John Wetzel

Powell Mayor John Wetzel says he’s been thinking about running for the Legislature for some time, but the recent actions of the Wyoming Freedom Caucus made up his mind.

“What I’ve watched this session isn’t governing — it’s a group of legislators making it harder for Wyoming communities to take care of themselves,” Wetzel said in a Monday statement announcing his candidacy for House District 25.

The 63-year-old Republican added in an interview that, “I just don’t feel like these guys are looking at what’s good for Powell.”

The seat is currently held by Rep. Paul Hoeft, R-Powell, a Freedom Caucus member who was elected in 2024. Hoeft, who’s currently in Cheyenne for the ongoing Budget Session, told the Tribune in a Monday text that he’s planning to seek reelection.

That sets up a face off in the Aug. 18 Republican primary election.

In his Monday comments, Wetzel criticized several actions by more conservative lawmakers — including a proposed $40 million budget cut to the University of Wyoming, the proposed defunding of the Wyoming Business Council, a proposed reshuffling of public school funding that he believes erodes local district control and a rejection of federal funding for a summer food program for children.

Wetzel also faulted efforts to prohibit taxpayer dollars from going to associations that do governmental lobbying, saying lawmakers have “a lack of understanding of what WAM [the Wyoming Association of Municipalities] and the [Wyoming] County Commissioners Association do for the state.” He noted the training and education they provide.

For Hoeft’s part, he’s defended the Freedom Caucus’ proposed cuts as an attempt to craft a responsible budget that limits growth and “right-sizes” state government. He also said taxpayers want relief from governmental associations that “many times” lobby against things that taxpayers want.

While the Freedom Caucus says its agenda reflects the will of voters, Wetzel said he doesn’t know who they’re talking to, as he’s heard from “lots” of frustrated people.

“I don’t want to exaggerate, but my phone has rang every other week for the last six months to say people don’t feel like they’re being represented, and would I run,” he said.

Wetzel is midway through his second full term as mayor, having been reelected in 2024. If he’s voted into the House, the city council would need to pick one of its members to serve out the remainder of Wetzel’s mayoral term.

He has served in the city government since early 2007, starting as a councilman. He made an unsuccessful run for the Park County Commission in 2012 and became Powell’s mayor in early 2017.

“It’s never been my goal to be a politician,” Wetzel said Monday, “but I have enjoyed and felt like I’ve been successful with the City of Powell.”

He cited the construction of the Powell Aquatic Center, broadband development and the reconstruction of Absaroka Street and the city’s electrical substation as accomplishments.

In his statement, Wetzel said he’s running “because this community deserves a representative who knows that good government builds communities instead of tearing them down.”

Outside of his government service, Wetzel was the longtime general manager of the Buyer’s Guide, a weekly shopper that was jointly owned by the Powell Tribune and Cody Enterprise.

Following the publication’s closure in 2022, Wetzel worked for IMPACT 307, a University of Wyoming program that works to aid entrepreneurs and startup businesses. Wetzel then went on to serve as the general manager of Trebro Manufacturing of Billings before recently retiring.

Wetzel’s wife, Shelby, is a part-owner of the Tribune. The couple raised their three children in Powell.

House District 25 encompasses the City of Powell and the surrounding rural areas, including the Willwood. The official filing period for it and other partisan and municipal offices opens on May 14.