to engage directly with citizens about the state’s future.

“Jennie and I are honored to serve this state, and will continue to do so,” Gordon wrote in the news release, referring to first lady Jennie Gordon.

The governor also intends to use his remaining time to advocate for property tax protections, smart investment of state funds, supporting local control, and stewardship of Wyoming’s wildlife, land and water.

To mark this final phase, Gordon premiered the fifth and final video in “The Essentials Budget” series, which urges leaders to stay focused on priorities, rather than “political noise.”

“You don’t have to be Governor to make a difference in Wyoming,” he wrote in the news release. “Participating in elections is something all of us can do to make a real difference, and these conversations are important to have to ensure everyone makes informed decisions about the future of Wyoming.”

Not seeking third term

The announcement effectively closes the door on rumors that have simmered for years of legal paths to seek a third four-year term. Under state statute set in a 1992 voter- led initiative, a Wyoming governor is prohibited from serving eight or more years in any 16-year period.

While the Wyoming Supreme Court had previously overturned term limits for state legislators and the state’s four other top executive positions, the gubernatorial limit was never specifically challenged or invalidated.

Some state lawmakers, like Sen. Cale Case, R-Lander, have previously expressed support for Gordon seeking a legal challenge to run for a third term, while others, like Secretary of State Chuck Gray, have opposed such a move, according to reporting from the Jackson Hole News&Guide in February.

Had Gordon chosen to seek a third term, the state would likely have faced a legal battle at the Wyoming Supreme Court to decide the fate of the executive term limit. Ultimately, Gordon chose not to pursue this challenge.

When asked about his future on Thursday, the 69-year-old Gordon said he and Jennie are currently sorting out options and have yet to come to a conclusion on what that will look like.

“It’s not like I’m hanging up my spurs and going to go sit on a beach somewhere. There are other roles that I can play,” he said.

2026 gubernatorial race

With Gordon officially stepping aside, the 2026 gubernatorial already hosts a crowded Republican primary. The primary election is scheduled for Aug. 18, with the general election following on Nov. 3.

The following candidates have expressed intent to run or have launched campaigns:

• Sen. Eric Barlow, R-Gillette: Former U.S. Marine and former Speaker of the House.
• Brent Bien (R): A former U.S. Marine who challenged Gordon in the 2022 primary.
• Megan Degenfelder (R): The current state superintendent of public instruction.
• Gabriel Green (D): A Sheridan resident running as a “Democrat-in-name-only.”

Joseph Kibler, a Cheyenne resident who announced his candidacy first as a Republican, then as an Independent with the Constitution Party, announced earlier this month that he is “stepping away from the race.”

As the filing period from May 14-29 approaches, more candidates may announce a bid to succeed Gordon.

Gordon said he does not intend to endorse a successor in the upcoming gubernatorial race. 

However, he said he believes the people of Wyoming are smart enough to elect someone who supports young families and job development and, above all, does not “follow some siren song from out of state ... instead focusing on what is important to Wyoming.”

“We have to make sure that Wyoming declares its own destiny,” he concluded.

This story was published on April 17, 2026.