{{Short description|Governor of Wyoming from 2011 to 2019}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Matt Mead | image = Governor Matt Mead.jpg | caption = Mead in 2011 | order = 32nd Governor of Wyoming | term_start = January 3, 2011 | term_end = January 7, 2019 | predecessor = Dave Freudenthal | successor = Mark Gordon | office1 = United States Attorney for the District of Wyoming | president1 = George W. Bush | term_start1 = October 12, 2001 | term_end1 = June 7, 2007 | predecessor1 = Dave Freudenthal | successor1 = Kelly H. Rankin | birth_name = Matthew Hansen Mead | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1962|3|11}} | birth_place = Jackson, Wyoming, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | party = Republican | spouse = Carol Mead | children = 2 | relatives = Mary Mead (mother)<br>Clifford Hansen (grandfather) | education = Trinity University, Texas (BA)<br>University of Wyoming (JD) | signature = Matt Mead signature.png }} '''Matthew Hansen Mead''' (born March 11, 1962) is an American attorney, businessman, and politician who served as the 32nd governor of Wyoming from 2011 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party, he previously was the United States Attorney for the District of Wyoming from 2001 to 2007.
==Early life and career== Mead, the son of Peter Bradford Mead and Mary Elisabeth Hansen Mead, was born and raised in Jackson, Wyoming. Mead graduated in 1984 with a bachelor's degree in radio/television from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas where he was a member of the Bengal Lancer fraternity among other pursuits. He earned a J.D. degree from the University of Wyoming College of Law at Laramie. After law school, he served as a county and federal prosecutor and also practiced in a private law firm.
==U.S. Attorney== In 2001, Mead was appointed United States Attorney for the District of Wyoming by President George W. Bush. He served until June 2007, when he resigned to seek the Senate seat vacated by the death of fellow Republican Craig L. Thomas.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/article.php?art_id=1859 |newspaper=Jackson Hole News & Guide |date=June 12, 2007 |title=Mead Seeking Seat}}</ref> His resignation was required under the Hatch Act of 1939.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/article.php?art_id=1850 |newspaper=Jackson Hole News & Guide |author=Angus M. Thuermer Jr. |date=June 8, 2007 |title=Mead quits federal post}}</ref>
In accordance with Wyoming state law,<ref>As permitted by the Seventeenth Amendment, Wyoming allows the Governor to select the replacement for a vacant Senate seat to hold the seat for the remainder of the unexpired term. However, also as permitted by the Seventeenth Amendment, Wyoming law requires that the replacement must be of the same political party as the predecessor.</ref> the Republican Party selected the three candidates from which Democratic governor Dave Freudenthal could make his selection. On the third ballot, the Republican State Central Committee, by fourteen votes, eliminated Mead from consideration. Freudenthal chose State Senator John Barrasso; the others he considered were former State Treasurer Cynthia Lummis of Cheyenne and former Republican State Chairman and lobbyist Tom Sansonetti, who had been an aide to Thomas.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.cbsnews.com/news/wyoming-names-senate-replacement/ |title=Wyoming Names Senate Replacement|publisher=CBS News |date= February 11, 2009|access-date=June 1, 2013}}</ref>
==Governor==
===2010 election=== {{Main|2010 Wyoming gubernatorial election}} [[File:Matt Mead visit Guantanamo -b.jpg|thumb|left|Mead visiting Guantanamo Bay detention camp in 2011]]
In 2010, Mead won the Republican gubernatorial primary with 30,272 votes, defeating State Auditor Rita Meyer, who polled 29,558 votes, despite Meyer's endorsement by former Alaska governor Sarah Palin.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2010/0730/Sarah-Palin-anoints-a-new-mama-grizzly-Does-it-make-a-difference |title=Sarah Palin anoints a new 'mama grizzly': Does it make a difference? |publisher=CSMonitor.com |author= Linda Feldmann|date=July 30, 2010 }}</ref> Fort Bridger rancher Ron Micheli finished third (27,592 votes) and State House Speaker Colin M. Simpson was fourth (16,673 votes).<ref name=mead>{{cite news|url=http://www.wyomingnews.com/articles/2010/08/18/news/01top_08-18-10.txt|title=It's Mead by a Hair|newspaper=Wyoming Tribune Eagle|date=August 18, 2010}}{{Dead link|date=January 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref>
With Freudenthal not running for a third term, because of term limits,<ref>{{cite news |url= http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/wyoming/article_d675cebe-07de-11df-836e-001cc4c03286.html |title=Former U.S. Attorney Mead running for Wyoming governor|newspaper=Casper Star-Tribune|author=Tom Morton |date=January 23, 2010}}</ref> Mead was a heavy favorite in the general election; Wyoming is heavily Republican.
Mead's campaign emphasized his support for gun rights. He opposed gay marriage and abortion, but stated that there should be exceptions to allow an abortion when the woman's health or life is at stake and in cases of rape and incest. On November 2, 2010, Mead easily defeated Leslie Petersen, the former chairwoman of the Wyoming Democratic Party, receiving 65.68% of the vote to Petersen's 22.94%.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/politics/2010-11-02-wy-full-election-results_N.htm |title=Wyoming: Matt Mead elected governor; Democrats win no statewide offices |work=USA Today |date=November 4, 2010 |publisher=Associated Press }}</ref>
===2014 election=== {{Main|2014 Wyoming gubernatorial election}}
In late January 2013, Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Cindy Hill, a Republican, announced that she would be a candidate in Wyoming's 2014 governor's race. A Tea Party favorite, Hill would face Mead in the Republican primary on August 19, 2014.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/01/cindy-hill-governor_n_2600365.html |title=Cindy Hill, Demoted Wyoming Schools Boss, Running For Governor |author=John Celock |work=huffingtonpost.com |date=February 1, 2013|access-date=June 1, 2013}}</ref> Earlier in January, Mead had signed legislation sharply reducing the responsibilities of Hill's office, making the position largely ceremonial.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/28/matt-mead-cindy-hill_n_2784456.html |title=Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead Not Focused On Cindy Hill's Primary Challenge |author=John Celock |work=huffingtonpost.com |date=February 28, 2013 |access-date=June 1, 2013}}</ref>
Mead handily won re-nomination in the 2014 Republican primary, with 53,626 votes (55 percent), compared to Dr. Taylor Haynes' 31,490 (32 percent), and Hill's 12,443 (13 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://trib.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/mead-wins-re-election-bid-in-wyoming-republican-primary/article_b3deb13f-fbc9-5859-b3b4-b0511f698bb7.html|title=Mead wins GOP primary for Wyoming governor|date=August 19, 2014|publisher=Wyoming Tribune-Eagle|access-date=August 20, 2014}}</ref> In the November 4 general election, Mead handily defeated Pete Gosar, the former Democratic Party state chairman and the brother of a Republican U.S. representative from Arizona, Paul Gosar. In the same election, Republican Jillian Balow, backed by Mead, won election to succeed Hill as the education superintendent.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wyomingpublicmedia.org/post/republican-jillian-balow-elected-wyoming-schools-chief|title=Republican Jillian Balow Elected Wyoming Schools Chief|author=Aaron Schrank|date=November 5, 2014|publisher=Wyoming National Public Radio|access-date=December 11, 2014}}</ref>
===Administration=== On October 26, 2012, Mead named Buffalo, Wyoming, businessman and rancher Mark Gordon as the state treasurer, to succeed Joseph B. Meyer, who died in office.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wyomingnews.com/articles/2012/10/27/news/01top_10-27-12.txt|author=Trevor Brown|title=Mead selects treasurer|publisher=Wyoming Tribune Eagle, October 27, 2012|access-date=October 30, 2012}}{{Dead link|date=January 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref>
On February 17, 2015, Mead vetoed legislation intended to prevent the state from permanently confiscating an individual's property through civil forfeiture until after a felony conviction had been attained. The legislation, Senate File 14, gained strong popular support and passed through the Wyoming Legislature, with majorities in excess of 2/3 in both houses.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wyliberty.org/feature/governor-mead-vetoes-due-process-and-property-rights/|title=Governor Mead Vetoes Due Process and Property Rights|website=Wyliberty.org|access-date=9 January 2018}}</ref> An attempt to override the veto failed.<ref>{{cite web | last1=Hancock | first1=Laura | title=Veto Override on Asset Forfeiture Bill fails in Wyoming Senate | url=http://trib.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/veto-override-on-asset-forfeiture-bill-fails-in-wyoming-senate/article_b6f003fa-b502-5d6f-9d1c-e8e222e82ff1.html | date=February 27, 2015 | publisher=Casper Star-Tribune | access-date=November 26, 2016}}</ref> {{Portal|Biography|Law|Politics}}
==Personal life== Mead has an older brother, Bradford Scott "Brad" Mead, a Jackson attorney, and an older sister, Muffy Mead-Ferro of Salt Lake City, the author of ''Confessions of a Slacker Mom''.<ref>{{cite book|first=Muffy|last=Mead-Ferro|title=Confessions of a Slacker Mom|isbn=978-0-7382-0994-4|pages=[https://archive.org/details/confessionsofsla00mead_2/page/152 152]|publisher=Da Capo Lifelong|year=2004|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/confessionsofsla00mead_2/page/152}}</ref>
Mead's mother, Mary Mead, was the GOP gubernatorial nominee in 1990. Considered an expert horsewoman, she died in 1996, on her 61st birthday, in a horseback accident while working cattle in Grand Teton National Park. In 2003, Mead and his brother and sister put their family ranch in the park up for sale; the price was said to be $110 million.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.jacksonholenews.com/Archives/NewsArchive/2003/030625-News.html |title=Mead Ranch on the Block |newspaper=Jackson Hole News |access-date=October 28, 2009 |author=Angus M. Thuermer Jr. |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928135947/http://www.jacksonholenews.com/Archives/NewsArchive/2003/030625-News.html |archive-date=September 28, 2007 }}</ref>
Mead's paternal aunt, Andrea Mead Lawrence, was an alpine ski racer who competed in three Winter Olympic Games and won two gold medals for the United States.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~battle/celeb/mead.htm|title=RootsWeb.com Home Page|website=Freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com|access-date=9 January 2018}}</ref>
Mead and his wife Carol have two children.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.wyomingnews.com/articles/2010/01/23/featured_story/01top_01-23-10.txt |title=Mead officially running for governor |newspaper=Wyoming Tribune Eagle |author=Bill McCarthy |date=January 23, 2010 }}{{Dead link|date=January 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref>
== Electoral history == {{Election box begin no change | title = Wyoming Gubernatorial Republican primary results. 2010 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = '''Matt Mead''' | party = Republican Party (United States) | votes = '''30,308''' | percentage = '''28.7''' }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Rita Meyer | party = Republican Party (United States) | votes = 29,605 | percentage = 28.0 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Ron Micheli | party = Republican Party (United States) | votes = 27,630 | percentage = 26.1 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Colin Simpson | party = Republican Party (United States) | votes = 16,722 | percentage = 15.8 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Alan Kousoulos | party = Republican Party (United States) | votes = 566 | percentage = 0.5 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Tom Ubben | party = Republican Party (United States) | votes = 432 | percentage = 0.4 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = John Self | party = Republican Party (United States) | votes = 295 | percentage = 0.3 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Write-ins | party = Republican Party (United States) | votes = 202 | percentage = 0.2 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 105,760 | percentage= 100 }} {{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin | title=Wyoming gubernatorial election, 2010}} {{Election box winning candidate with party link |party = Republican Party (United States) |candidate = Matt Mead |votes = 123,780 |percentage = 65.68% |change = +35.67% }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Democratic Party (United States) |candidate = Leslie Petersen |votes = 43,240 |percentage = 22.94% |change = -47.05% }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Independent (politician) |candidate = Taylor Haynes |votes = 13,796 |percentage = 7.32% |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Libertarian Party (United States) |candidate = Mike Wheeler |votes = 5,362 |percentage = 2.85% |change = }} {{Election box candidate| |party = Write-ins |candidate = |votes = 2,285 |percentage = 1.21% |change = }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 80,540 |percentage = 42.74% |change = +2.75% }} {{Election box turnout| |votes = 190,822 |percentage = |change = }} {{Election box gain with party link| |winner = Republican Party (United States) |loser = Democratic Party (United States) |swing = }} {{Election box end}} {{Election box begin no change | title = Wyoming Gubernatorial Republican primary results. 2014 }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link no change | candidate = Matt Mead (incumbent) | party = Republican Party (United States) | votes = 53,673 | percentage = 54.04 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Taylor Haynes | party = Republican Party (United States) | votes = 31,532 | percentage = 31.75 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Cindy Hill | party = Republican Party (United States) | votes = 12,464 | percentage = 12.55 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Write-in | party = Republican Party (United States) | votes = 215 | percentage = 0.22 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Over Votes | party = Republican Party (United States) | votes = 26 | percentage = 0.03 }} {{Election box candidate with party link no change | candidate = Under Votes | party = Republican Party (United States) | votes = 1,402 | percentage = 1.41 }} {{Election box total no change | votes = 99,312 | percentage = 100 }} {{Election box end}} {{Election box begin | title = Wyoming gubernatorial election, 2014 }} {{Election box winning candidate with party link | party = Republican Party (United States) | candidate = Matt Mead (incumbent) | votes = 99,700 | percentage = 58.25 | change = -7.43% }} {{Election box candidate with party link | party = Democratic Party (United States) | candidate = Pete Gosar | votes = 45,752 | percentage = 26.73 | change = 3.79% }} {{Election box candidate with party link | party = Independent (politician) | candidate = Don Wills | votes = 9,895 | percentage = 5.78 }} {{Election box candidate with party link | party = Libertarian Party (United States) | candidate = Dee Cozzens | votes = 4,040 | percentage = 2.36 | change = -0.49% }} {{Election box candidate | party = Write-in | candidate = Other | votes = 8,490 | percentage = 4.96 | change = }} {{Election box candidate | party = Over Votes | candidate = Other | votes = 62 | percentage = 0.04 | change = }} {{Election box candidate | party = Under Votes | candidate = Other | votes = 3,214 | percentage = 1.88 | change = }} {{Election box majority| |votes = 53,948 |percentage = 31.52 |change = -11.52% }} {{Election box total | votes = 171,153 | percentage = 100 }} {{Election box hold with party link |winner = Republican Party (United States) |swing = }} {{Election box end}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category}} *[http://wyoming.gov/governor/ Governor Matt Mead] official Wyoming government site *[https://web.archive.org/web/20130808103359/http://www.meadforgovernor.com/ Matt Mead for Governor] {{small|(Archived)}} *{{C-SPAN|9276396}}
{{s-start}} {{s-ppo}} {{s-bef|before=Ray Hunkins}} {{s-ttl|title=Republican nominee for Governor of Wyoming|years=2010, 2014}} {{s-aft|after=Mark Gordon}} |- {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=Dave Freudenthal}} {{s-ttl|title=Governor of Wyoming|years=2011–2019}} {{s-aft|after=Mark Gordon}} |- {{s-prec|usa}} {{s-bef|rows=2|before=Dave Freudenthal|as=Former Governor}} {{s-ttl|title=Order of precedence of the United States|years=Within Wyoming}} {{s-aft|after=Jack Markell|as=Former Governor}} |- {{s-ttl|title=Order of precedence of the United States|years=Outside Wyoming}} {{s-aft|after=Jon Huntsman Jr.|as=Former Governor}} {{s-end}}
{{Governors of Wyoming}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mead, Matt}} Category:1962 births Category:20th-century American lawyers Category:20th-century Wyoming politicians Category:21st-century American lawyers Category:21st-century Wyoming politicians Category:American prosecutors Category:City and town attorneys in the United States Category:Living people Category:People from Jackson, Wyoming Category:Politicians from Cheyenne, Wyoming Category:Republican Party governors of Wyoming Category:Trinity University alumni Category:United States attorneys for the District of Wyoming Category:University of Wyoming College of Law alumni Category:Wyoming lawyers