Matt Mead Bio
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 served as the United States Attorney for the District of Wyoming from 2001 to 2007 after his appointment by President George W. Bush. Born and raised in Jackson, Wyoming, Mead built a career that spanned private legal practice, federal prosecution, and statewide executive leadership.
During his time in office, Mead focused on issues such as Second Amendment rights, state sovereignty, and fiscal management. He was easily reelected in 2014 and left the governorship in January 2019 as one of Wyoming’s more recognizable two-term chief executives of the modern era.
Early Life and Background
Matthew Hansen Mead was born on March 11, 1962, in Jackson, Wyoming, to Peter Bradford Mead and Mary Elisabeth Hansen Mead. He grew up in the small mountain town at the foot of the Teton Range and came from a family with deep roots in the region. His upbringing in Jackson helped shape his lifelong appreciation for Wyoming’s outdoor heritage and ranching traditions.
Mead’s family carried a strong public profile. His mother, Mary Mead, was the Republican nominee for governor in 1990 and was widely regarded as an expert horsewoman. His paternal aunt, Andrea Mead Lawrence, was an accomplished alpine ski racer who represented the United States in three Winter Olympic Games and won two gold medals. The family operated a ranch inside Grand Teton National Park, an asset Mead and his siblings later put up for sale in 2003.
For his higher education, Mead attended Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in radio and television in 1984. He was active on campus as a member of the Bengal Lancer fraternity. He later returned to Wyoming and earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Wyoming College of Law in Laramie, completing the path that would launch his legal career.
Path to US Politics
After law school, Matt Mead worked as a county and federal prosecutor, gaining courtroom experience in Wyoming’s legal system. He later moved into private practice, joining a law firm and continuing to build a reputation as a steady, conservative-minded attorney. These early roles allowed him to develop relationships across the state’s political and legal communities.
Mead’s transition to public office came in 2001, when President George W. Bush appointed him as the United States Attorney for the District of Wyoming. He served in that federal law enforcement post for six years, building a record that emphasized public safety and the rule of law in rural communities. His work as U.S. Attorney positioned him as a serious candidate when he later decided to enter electoral politics.
Matt Mead Career
Early Career (2001-2007)
In 2001, Matt Mead was appointed United States Attorney for the District of Wyoming by President George W. Bush. The role placed him at the head of federal prosecution in the state and gave him a high-profile platform in Wyoming’s small political circles. He held the position until June 2007, when he resigned to pursue a U.S. Senate campaign.
His resignation was required under the Hatch Act of 1939, which restricts certain federal employees from seeking partisan office. Mead sought the Senate seat vacated by the death of Republican Senator Craig L. Thomas, but the Wyoming Republican State Central Committee eliminated him from consideration on the third ballot. Democratic Governor Dave Freudenthal ultimately chose State Senator John Barrasso for the seat.
Breakthrough (2010)
Matt Mead’s political breakthrough came during the 2010 election cycle. He entered the Republican gubernatorial primary and won with 30,272 votes, narrowly defeating State Auditor Rita Meyer, who polled 29,558 votes despite an endorsement from former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. Fort Bridger rancher Ron Micheli finished third with 27,592 votes, and State House Speaker Colin M. Simpson placed fourth with 16,673 votes.
Heading into the general election, Mead was a heavy favorite in a heavily Republican state where incumbent Governor Dave Freudenthal was term-limited. His campaign emphasized his support for gun rights, his opposition to gay marriage, and his stated belief that abortion should be permitted only in cases involving the health or life of the mother, rape, or incest. On November 2, 2010, Mead defeated Leslie Petersen, the former chairwoman of the Wyoming Democratic Party, capturing 65.68 percent of the vote to her 22.94 percent.
Republican Era (2011-2019)
Matt Mead served two terms as governor, winning reelection in 2014 with relative ease. In the 2014 Republican primary, he defeated Cindy Hill, a Tea Party-aligned incumbent Superintendent of Public Instruction, along with Dr. Taylor Haynes. Mead received 53,626 votes, or 55 percent, compared with Haynes’s 31,490 and Hill’s 12,443. In the November 4 general election, he defeated Pete Gosar, the former Wyoming Democratic Party chairman, in another comfortable victory.
During his administration, Mead made key appointments and policy decisions. In October 2012, he named Buffalo, Wyoming, businessman and rancher Mark Gordon as state treasurer, succeeding Joseph B. Meyer, who had died in office. In February 2015, Mead vetoed Senate File 14, a bill that would have limited civil forfeiture of property until after a felony conviction. The legislation had passed with supermajorities in both chambers, but the attempt to override his veto failed.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the most significant early milestones of Matt Mead’s political career was his 2010 Republican primary victory, which set the stage for his governorship. His 2014 primary win over Cindy Hill demonstrated his ability to withstand a challenge from a popular conservative insurgent, and his subsequent general election win made him only the second Wyoming governor in modern history to serve two consecutive terms.
Matt Mead Career Wins
Matt Mead’s career wins include two gubernatorial elections in Wyoming, both secured with decisive margins. He also prevailed in a competitive 2010 Republican primary that featured candidates with strong establishment and grassroots support.
Wyoming Gubernatorial Highlights
Mead first won the governorship in 2010, defeating Democrat Leslie Petersen with more than 65 percent of the vote after a hard-fought Republican primary. He followed that with a 2014 reelection, again winning both the Republican primary and the general election in convincing fashion. His two victories made him one of the few Wyoming governors in recent decades to be elected to consecutive terms.
Other Wins & Achievements
Beyond his electoral success, Matt Mead earned the confidence of two presidents during his legal career, first as a federal prosecutor appointed by President George W. Bush. His service as United States Attorney for the District of Wyoming from 2001 to 2007 remains a key professional achievement that preceded his rise to the governorship.
Matt Mead Family
Family Background and Political Lineage
Matt Mead comes from a politically engaged Wyoming family. His mother, Mary Elisabeth Hansen Mead, was the Republican nominee for governor of Wyoming in 1990 and was widely respected as an expert horsewoman. His father, Peter Bradford Mead, raised the family in Jackson. Mead’s paternal aunt, Andrea Mead Lawrence, brought international sporting recognition to the family through her two Olympic gold medals in alpine skiing.
Personal Life
Matt Mead and his wife, Carol Mead, have two children. He has an older brother, Bradford Scott Mead, an attorney in Jackson, and an older sister, Muffy Mead-Ferro of Salt Lake City, the author of Confessions of a Slacker Mom. The family has long been associated with ranching in and around Grand Teton National Park.