GOP Gubernatorial Candidate Considering Constitution Party Run
A Rock Springs veterinarian who has run as a Republican in three past statewide campaigns for office in Idaho and Wyoming says he is considering switching to the Constitution Party in his latest run.
Rex Rammel threw his hat into the ring in the Wyoming governor's race earlier this year, billing himself as "Wyoming's Donald Trump," when he announced for the office in January.
While the period for Wyoming political campaigns to file the formal paperwork needed to officially run for office isn't until late May, Rammel announced that he planned to enter the Republican primary for governor.
But in a just-released letter to state Republican officials, Rammel brought up the possibility of running under the Constitution party banner. He also accused many Wyoming Republicans of not actually believing in the party's platform. He also criticized outgoing Governor Matt Mead, saying he "has by many measures failed as a Republican governor." He also blamed "vote splitting" for his failure to win past Republican primary battles.
In his letter, Rammel said he will make a decision about whether to leave the GOP within the next couple of weeks.
Rammel ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate in Idaho in 2008 and governor of that state in 2010.
He later moved to Wyoming and ran unsuccessfully in the Republican primary for Wyoming's U.S. House seat in 2016. One of his main issues in his run for governor of Wyoming has been seizing federal lands in the state, by force if necessary.
His campaign website bills him as "T-Rex Rammel," with the slogan "Take a bite out of the feds."
However, he has also said that he is hopeful President Trump would agree to turn over federal land to the states without the use of force.