Those races also represent a larger, pressing question looming over the 2026 election — will voters give the Wyoming Freedom Caucus more power in Cheyenne? Bear, a Navy veteran, is now running for his fourth term in House District 31, which encompasses Gillette’s eastern flank. Dave Hardesty, an educator and veteran, is seeking signatures to appear as an independent candidate for House District 31 on the general election ballot. The SenateDuring the most recent legislative session, the Wyoming Senate stood as an obstacle to multiple Freedom Caucus budgetary priorities. Voters first elected Pendergraft, a Freedom Caucus member, to House District 29 in 2022.