You Still Here

[{"type":"text","text":"The hero we didn't know we needed....."}]

Achievement no play 6 26 26

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

<title>Today In Human Achievement: Friday, June 26, 2026 | Cowboy State Daily</title>

The hero we didn't know we needed.....

Today In Human Achievement: Friday, June 26, 2026

Headshot of Cowboy State Daily reporter, Dale Killingbeck

Dale Killingbeck

Crime & Courts

A 37-year-old Casper man faces potential prison time for allegedly driving a Polaris UTV side-by-side while intoxicated and causing serious injury to a passenger who fell off while sitting in the back on a cooler.

Michael Ray Watts is charged with driving under the influence with serious bodily injury after the incident Saturday evening in Alcova. A preliminary hearing on the charge is set for Aug. 27.

An arrest affidavit states that the victim as of Sunday was still on life support and had significant head injuries. Attempts to obtain an updated condition report Wednesday were unsuccessful.

Court records show Natrona County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the area of 24000 Lakeshore Drive about 8 p.m. Saturday for a report of a vehicle accident. They found a male on the ground bleeding from the face and head with significant injuries.

As two deputies administered first aid, they lost the victim’s pulse and began CPR.

“Soon after the CPR was administered the male regained consciousness,” the affidavit states. “Deputies continued to render aid until Natrona County fire personnel arrived and took over care of the patient.”

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Accelerated On Incline"}]

During an interview with Watts, he shared with a deputy that they was driving a 2021 Polaris RZR 1000 turbo when the victim came off the RZR. During the interview, the deputy could see that Watts eyes were bloodshot and glossy and he smelled of alcohol, the affidavit states.

Watts initially told the deputy that he two beers and a shot but later admitted to drinking two shots, four beers, and four or five Ranch Water cocktails.

Watts said he and two men and two women had been drinking at Alcova Lakeside Marina and just before 8 p.m. left with Watts driving the RZR. The victim and two women were sitting in the back on a cooler.

“Watts advised that he drove under the speed limit on Lakeshore Drive. When Watts turned into a trailer park … he stepped on the gas to go up an incline on the road,” the affidavit states. “Watts heard one of the females advise that (the victim) fell off.”

Watts told the deputy he stopped and got out to check on the man. Deputies arrived shortly after the incident.

Watts said one of the females told him the man slid off as he accelerated, but he did not see the man fall off.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Failed Field-Sobriety Test"}]

A field-sobriety test showed Watts could not maintain his balance, could not walk heel-to-toe, or walk a straight line. He also could not follow a direction to turn, swayed while trying to balance on one leg, hopped to balance, used his arms to balance and put his foot down — failing several field-sobriety tests.

Watts agreed to a chemical breath test at the Natrona County Detention Center at 10:16 p.m., two hours after the incident. He blew a .16% blood alcohol content, well above the legal limit of 0.08%.

The driving under the influence with serious bodily injury charge carries a potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of not less than $2,000 or more than $5,000 or both.

Watts is currently free on a $5,000 cash or surety bond.

Alcova michael watts 8 12 26

<title>Casper Man Charged With Driving UTV Drunk; Passenger On Life Support After Fall | Cowboy State Daily</title>

A Casper man faces prison time after authorities say he drove a side-by-side while intoxicated and caused a passenger to fall off a cooler in the back. The passenger is on life-support after sustaining head injuries in the fall at Alcova Reservoir.

Casper Man Charged With Driving UTV Drunk; Passenger On Life Support After Fall

Headshot of Cowboy State Daily's managing editor, Greg Johnson.

Greg Johnson

Courts

A Tinder date gone horribly wrong ended with a Newcastle man dead with a hollow-point round in his chest and a South Dakota man facing a second-degree murder charge — and vastly different stories from the couple who had just met for a hook-up.

The woman Drake Alexander Ingalls of Belle Fourche, South Dakota, had driven nearly 90 minutes to meet this past weekend told investigators that Ingalls “did not need to shoot that gun at all.”

Ingalls, however, says he shot the other man in defense of his Tinder date after the woman screamed for “help” several times, according to an affidavit of probable cause written by Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation Agent Zack Miller.

The shooting happened a little before 5 a.m. Sunday, and Ingalls had his initial court appearance Tuesday, where a Weston County Circuit Court judge gave him a $250,000 cash-only bond and set an Aug. 19 preliminary hearing.

By the time Newcastle police responded to the home of the victim, identified in court documents as Jason Greene, he was lying face-down on the floor and obviously dead, wrote Miller.

An officer “entered the trailer home and located the victim … lying face-down on the floor between the hallway and living room with a large pool of blood underneath his chest,” the affidavit says. “Officers and emergency medical personnel confirmed Greene was deceased.”

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"What She Said"}]

In separate interviews with the woman and Ingalls, both told investigators how they met on Tinder and had been talking for anywhere from a couple weeks (according to her) to a few months (according to him) before Ingalls drove to Newcastle on Saturday so they could meet up, the affidavit says.

They had a room at a local hotel and had been drinking for hours by the time the woman got a text from Greene calling her a “whore,” Miller wrote.

The woman then allegedly proceeded to claim Greene had mistreated her, but later told investigators that Greene had “never assaulted her and the two were not in any physical altercation,” the affidavit says.

Upset after getting the text, the woman asked Ingalls to take her to Greene’s place “so she could talk to him,” Miller wrote.

The woman “told Ingalls about the text message and that Greene had abused her in the past,” the affidavit says. “(She) told Ingalls that if he heard her yell for help to come and help her.”

Greene didn’t know they were coming to his residence, the document adds. Miller’s affidavit also doesn’t elaborate on how the woman and Greene knew each other.

The woman and Greene were in a “heated verbal argument” with her “yelling loudly,” which Ingalls reportedly heard, the affidavit says. So, he left his car outside the trailer and went to the woman.

The woman also told investigators that she didn’t actually see the shooting, “and adamantly stated Greene never assaulted her and the two were not in any physical altercation,” the affidavit says.

She continued to say that Ingalls “did not need to shoot that gun at all,” Miller wrote about her statement.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"What He Said"}]

That’s not how the confrontation went down, however, Ingalls said in his own interview with investigators, the affidavit says.

“Ingalls claimed he came around a shed and observed Greene struggling with (the woman) near the doorway threshold,” Miller wrote. “Ingalls described the struggle as Greene behind (the woman) and he had his arms hooked under her armpits and another hand on the back of her head or hair, and it appeared he was trying to pull (her) into his trailer.”

Ingalls said he tried to pull the door open, then pointed a handgun at Greene and demanded he let the woman go, according to his statement detailed in the affidavit.

“At which point, Ingalls said he fired his handgun,” Miller wrote. “Ingalls could only see Greene’s chest as (the woman) was in front of him and he believed he shot him right in the middle of the chest.”

That’s when Greene stumbled back into the trailer and fell onto the living room floor.

Ingalls had the gun because he had it in his car and grabbed it when he heard the woman yell for help, the affidavit says.

“Ingalls retrieved his 9 mm Glock 17 handgun from the center console of his car and chambered a hollow-point round into the handgun as he approached the side entrance of the trailer,” Miller wrote.

Ingalls and the woman then got back into his car and drove around the block before returning to the scene and the woman called 911.

If convicted of second-degree murder, Ingalls could get anywhere from 20 years ot life in prison, a fine of not more than $10,000, or both.

Newcastle highway sign Drake Alexander Ingalls 8 12 26

<title>Tinder Date Ends With Newcastle Man Shot Dead, S.D. Man Facing Murder Charge | Cowboy State Daily</title>

Tinder Date Ends With Newcastle Man Shot Dead, S.D. Man Facing Murder Charge

Headshot of Cowboy State Daily's Feature Reporter, Andrew Rossi.

Andrew Rossi

Public Safety

A multi-vehicle accident between Cody and Yellowstone National Park involving multiple motorcycles has resulted in serious injuries and possibly two fatalities.

At 9:38 a.m., the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) closed all lanes on U.S. Highway 14/16/20 near Wapiti due to the crash. First responders were rushing to the scene, which an eyewitness says involved multiple people who appeared to be seriously injured.

According to exchanges on the Park County Public Safety-WyoLink radio scanner, first responders had received “a report of two fatalities.”

The Wyoming Highway Patrol confirmed that multiple troopers were responding at the same time, asking drivers to “be alert, make room for emergency responders, (and) expect substantial delays.”

The highway was closed at mile marker 32.3. Anyone traveling between Cody and Yellowstone was asked to find alternate routes.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Too Grisly"}]

Wapiti resident Jimmy Rush was heading toward Cody for work when he observed the scene of the incident. It happened sometime between 8 and 8:30 a.m. Wednesday near the Old Faithful RV Park, just outside Wapiti.

“When I passed by, it was still a very early stage of the accident,” he said. “There were no first responders on the scene. There were at least four to five motorcycles and debris everywhere. I counted at least three bodies that I could see lying on the ground, not moving, with more down in ditches."

Rush said the victims were being attended to “by all of the gracious people of Wyoming,” who immediately pulled over and jumped out of vehicles to help.

A Silver Ford pickup truck, either an F-250 or F-350, had been “ejected out into a field,” according to Rush. From what he could see, it appeared to have "impacted something.”

“I immediately called (Park County Dispatch) and said, ‘You guys got to send everybody. There’s multiple bodies and multiple injuries, and one ambulance ain't going to get it done.’”

As Rush continued into Cody, he saw five Park County Sheriff’s deputies, multiple fire trucks, a Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper, and two ambulances heading to the scene.

Rush took a photo of a WYDOT truck at the scene, which showed a damaged tailgate.

“It was the only picture I felt comfortable taking,” he said. “It was too grisly.”

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"What Happened?"}]

No official information was available mid-morning Wednesday. Rush could only piece together a rough scenario of events based on what he observed.

“From what I can tell, the WYDOT truck was starting to do some type of work,” he said. “There were cones set up, but I don't know if he was setting those cones up for some pending work that was about to happen, or if he had set those cones up because of the accident.

[{"type":"text","text":"“It’s really hard to tell, but it was severe.”"}]

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information is available.

Highway wreck park county 8 12 26

<title>Fatalities Reported In Crash Involving Multiple Motorcycles, WYDOT Truck Near Cody | Cowboy State Daily</title>

An accident involving multiple motorcycles and a WYDOT truck has resulted in two reported fatalities and serious injuries on U.S. Highway 14-16-20 near Cody. "I counted at least three bodies that I could see lying on the ground, not moving," one witness said.

Fatalities Reported In Crash Involving Multiple Motorcycles, WYDOT Truck Near Cody

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

Clair McFarland

Government & Politics

Politics

Primary election campaign reports that were due Tuesday night show Sen. Eric Barlow out-earned Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder in campaign donations this primary election season, while Degenfelder gathered more money altogether, counting loans from her father and herself.

Degenfelder’s total receipts finished at $1,278,174 - $756,174 in donations and $522,000 in loans - as of her Tuesday Wyoming campaign finance primary election report.

Barlow’s contributions, which include no loans, finished at $1,155,814 in contributions. He also carried $391,710 into this race from fundraising for this campaign in 2025 - making the total about $1.54 million. His total donations tally is a "historic" amount, Barlow's campaign spokeswoman Rebekah Fitzgerald noted in a Wednesday interview. 

Recent history bears that claim: Gov. Mark Gordon posted $541,577 in contributions in his 2022 primary election report and $155,846 in 2018. Former Gov. Matt Mead posted $100,052 in contributions in the 2014 primary election. 

A third Republican governor candidate this year, retired Marine Corps Col. Brent Bien, finished at $191,819.26 in contributions.

The fourth GOP candidate Curt Blake’s report was not available as of publication.

That makes this Republican primary contest for governor a roughly $2.6 million haul, and just over that in expense.  

Barlow spent about $1.36 million plus $517,289 in 2025, making him the biggest spender of any Wyoming state-level candidate in this year's election cycle. 

Of her nearly $1.3 million war chest, Degenfelder spent just over $1.1 million.  Bien spent $154,424.

[{"type":"text","text":"The primary election is Tuesday. "}]

Degenfelder’s is the only one of the three campaigns that reported receiving loans. Those comprised $497,000 in loans from her father, Steve Degenfelder, and a $25,000 self-loan.

Steve Degenfelder’s portion of her total intake is roughly 39%.

Both Barlow and Degenfelder report receiving political action committee (PAC) money.

[{"type":"text","text":"Degenfelder posted by far the most in PAC money, at $392,500."}]

Of that, she reported $385,500 from Wyoming-based PACs: Fight Wyoming Fight, the Wyoming Rural Electric Association, and Wyoming Conservative Women.

Fight Wyoming Fight, which lists its chair as Casper man Mark Petrie, raised $290,000 for Degenfelder. Wyoming Conservative Women, chaired by Tiffany Gamble, gave Degenfelder $95,000.

[{"type":"text","text":"The Wyoming Rural Electric Association PAC gave $500."}]

Degenfelder’s federal/out-of-state PAC money came from groups out of the traditional energy sector, HF Sinclair ($5,000) and OneOK Employee PAC ($1,000), and from a construction industry-related group, Tremco CPG PAC ($1,000).

Barlow’s reports show $234,750 in Wyoming PAC money and $5,500 in federal/out of state PAC money. 

Those include the Washington, D.C.-based Union Pacific Corporation Fund for Effective Government  ($1,000), the Bayer employee PAC ($500) and Rocky Mountain Power PAC ($5,000).  

"I think, as he said from the beginning, this is going to have to be a campaign engaging the people of Wyoming, and he was going to have to go out and do the work," said Fitzgerald of Barlow's lower PAC and loan haul, higher donation total. "That’s reflective there. He said from the beginning he didn’t have a deep pockets to be able to loan himself money and he was going to have to go prove to the people of Wyoming he can do the good work of being governor."

Fitzgerald continued: "And the donations that he has received from PACs is also transparent; folks can see (the nature of) those PACs." 

Barlow logged $15,000 in donations from his mother, and $5,000 from his late father’s trust.

Bien’s report has the highest tally of anonymous donations, at $19,657, compared to Degenfelder’s $350 and Barlow’s $2,317.

"We put out a jar on the table and people would put cash in it," said Bien's outreach coordinator Cheryl Aguiar, referencing Bien's numerous events around the state. She said a lot of the campaign's support came from hours people never logged, and a groundswell of effort around the state. 

Bien posted the least in PAC money: $6,000 from the fundraiser group Friends of Brent Bien and $500 from the Wyoming Freedom Caucus-aligned Liberty’s Place 4 U, helmed by Michael Eathorne and John Gudger.

Aguiar said the campaign refused money from some PACs, and asked some not to send out negative mailers on Biens' behalf. 

"Brent was just super cautious on any negative campaigning and accepting money from PACs that were - well, we didn't know really who was behind them," said Aguiar. 

[{"type":"text","text":"Degenfelder Donors"}]

Noteworthy donors surface in all three reports. For Degenfelder, those include former Wyoming Republican Party Chair Matt Micheli; Lynne Friess, the mother of U.S. House candidate Steve Friess; current and former lawmakers Affie Ellis, Harlan Edmonds, Russ Donley, Timothy Hallinan; and current Sens. Charlie Scott and Jared Olsen.

 at the center of the CheckGate controversy, gave the Degenfelder campaign $1,000. Bextel made headlines for weeks during the legislative session after handing out campaign donation checks on behalf of a Teton County donor to at least four lawmakers on the House of Representatives floor, just after the session had closed its first day of business. 

Degenfelder's campaign spokeswoman Charlotte Jones said in a Wednesday email, "Megan’s campaign has earned support from grassroots donors, conservative Wyomingites, and energy workers from across Wyoming."

"Six state Senators, Senator Barlow’s own peers, have joined President Trump and Harriet Hageman in endorsing Megan Degenfelder for governor," Jones continued. "Megan has captured all the momentum in this race and will spend her last six days continuing to share her positive message for our future with voters.”

[{"type":"text","text":"Jones did not directly address Bextel's donation. "}]

[{"type":"text","text":"Barlow's donations also show multiple current and former lawmakers."}]

He inherited some money from the candidate campaign of former Rep. Ember Oakley, as well as a donation from Oakley herself.

Some of the current and former lawmakers in his donors roster include Rep. Ken Clousten, Sen. Tara Nethercott, and former legislators Joe Macguire, Jeff Wasserburger and Michael Madden. He also received donations from former House Speaker and current Cowboy State Daily columnist Tom Lubnau (columnists do not give on behalf of CSD), from former Wyoming Supreme Court Justice Bill Hill, and from the late Sen. Al Simpson’s son Colin Simpson.

Ryan Semerad, the attorney who won the famous corner-crossing public lands case, also donated to Barlow. 

Barlow received more than $1,000 from Rene Hinkle, one of the recurring plaintiffs 

Barlow campaign spokeswoman Rebekah Fitzgerald said that donation and others reflect “what he stands for. Which is respectful leadership. And he has a record on that.”

Regarding Hinkle’s donation, Fitzgerald pointed to Barlow’s record of voting in favor of pro-life bills.

“Eric’s record on life in particular, pro-life legislation, is long,” she said. “So I don’t think that a donation reflects anything about his policy. It more reflects his leadership style. Which is a respectful leadership style.”

Barlow has voted in favor of every abortion ban Wyoming has passed in his tenure; and multiple other pro-life bills. 

Bien’s contributors include Republican Reps. Joe Webb, Gary Brown and Marlene Brady, as well as Crook County Republican Party Chair Mark Koep and Lander-based House candidate Jeff Martin, who’s challenging incumbent Rep. Lloyd Larsen.

Barlow Degenfelder Bien 8 12 26

<title>Eric Barlow Earns Most In $3 Million Wyoming Governor's Race, Degenfelder Second | Cowboy State Daily</title>

Campaign finance reports filed Tuesday show Eric Barlow out-earned Megan Degenfelder in the gubernatorial primary election with about $1.54 million, while Degenfelder posted nearly $1.3 million. The whole contest shows a roughly $3 million haul.

Eric Barlow Earns Most In $3 Million Wyoming Governor's Race, Degenfelder Second

Heinz mark

Mark Heinz

Wildlife

A woman suffered “non-life-threatening” injuries Monday when she was attacked by a black bear while hiking with her dogs on a trail near Jackson, officials reported. 

The incident resulted from “a surprise encounter with a presumed black bear with at least one cub" on the History Trail on Teton Pass, according to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. 

“She was well-prepared and successfully deployed bear spray during the incident. Following the encounter, she was able to walk back to the trailhead and was subsequently treated at a local hospital for her injuries,” according to Game and Fish.

The Forest Service subsequently closed the trail. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Defensive Encounter "}]

“The encounter occurred in an area characterized by dense vegetation and low visibility. Investigators did not locate any bears upon returning to the site, and no further management actions are currently planned,” according to Game and Fish.

“Our thoughts are with the individual who was injured, and we wish her a full and speedy recovery,” said Jackson Regional Wildlife Supervisor Brad Hovinga in a statement from Game and Fish. “We are grateful she was well-prepared and carried bear spray, which can make all the difference in these unpredictable situations.”  

Though they are generally considered to be more docile than grizzlies, black bears can also be dangerous. 

Game and Fish personnel on July 23 killed a black bear that showed no fear of humans at camp on Forest Road 15 in the Bighorn Mountains. 

Lab tests later confirmed that it was the same bear that tried to enter two tents occupied by Shonna Kaye Dehl of Lovell and Maggie Bassett of Powell on July 5 at another camp off Forest System Road 178 near Fool Creek.

The distance between the two camp sites is approximately 4.5 air miles.

Canada has also seen increased bear activity this summer. A black bear reportedly mauled a toddler Sunday in the town of Maple Ridge, British Columbia. 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Dogs and Bears Don’t Mix"}]

Dogs can sometimes make bear encounters worse, bear biologist Tom Smith of Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, previously told Cowboy State Daily. 

Smith and a team of researchers analyzed 326 

 across North America. The incidents happened from 1901 to 2023 and involved black bears, brown bears (including grizzlies), and polar bears. 

In some cases, dogs irritated bears and then ran back toward their owners, with the bears on their heels, he said. 

In other cases, the dogs simply sat and watched, Smith said. 

Dehl and Bassett told Cowboy State Daily that during their encounter on July 5, their four dogs retreated as they tried to drive the bear out of their camp by shining lights at it, yelling, and shooting at the bear. 

Bear tetons 8 11 26

<title>Black Bear Attacks Woman Hiking With Dogs Near Jackson, Hiking Trail Closed | Cowboy State Daily</title>

A woman was hospitalized Monday after a presumed black bear attacked her while hiking with her dogs near Teton Pass. Game and Fish officials, who closed the trail, described the incident as a "defensive encounter."

Black Bear Attacks Woman Hiking With Dogs Near Jackson, Hiking Trail Closed

One of the nine Republicans running for the GOP nomination to U.S. House voiced strong criticism Tuesday of the state-level Wyoming Freedom Caucus.  

Reid Rasner also said he supports a slate of non-Freedom Caucus state legislative candidates.

“The Freedom Caucus has brought division, dysfunction, and political games to our state,” said Rasner in a Tuesday statement. “Wyoming deserves strong conservatives who will fight for our energy industry, protect our freedoms, keep taxes low, and actually get things done.”

The Wyoming Freedom Caucus is a controversial group of Republicans in the state House of Representatives who are linked with a national network of similar groups.

Proponents praise the caucus for proposing bold reductions to the state budget and efforts to pass socially conservative policies into law.

Opponents accuse it of over-relying on its national network and advancing sloppy or generic legislation.

The Freedom Caucus has endorsed Secretary of State Chuck Gray in the U.S. House of Representatives race.

At a July 23 candidate forum, Gray pivoted from a question about whether he’d join any caucuses in the House, saying, “at the end of the day, I’m going to be focused on representing the people of Wyoming. That’s who I align with.”

Gray did not respond by publication to a Tuesday-afternoon request for comment on Rasner’s remarks and the Freedom Caucus generally.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"‘Plenty Of Noise’"}]

Rasner is not the only Republican U.S. House candidate with strong words for the caucus.

State Senate President Bo Biteman in a Tuesday text message responded to Cowboy State Daily’s inquiry with, “I’ve always believed the best way to deal with political noise is to turn it down and get the work done.”

“The Freedom Caucus brings plenty of noise,” Biteman continued. “I’ve ignored them when they’ve attacked me, I’ve ignored them when they’ve taken credit for work I helped lead, and I’m going to keep ignoring the distractions.”

Biteman has had a complicated relationship with the caucus over the years. He aligns often with its goals, but is outspoken about not being part of it.  

He said Tuesday that he’s focused on winning the election by discussing issues that matter to Wyoming families like lowering the cost of living, protecting public lands, strengthening the Socal Security program “and making government work for the people again.”  

“Wyoming voters are tired of political theater,” said Biteman. “They want results.”

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Caucus Responds"}]

State House Appropriations Chair John Bear, R-Gillette, responded to both Rasner and Biteman in a Tuesday text message on the Freedom Caucus’ behalf.

[{"type":"text","text":"Bear is a former chair and prominent member of the caucus."}]

“Reid Rasner is a failed career candidate who has brought division, dysfunction and political games to our state,” he said. “Wyoming deserves (a) strong conservative, like Chuck Gray.”

Bear said Gray would fight for Wyoming’s energy industry, “protect our freedoms, keep taxes low, and actually get things done.”

Bear also rephrased Biteman’s statement as the caucus’ own, and turned the barbs back onto the Biteman-led Senate.

 “The Wyoming Senate and Cheyenne establishment bring plenty of noise,” said Bear. “We’ve ignored them when they attacked us, we’ve ignored them when they’ve taken credit for work we helped lead, and we’re going to keep ignoring the distractions.”

Bear said the caucus is focused on real issues that matter to Wyomingites.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"What They’re Saying Out There"}]

Steve Friess, a philanthropist and House candidate, told a Riverton-based coffee group on July 29 that the national-level, congressional Freedom Caucus contained “great people” and helped hold the Republican Party to a conservative line.

[{"type":"text","text":"The state entity is something different, he said."}]

“I don’t think too many of their policies have really been out of the mainstream of conservative thought, and all of them have been worthy of a dialogue,” said Friess. “But it just feels to me like brought in a different tone. They’ve brought in an argumentative tone; they’ve excluded people, calling everybody a RINO (Republican in name only).”

“I’m hoping this is kind of a thing that passes,” he added. “And folks that want to call people names and bully people will understand that’s not the way things should be done in Wyoming.”

Friess added in a post-publication comment that he wants to unite the GOP factions and “fight the real enemy, the radical left AOC/ Mandami Socialists.”

The candidate and combat veteran Kevin Christensen said his campaign tours have revealed a growing anti-Freedom Caucus movement. He said most people attribute that to the boisterous 2026 lawmaking session.

The caucus touted control of the state House of Representatives. It sought to eliminate the Wyoming Business Council, which budget hawks have long targeted, and to cut $40 million from the University of Wyoming.

Hampered in part by a check-passing controversy, the caucus achieved neither goal but did broker a temporary cut for WBC and an understanding that lawmakers will reform it starting this year.

U.S. House candidate Reid Rasner on Tuesday called for the defeat of "Freedom Caucus losers." Rep. John Bear, a prominent member of the group, said Rasner is a "failed career candidate who has brought division, dysfunction and political games to our state."

Today In Human Achievement: Friday, June 26, 2026

In case you missed it

More in You Still Here

Today In Food: Wednesday, August 12, 2026

Today In Sports: Wednesday, August 12, 2026

Bonus Video 1: Wednesday, August 12, 2026

You Still Here? Wednesday, August 12, 2026

Most read