Members of the Park County Republican Party will gather Saturday for the party’s biennial caucuses.

“In my estimation, the caucus is one of the most important events that we have … because it gives every registered Republican a voice in the party,” said Park County GOP Chairman Martin Kimmet, adding “Everybody gets a say.”

On Saturday, the vast majority of county Republicans will meet at Bicentennial Hall at the Park County Fairgrounds, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. However, GOP members in Clark will caucus at the Clark Fire Hall from 1-3 p.m. while those in the Ralston and Heart Mountain areas will gather at the Mountain View Clubhouse from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

While the word “caucus” may bring to mind the idea of voting for presidential candidates, that’s not what happens at the Wyoming Republican Party’s caucuses.

Republicans who attend Saturday’s event will instead weigh in on the direction of the county and state parties, being able to recommend changes to the party’s platform and positions the party should take on specific policies or ideas (known as resolutions).

The platform, consisting of two pages and 12 separate planks, lays out “timeless truths” that the party considers its guiding principles. They include, among others, supporting state rights and capitalism, opposing gay marriage and abortion and calling for publicly funded charter schools and a voucher system.

Kimmet sees the platform as foundational for elected officials who run as Republicans.

“To me, if you’re going to be a Republican, then you follow the platform,” Kimmet said.

In 2020, the chairman specifically said that he wants to see local GOP lawmakers elected who follow the platform at least 80 percent of the time.

“The platform is really our laws. That’s our beliefs,” Kimmet said. “And if you don’t like that, then you really should become a Democrat or an independent or a Constitutionalist, if you’re way far to the right or whatever.”

Of course, if someone doesn’t like the planks in the Park County Republican Party’s platform, they also have a chance on Saturday “to try to get rid of them,” Kimmet said.

GOP members can also weigh in on the county party’s resolutions; in 2018, the party passed 88 different resolutions on a host of issues that ranged from requiring commercial truck drivers to read and speak English to Congressional term limits.

Kimmet says he’s not expecting any particularly contentious items to be brought up, but believes there will be some differences of opinion. Last year, the county party went through some turmoil when three leaders — Vice Chairman Joyce Boyer, State Committeewoman Denise Shirley and Treasurer Jennifer Lohrenz — resigned their posts because of “irreconcilable differences” with Kimmet. Robert Ferguson was later selected as the new vice chair, Sherry Johnson as state committeewoman and Robin Berry as treasurer.

Although any member of the party can lobby for or against the party’s resolutions and platform planks at the caucuses, the decision will ultimately rest with the party’s precinct committeemen and women.

Those party officials, elected in the 2018 Republican primary election, and any needed alternates will vote on the platform and resolutions at the party’s March 28 convention at the Cody VFW.

At the convention, Park County’s committee people will also select multiple delegates to attend the state party’s convention while choosing one delegate to the Republican National Convention — presumably one who will support President Donald Trump. While a couple Republicans have sought to challenge against Trump on a national level, they have gained little traction and have not campaigned in Wyoming.

Kimmet said he believes that Trump “very much” holds the support of local Republicans.

“His methods sometimes, or the way he does it, you wonder a little bit; he gets a little boisterous and stuff,” Kimmet said. “But in my mind, he’s done an excellent job.”

The chairman specifically praised Trump for the judges he’s appointed, for strengthening the U.S. and improving America’s stature around the world.

Meanwhile, Democrats are in the process of choosing who they will pit against Trump in November’s election. Park County Democrats will get a chance to weigh in on the party’s presidential nominee at their own caucuses, scheduled for April 4 at the Holiday Inn in Cody.