One More For The Road

In the spirit of Christmas, Bill Sniffin bought himself a new car. Unfortunately, he didn't get the option that had brakes...

One more for 12 21 23

Cowboy State Daily is Wyoming’s largest newspaper with Wyoming’s most experienced journalists. 

<title>One More For The Road: Thursday, December 21, 2023 | Cowboy State Daily</title>

One More For The Road: Thursday, December 21, 2023

 In the spirit of Christmas, Bill Sniffin bought himself a new car. Unfortunately, he didn't get the option that had brakes...

Mac Watson

Daily Video News

It’s time to take a look at what’s happening around Wyoming for Thursday, August 6th.  I’m Mac Watson.

This newscast is brought to you by the Wyoming State Fair. Wrap up your summer at the Wyoming State Fair, August 11th through the 15th in Douglas!

Rodeo, Demolition Derby, live music, entertainment and fair food await. Learn more at W-Y State Fair dot com. See you at the fair! This ad was paid for by Converse County Tourism.

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The Wyoming Freedom Caucus claims national group Americans for Prosperity is attacking “true conservatives” running for the state Legislature. Cowboy State Daily’s Clair McFarland reports that Wyoming’s AFP director says, “We don’t look at caucus alignment.”

“It looks, on the surface, it looks like a dichotomy where Americans for Prosperity, which is a national group that has a Wyoming a director with deep Wyoming roots and residency, is backing pretty much non-Freedom Caucus candidates to the legislature. Now, Representative Bill Allemand, a caucus member, says that ‘yeah, they're targeting true conservatives.’ He casted as kind of a coordinated agenda to take out the Freedom Caucus, whereas Americans for Prosperity's Wyoming director Tyler Lindholm said, ‘We're not looking at caucus membership. We're looking at specific votes.’”

Headquartered in Virginia, Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is a major player in Wyoming’s primary election cycle, influencing voters’ choices between different Republicans.

A new 30-year analysis shows longtime Jackson Hole luxury property values matched — and in some cases beat — stock market gains. Cowboy State Daily’s Renee Jean reports that one 5.43-acre property increased in value from $275,000 in 1995 to $5.45 million in 2025, an almost 2,000% gain.

“Demand is huge. Supply is tiny. That's how you get these high prices in Jackson, and of course, every zoning ordinance, every restriction that they've put on Development ultimately ratchets supply down. Right, you know, at one time you could have a three-acre parcel in Teton County, but they changed that. I think in the '90s and made it a minimum of 35 acres. So you immediately turn supply down as soon as you do that, prices go up.”

Though not many properties in Jackson Hole have outpaced the stock market, their appreciation is still eye-catching, ranging from 6.6 times higher on average for luxury single-family homes to 14 times higher for luxury residential vacant land. 

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Secretary of State Chuck Gray brought up data centers repeatedly and clashed with the moderator during a U.S. House forum Tuesday night in Sheridan. Cowboy State Daily’s Clair McFarland was in Sheridan and reports that Reid Rasner criticized Gray, while multiple candidates claimed to be leading the race.

“With a field this full, what's getting interesting is to watch everyone argue about who's in second place, because for the anti-gray crowd, the anti-gray crowd might want to galvanize under the name of whoever is in second place. Steve Friess has said that he is in second or first; that it's a two-man race with him and Gray. So conservatives should coalesce under Friess. Whereas last night Gray announced that it's actually Kevin Christensen, and Christensen agreed with that. And you know, at some point during all of these claims, Jillian Balow shook her head, and so you have these not only positioning where people are trying to cast themselves as front runners, but they're also getting into the fray about who's in second.”

On Wednesday, Gray and Rasner both asserted via Facebook post that they’d won the debate. Giralt thanked PBS for hosting. Biteman posted a link to the full debate Tuesday. Christensen authored a post expounding one of his short, lightning-round answers. The primary election is Aug. 18.

A wildfire burning in timber west of Pinedale in the Wyoming Range has grown, doubling its size in a day and is expected to bring forest closures. Cowboy State Daily Kolby Fedore reports that fire officials say as of Wednesday night, there was zero containment.

“The Bear Fire burning in the Bridger-Teton National Forest doubled in size on Wednesday. It went from 400 acres to 800 acres by Wednesday night. Fire officials say they are attacking the blaze with helicopters, ground crews, and an Incident Three management team. With 0% containment, officials say that the Bridger-Teton National Forest is expected to close. No word so far on how long.”

The U.S. Forest Service added that the wildfire also spread from national forest land onto adjacent Bureau of Land Management property before moderating during the early evening. The cause remains under investigation.

I’ll have more news from Cowboy State Daily right after this.

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Cowboy State Daily News continues now….

A bill to delist wolves across the Lower 48 co-sponsored by Wyoming U.S. Sens. Barrasso and Lummis was blocked by a New Jersey Democrat. Outdoors Reporter Mark Heinz reports that Rep. Hageman on Wednesday blasted “elitist East Coast politicians' continued objections to common-sense proposals.”

“I talked to Jim McGagna from the Wyoming Cattleman's Association, and as you can imagine, he thinks it's a good idea to delist wolves across the Lower 48. Even if this nationwide delisting goes through, that doesn't mean grab your guns and head for Colorado to shoot wolves. It's not going to be a free for all, but it could maybe loosen the parameters of allowing wolves to be killed. That it could damage their reintroduction program.”

Wolves have been delisted for several years in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho and can be hunted in all three states. Colorado launched a reintroduction program in late 2023, and wolves remain protected there. Even if a nationwide federal delisting passes, state protections for wolves would still apply.

Lower humidity and relatively cool nights helped Wyoming cattle endure a record heat wave, ranchers say. Cowboy State Daily’s Kate Meadows reports that South Dakota wasn't so fortunate, losing as many as 2,000 head to heat and humidity at a time when America's herd is at a 75-year low.

“It's been hot in Wyoming, but the dry lack of humidity and cooler temperatures at night have really cut Wyoming some slack, whereas its neighbor South Dakota hasn't been so lucky. South Dakota ranchers may be eligible for a federal livestock indemnity program that could compensate owners for deaths caused by eligible adverse events. That could be an act of Mother Nature. Warren Rushe with the South Dakota State University Extension Office said that he believes ranchers have done everything that they could to save their cattle, and that was something that he really wanted to stress. So it was nothing that they could help that this happened.”

A combination of scorching temperatures and high humidity proved deadly, depleting herd numbers and highlighting just how vulnerable livestock can be during extreme weather.

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A special prosecutor has cleared a Sweetwater County deputy in the April fatal shooting of an 18-year-old in Rock Springs. Cowboy State Daily’s Kolby Fedore reports that the conclusion of using deadly force was legally justified after the man pointed an AR-style rifle and other firearms at officers.

“An independent investigation by the Wyoming Department of Criminal Investigations says that Sweetwater County Deputy Nathaniel Hull acted lawfully when he shot an 18-year-old. Rock Springs police were sent to the area for a hit and run when dispatch called in that there was a suicidal subject who had already shot himself and was making comments that he might shoot law enforcement.When Deputy Hole arrived, Zander Bolan was pointing a rifle at him, as well as people who were being evacuated from the area. Deputy Hull fired three rounds from his. So sorry, Deputy Hull fired three rounds from his duty pistol, and the suspect was taken to the hospital. He later died from his injuries.”

Carbon County Attorney Sarah Chavez Harkins served as a special prosecutor to determine whether Deputy Nathaniel Hull's actions violated Wyoming or federal law.

In a written determination dated July 31, Harkins concluded Hull's use of deadly force was justified, bringing the criminal review to a close.

Bungee jumpers keep leaping off the 112-foot Fremont Canyon Bridge despite a tragic history that goes back more than 50 years. Cowboy State Daily’s Andrew Rossi spoke with one woman who says anyone “who wants to jump off of it with that type of rigging is insane.”

“What you need is the proper equipment and a good anchor. And the Fremont Canyon Bridge serves as an excellent anchor. And the thing about it is that it's a narrow canyon with steep walls, and the water's not that far. It's 112 feet in the air, and that's part of the allure for bungee jumpers. It adds to the experience. The free fall is incredible because of what you're seeing in your peripheral vision. The water comes right up at you.  It's an incredible experience, and anybody can do it, provided they have the equipment and they know what they're doing.”

Like many outdoor recreation activities, bungee jumping is becoming increasingly popular in Wyoming.

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And that’s today’s news. Get your free digital subscription to Wyoming's only statewide newspaper by hitting the Daily Newsletter button on 

 - and you can watch this newscast every day by clicking Subscribe on our 

 channel, or listen to us on your favorite podcast app.  Thanks for watching - I’m Mac Watson, for Cowboy State Daily.

Video image 8 6 26

<title>Cowboy State Daily Video Newscast: Thursday, August 6, 2026 | Cowboy State Daily</title>

Thursday's headlines include:
* Jax Luxury Property Values Exploded
* People Keep Jumping Off Fremont Bridge
* Freedom Caucus Claims ‘True Conservatives’ Attacked

Cowboy State Daily Video Newscast: Thursday, August 6, 2026

Coy Knobel

Don Day Weather

Sunny, smoky in Wyoming on Thursday and mostly clear and smoky overnight.  Highs in the 80s and 90s. Lows from the mid 40s to near 60.

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Areas of smoke, sunny and breezy today with a high near 95 and wind gusts as high as 23 mph. Mostly clear overnight with patchy smoke, a low near 55 and wind gusts as high as 21 mph.

Areas of smoke, sunny today with a high near 95 and wind gusts as high as 20 mph. Mostly clear overnight with patchy smoke, a low near 59 and wind gusts as high as 21 mph.

  Areas of smoke, sunny today with a high near 91 and wind gusts as high as 21 mph. Mostly clear overnight with areas of smoke and a low near 53.

  Patchy smoke, sunny today with a high near 88 and mostly clear overnight with patchy smoke and a low near 49.

  Areas of smoke before 3 p.m., sunny and breezy today with a high near 88 and wind gusts as high as 25 mph. Mostly clear and breezy overnight with a low near 52 and wind gusts as high as 22 mph.

 Patchy smoke, sunny today with a high near 91 and mostly clear overnight with patchy smoke and a low near 51.

 Areas of smoke, sunny and breezy today with a high near 83 and wind gusts as high as 26 mph. Mostly clear and breezy overnight with patchy smoke, a low near 47 and wind gusts as high as 24 mph.

 Areas of smoke, sunny today with a high near 86 and mostly clear overnight with patchy smoke and a low near 52.

  Areas of smoke, sunny today with a high near 86 and wind gusts as high as 22 mph. Mostly clear overnight with a low near 47.

 Areas of smoke, sunny and breezy today with a high near 82 and wind gusts as high as 30 mph. Mostly clear and breezy overnight with patchy smoke, a low near 50 and wind gusts as high as 28 mph.

  Areas of smoke, sunny today with a high near 87 and mostly clear overnight with patchy smoke and a low near 48.

Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park

:  Areas of smoke, sunny today with a high near 81 and mostly clear overnight with areas of smoke and a low near 45.

Areas of smoke, sunny today with a high near 96 and mostly clear overnight with areas of smoke and a low near 60.

:  Areas of smoke, sunny today with a high near 89 and mostly clear overnight with areas of smoke and a low near 60.

  Areas of smoke, sunny today with a high near 94 and mostly clear overnight with patchy smoke, a low near 57 and wind gusts as high as 22 mph.

   Areas of smoke, sunny and breezy today with a high near 89 and wind gusts as high as 22 mph. Mostly clear and breezy overnight with areas of smoke, a low near 60 and wind gusts as high as 22 mph.

  Patchy smoke, mostly sunny and hot today with a high near 92 and wind from 12-17 mph. Mostly cloudy overnight with areas of smoke and a low near 54.

:   Patchy smoke, mostly sunny and hot today with a high near 90 and wind from 11-16 mph. Mostly cloudy overnight with areas of smoke and a low near 57.

Areas of smoke, sunny today with a high near 92 and wind gusts as high as 24 mph. Mostly clear overnight with areas of smoke, a low near 56 and wind gusts as high as 25 mph.

   Areas of smoke, sunny today with a high near 93 and wind gusts as high as 21 mph. Mostly clear overnight with areas of smoke, a low near 58 and wind gusts as high as 22 mph.

:  Areas of smoke, sunny today with a high near 89 and wind gusts as high as 20 mph. Mostly clear overnight with areas of smoke, a low near 56 and wind gusts as high as 20 mph.

  Areas of smoke after 1 p.m., sunny and hot today with a high near 98 and mostly clear overnight with areas of smoke and a low near 59.

  Areas of smoke after 11 a.m., sunny and hot today with a high near 96 and mostly clear overnight with areas of smoke and a low near 58.

  Red flag fire warning from 11 a.m. today until 8 p.m. tonight. Areas of smoke after 11 a.m., sunny and hot today with a high near 97 and mostly clear overnight with areas of smoke and a low near 59.

   Red flag fire warning from 11 a.m. today until 8 p.m. tonight. Areas of smoke after 8 a.m., sunny, breezy and hot today with a high near 92 and wind gusts as high as 30 mph. Mostly clear and breezy overnight with areas of smoke, a low near 57 and wind from 15-20 mph before midnight.

  Red flag fire warning from 11 a.m. today until 8 p.m. tonight. Areas of smoke, sunny and breezy today with a high near 88 and wind gusts as high as 30 mph. Mostly clear and breezy overnight with areas of smoke, a low near 50 and wind gusts as high as 30 mph.

  Areas of smoke after 10 a.m., sunny and hot today with a high near 94 and mostly clear overnight with areas of smoke and a low near 57.

   Red flag fire warning until 8 p.m. tonight. Areas of smoke, sunny and breezy today with a high near 88 and wind gusts as high as 30 mph. Mostly clear overnight with areas of smoke, a low near 53 and wind gusts as high as 25 mph. 

   Red flag fire warning until 8 p.m. tonight. Areas of smoke, sunny today with a high near 86 and mostly clear overnight with areas of smoke after 10 p.m. and a low near 50.

   Red flag fire warning until 8 p.m. tonight. Areas of smoke, sunny and hot today with a high near 91 and mostly clear overnight with areas of smoke after midnight and a low near 48.

Daycap 8 6 26 v2

<title>Don Day's Wyoming Weather Forecast: Thursday, August 6, 2026 | Cowboy State Daily</title>

Sunny, smoky in Wyoming on Thursday and mostly clear and smoky overnight. Highs in the 80s and 90s. Lows from the mid 40s to near 60.

Don Day's Wyoming Weather Forecast: Thursday, August 6, 2026

Heinz mark

Mark Heinz

Wildlife

Agriculture

The push will continue to get wolves delisted from Endangered Species Act protections across the Lower 48 state despite a delisting bill being blocked in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday. 

Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisconsin, sought unanimous consent to pass his bill, 

 but Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, objected and blocked it. 

Even so, Wyoming Republican U.S. Sens. John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis, who are co-sponsors of the bill, told Cowboy State Daily on Wednesday that they'll continue to back the bill.

A companion bill passed in the U.S. House and was supported by Wyoming Rep. Harriet Hageman, who blasted the blocking of the legislation.

“Before coming to Congress, I successfully sued to secure Wyoming’s right to manage its own gray wolf population and will continue to support legislative efforts to allow others to do the same," Hageman said in a statement to Cowboy State Daily. 

"Elitist East Coast politicians' continued objections to common-sense proposals to return wildlife management to the states are another case of those unburdened by predators attempting to dictate what other states are forced to survive," she added.

[{"type":"text","text":"Lummis said wolves have recovered and it's damaging to not delist them."}]

"America's wolf population has fully recovered, and it's long past time to take them off the endangered species list," Lummis wrote. "Wolves are tearing through cattle herds and hurting ranchers' livelihoods across the West, but some Democrats will fight delisting no matter the recovery numbers because they'd rather keep these populations under federal control.

"That flies in the face of what the Endangered Species Act was meant to do, and it hands more power to Washington bureaucrats who don't know these states or their wildlife. I'm very hopeful Senator Johnson's bill gets a vote before the year is out.” 

[{"type":"text","text":"Barrasso concurred."}]

“Wyoming is the model state for the successful delisting of wolves. Wyoming has proven that states, not Washington, are in the best position to manage the wolf,” he wrote. “We’ve fully recovered and protected our state’s wolf population for years. Senator Johnson’s legislation rightfully returns the management of wolves back to all 48 lower 48 states.” 

Hageman said wolf-delisting efforts mirror those to delist grizzly bears. 

“I have cosponsored and voted numerous times in favor of legislation to delist gray wolves from the Endangered Species Act, as these apex predators have far exceeded the law’s explicit recovery goals," she wrote. "Gray wolf populations — just like the grizzly bear — are best managed by the states they roam.

National livestock organizations also issued a joint appeal for delisting wolves. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the Public Lands Council, and the Wisconsin Cattlemen’s Association called upon the Senate to immediately pass the bill.

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Wolves have been delisted for several years in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho and can be hunted in all three states. 

Colorado launched a reintroduction program in late 2023, and wolves remain protected there. Even if a nationwide federal delisting passes, state protections for wolves would still apply.

Wisconsin has one of the largest populations of wolves in the Lower 48, estimated at around 1,250. 

During his remarks on the Senate Floor, Johnson said Wisconsin wolves were supposed to be delisted once the population hit 250. 

Since 2007, wolves have been delisted then re-listed five times, he said. 

Many Wisconsin residents are calling for delisting, saying wolves threaten livestock, pets and public safety, Johnson said. 

In 2024, Wisconsin outdoorsman Chase Melton told Cowboy State Daily he 

 it aggressively approached him and other hunters in a duck blind. 

Booker countered by saying wolves have been viciously pursued and killed to the point where they occupy only about 10% of their historic range in the United States. 

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Jim Magagna, executive vice president of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association, told Cowboy State Daily that he supports delisting wolves across the Lower 48. 

There could be value for Wyoming ranchers in having ESA protection for wolves removed across the country, he said.

“It perhaps, in the long term, would provide protection against efforts to relist wolves here in the Rocky Mountains,” Magagna said. 

Along the Wyoming-Colorado state line, it might not make much difference on the ground because Colorado still has “a state initiative” offering protection for wolves, he said. 

Colorado resident Samantha Miller, the senior carnivore campaigner with the Center of Biological Diversity, told Cowboy State Daily she opposes the delisting bill. 

“I could absolutely disrupt the reintroduction program in Colorado,” she said. “It could really put them (wolves) under threat any time they are seen as a threat.”  

A nationwide delisting could loosen the parameters under which wolves could be shot in Colorado, she said.

For example, wolves must be actively attacking cattle before they can be killed. Under nationwide delisting, that requirement might be reduced to wolves simply being in the same field with cattle, she said.

Miller added that wolves need safe “corridors” for genetic exchange between populations. 

Eliminating ESA protections in the Lower 48 could further hamper wolves’ ability to move safely between Colorado and other Rocky Mountain states, she said. 

Gray wolves 5 3 23

<title>Hageman Says Wolf Delisting Bill Stalled By ‘Elitist East Coast Politicians’ | Cowboy State Daily</title>

A bill to delist wolves across the Lower 48 co-sponsored by Wyoming U.S. Sens. Barrasso and Lummis was blocked by a New Jersey Democrat. Rep. Hageman on Wednesday blasted "elitist East Coast politicians' continued objections to common-sense proposals.”

Hageman Says Wolf Delisting Bill Stalled By ‘Elitist East Coast Politicians’

Headshot of Cowboy State Daily political columnist, Rod Miller.

Rod Miller

Opinion

CSD Columnists

Google defines the modern day internet term “ghosting” as “the sudden, unexplained ending of all communication by one person in a romantic relationship, friendship, or workplace, ignoring any attempts to reach out.”

A perfect example of this disturbing behavior happened when Cowboy State Daily reporter Kate Meadows 

 about Peabody Coal Company suddenly canceling medical benefits for their Wyoming retirees.

Meadows reached out to each member of the Wyoming congressional delegation for their reactions, and the response was…..crickets. She called again, offering our elected officials an opportunity to speak out on a development that deeply affects the lives of their constituents. Again, the response was dead silence.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"Ghosted!"}]

It makes a cowboy or cowgirl wonder what would prompt our delegation in D.C. to ignore the folks back home when a coal company shafts its retirees. A simple, “Gosh, that sucks” or a “Thoughts and prayers” would suffice, since there’s not much Congress can do about Peabody’s parsimony.

But dead silence when asked about it? That just seems a cold and distant response from elected officials in a state as small and tight-knit as Wyoming.

Maybe Senators Barrasso and Lummis, and Representative Hageman don’t read Cowboy State Daily (the most widely-read news source in Wyoming) and simply didn’t know what Peabody had done.

Maybe they’re too busy keeping Wyoming safe from commies, cartels and cross-dressers to pay much attention to what’s happening in the coal patch.

Maybe Peabody had contributed to their campaigns, and they didn’t want to piss off a major donor.

Or maybe they just don’t give a rat’s ass about the people and the press in their home state.

Mute politicians are such an anomaly these days that I did some research.

I asked an old friend who did press work for the late Sen. Al Simpson (and we’ll tip our Stetsons at the mention of the name) when Simpson, Sen. Malcolm Wallop and Rep. Dick Cheney comprised our delegation. THAT was a delegation with real power in D.C. But I digress.

I asked my source if he recalled an instance where the entire delegation refused to respond to a question from the press, or to weigh in on an important Wyoming issue.

“Never!” was his emphatic reply. Not in a million years would a Wyoming delegation of that stature “ghost” their constituents. Hell would freeze over first.

My source prefers to remain anonymous, since he maintains a high profile in the Wyoming press ecosystem, and his name appearing in one of my columns might tarnish his reputation. But I’ll give you a hint...his name rhymes with “Charles Pelkey.”

Wyoming has traditionally, with the notable exception of Liz Cheney, treated our congressional delegation with kid gloves. We consider them our varsity lettermen, our fair-haired team; and they are the politicians most insulated from our criticism.

We tend to cut them a lot of slack. We don’t hold their feet to the fire as often as we should.

So when they unanimously choose to “ghost” us, to not answer our calls or questions from our press, the reason for that is no mystery.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"They do it because we let them."}]

Rod Miller can be reached at RodsMillerWyo@yahoo.com

<title>Rod Miller: Ghosted In The Big Empty – Or– The Silence Of The Delegation | Cowboy State Daily</title>

Columnist Rod Miller writes, "A perfect example of 'ghosting' happened when Cowboy State Daily reporter Kate Meadows reached out to each member of the Wyoming congressional delegation about Peabody Coal Company suddenly canceling medical benefits for their Wyoming retirees. And the response was... crickets."

Rod Miller: Ghosted In The Big Empty – Or– The Silence Of The Delegation

Lubnau head 2

Tom Lubnau

Last week, I commented on the ABC ("Anyone But Chuck") approach to campaigning for U.S. Congress. I said Steve Friess's argument is "hold your nose and vote for me." That phrase was, perhaps, a little inflammatory.

Let me clarify.  What I meant was that if you stay wedded to your particular candidate, the vote will be spread out, and we will elect a U.S. Representative who receives less than 20% of the vote — likely Chuck Gray.

Chuck Gray's approach to politics is akin to a yapping Chihuahua, making lots of noise and getting headlines, but getting little done. 

Most concerning is Gray dumping all of Wyoming voters’ election data to an agency of the federal government whose use is unrestricted.  Being the first state to turn over the data is not a feather in our state’s cap, when 19 courts have ruled that the data does not have to be disclosed to the bureaucrats.  No court has ruled it has to be turned over.

Our privacy was sacrificed when it did not have to be.

We should be voting for a good candidate, not running away from a weak one.

I had a personal favorite, but things changed when many of my friends endorsed Steve Friess for U.S. House last week.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"So I arranged a conversation with Friess."}]

After that conversation, a lot of the misconceptions I had are gone.

First, he's not a billionaire. Steve can afford to live comfortably, but his candidate disclosures show he's worth $25 million. That's a lot of money, but he's not a billionaire by any stretch of the imagination. 

His father gave away $500 million to charity during his lifetime and believed his children should know the value of a dollar. 

He drives a 2020 Yukon to his campaign events. He ranches cattle, knows how to run a backhoe, and knows how to get his hands dirty.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"He raised four kids in Wyoming."}]

Understanding the need to build a future for your children is a skill only parenthood brings. Steve cares about Wyoming and its future. 

He could have chosen anywhere in the world to live. He chose Wyoming. 

I was pretty direct in my questioning of him. I told him what I heard was that he had ideas of his own and didn't much care what my friends and neighbors thought. 

Steve was genuinely hurt by that statement. He told me he wants nothing more than to listen to the people of Wyoming and represent them to the best of his ability. I believe him. 

We chatted about some pretty heavy issues. 

He was engaging, showed curiosity, and asked what I thought. And then he did something special: he listened. He asked insightful questions. And when he didn't know the answer to one of my questions, he told me the truth — that he'd have to think about it.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"The interaction was refreshing. "}]

That said, there are a few other candidates in the race who would serve well. People I know and like, who would make a great U.S. Representative.

So why, at this late date, am I endorsing Steve Friess? 

Wyoming has one representative in Congress — one out of 435. To make an impact as the lone representative from Wyoming, you have to punch above your weight. 

Friess, through his work with his father and others, has a lifetime of connections, friendships, and acquaintances that will open doors for him that rookie representatives spend years trying to crack. 

I don't think Wyoming has time for on-the-job training in Congress. We need someone who will hit the ground running. 

Friess has known Energy Secretary Chris Wright for many years, has had a number of conversations with Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, and met briefly with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin.

His contact list — I almost dated myself by writing "rolodex" — is a who's who of congressional leaders. He's almost embarrassed to mention all the names he knows, but I asked. 

I came away from the conversation confident that Steve Friess is the person for the job. Not because he's the one with the best chance to beat Chuck Gray, but because he's the one who will do the best job representing my family in Congress. 

I make this endorsement knowing there are other great candidates in the race — some of them friends — but at this time and in this place, Steve Friess deserves your serious consideration.

Tom Lubnau served in the Wyoming Legislature from 2004 to 2015 and is a former Speaker of the House. He can be reached at: 

<title>Tom Lubnau: Why You Should Consider Steve Friess For U.S. House | Cowboy State Daily</title>

Columnist Tom Lubnau writes, "Chuck Gray's approach to politics is akin to a yapping Chihuahua, making lots of noise and getting headlines, but getting little done.  Most concerning is Gray dumping all of Wyoming voters’ election data to an agency of the federal government whose use is unrestricted."

Tom Lubnau: Why You Should Consider Steve Friess For U.S. House

Headshot of Cowboy State Daily's general assignment reporter, Clair McFarland.

Clair McFarland

Government & Politics

Politics

The Wyoming Freedom Caucus claims national group Americans for Prosperity is attacking “true conservatives” running for the state Legislature. Nope, says Wyoming’s AFP director, “We don’t look at caucus alignment.”

One More For The Road: Thursday, December 21, 2023

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