House District 26: Banks unopposed
Unlike many of his legislative colleagues around the state, incumbent Rep. Dalton Banks won’t be sweating out the results of Tuesday’s primary election.
Banks, of Cowley, is running unopposed for the Republican nomination to represent District 26 in the House of Representatives. And with no Democrats vying for the seat, he also has a clear path to locking up a second term in November.
In announcing his re-election bid, Banks touted his two years of on-the-job experience and the positive working relationships he’s formed with other lawmakers.
He has to this point refrained from aligning himself with the Wyoming and Freedom caucuses, believing that independence from both gives him leverage to negotiate the best deal for his constituents.
His legislative priorities are to continue providing the perspective of a young, family man in discussions over education and workforce development; securing additional funding for mental health services, including the 988 hotline, and fighting for the small communities of his district.
Banks serves on two House committees: Agriculture, State and Public Lands and Water Resources, and Minerals, Business and Economic Development.
“They’re two very important committees,” he said, adding that he’s had discussions and believes he’s in the mix to assume leadership of one or the other next year.
The minerals committee chalked up a recent win, as Rocky Mountain Power ended a multi-state pact. “I believe it was in response to pressure we were putting on them,” said Banks.
“We here in Wyoming have been seeing increases because of Oregon and Washington passing bills” related to green energy,” he said. “The goal is for Wyoming to not have to pay for the policies passed by other states.”
Banks said he also intends to keep pushing against federal overreach in his second term.