Public Lands Become a Legitimate Wedge Issue in the Republican Party

For some time, excepting a small number of outliers, the range of positions on public lands and conservation issues among Republicans in Congress has been relatively modest, with a general consensus around pro-development, low-regulation policies with a modest conservation component. That consensus began to show fissures in 2025, primarily as a result of a push towards public land sell-offs in the “Big Beautiful Bill.” That effort resulted in a handful of Republicans drawing a firm and public line in the sand in support of keeping public lands public.

As the administration and some elements in Congress continue to push for radical approaches to public lands, and as the effects of the administration’s drastic cuts to agency capacity become more manifest, that divide is going to become more pronounced, and more moderate members are increasingly coming to understand the depth of bipartisan affection for public lands among their constituents.

Expect to see this divide show up around issues like the continued push to sell or transfer public lands; the need to reauthorize the Legacy Restoration Fund (which funds deferred maintenance on public lands); appropriations for land management agencies and agency restructuring plans; and potentially a desire to see a lands package and the need to temper some of the administration’s most extreme proposals like rolling back the Forest Service Roadless Rule and travel management regulations.

In a hopeful world, this is the start of a stronger, more durable, bipartisan approach to public lands that embraces conservation, recreation, and a more thoughtful approach to development oriented towards a clean energy transition. It’s definitely not going to happen right away, but look for some potential green shoots in 2026.