Gabriel Green’s DINO Movement Sparks Political Change In Wyoming

A grassroots political movement founded by a Casper native is now intersecting with Wyoming’s 2026 gubernatorial race.

Gabriel Green, a Sheridan resident and Casper native, is the founder of the DINO movement — short for “Democrat In Name Only” — a philosophy he describes as an attempt to push back against what he sees as a broken partisan political system. Green recently announced he is running for governor of Wyoming, entering the race as a Democrat while emphasizing his alignment with DINO principles.

According to the movement’s platform, DINO is not intended to represent a single ideology or personality, but rather a coalition of people who believe the two-party system no longer reflects the values or needs of many Wyoming residents. The movement emphasizes collective action over individual leadership, frequently using “we” language to underscore its goal of unity rather than division.

The DINO philosophy centers on the belief that no single person — regardless of wealth, intelligence, or influence — can solve systemic political problems alone. Instead, it calls for broader civic participation and cooperation across traditional political lines. Supporters, according to the group, include people from a wide range of professions and backgrounds, including ranchers, business owners, tradespeople, healthcare workers, students, veterans, and energy-sector employees.

Green, who was born and raised in Casper, graduated from Kelly Walsh High School and went on to win the Wyoming state Lincoln-Douglas debate championship in 2014. He later attended American University in Washington, D.C., on a Daniels Fund Scholarship. Green has said his time in the nation’s capital gave him firsthand exposure to what he describes as both the strengths and failures of the modern political system.

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Professionally, Green has worked with conservative and libertarian-leaning policy organizations, including the State Policy Network, and has spent time observing legislative processes in Wyoming and other states. He has said those experiences helped shape the DINO movement’s emphasis on personal freedom, fiscal responsibility, and limiting government overreach, while rejecting rigid party conformity.

While Green is currently the public face and primary organizer of the movement, DINO materials stress that it is not intended to become a personality-driven campaign. The long-term goal, according to the organization, is to support multiple candidates and community leaders who share its core values, without requiring strict ideological alignment.

Green’s gubernatorial run makes him the first DINO-affiliated candidate to seek statewide office in Wyoming. He joins a growing field of candidates vying to replace Gov. Mark Gordon, who is term-limited.

Whether the DINO movement gains traction beyond Green’s campaign remains to be seen, but its emergence reflects a broader conversation among Wyoming voters about political identity, party loyalty, and alternatives to the state’s traditionally Republican-dominated electoral landscape.