Two of the 10 Republicans vying for Wyoming’s lone U.S. House seat faced off Wednesday at a convention hall on Riverton’s airport hill, headquarters of “The Gentry.”
The morning coffee group comprising men of a certain age has become a hot destination for political candidates of all levels and stripes, ranging from local sheriff candidates to governor to U.S. House.
Former Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow and state Senate President Bo Biteman converged on the coffee meet at the same time Wednesday.
“There are some folks in this race of good character. And there are some folks in this race of suspect character,” said Balow. “So I’m thankful to you folks for doing your homework.
"As awkward as it is for Bo and I to be here together — this is great.”
Biteman nodded.
The two candidates will vie for the GOP nomination to U.S. House in Wyoming’s Aug. 18 primary election.
They face a crowded race that includes Secretary of State Chuck Gray, Teton County rancher Frank Chapman, Casper businessman Reid Rasner, philanthropist Steve Friess, military veterans David Giralt and Kevin Christensen, former lawmaker Keith Goodenough, and Richard Dodson.
Biteman and Balow fielded questions, heard frustration and shared their visions.
Group regular, biker and former elementary school puppeteer Wayne Dick voiced a sense of futility over the polarization in politics.
“I guess that’s where my struggle is: to try to get the country working for the country instead of so split; so out in la-la land and (saying), ‘If you don’t agree with me you’re wrong,’” said Dick.
The Gentry’s host and former Riverton Mayor Ron Warpness echoed that, and said he consumes too much news and has concerns about policymaking on both the state and federal levels, but has reached a point at which his only outlet at times is to “come here and vent.”
As for Congress and U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell specifically, “My God, he makes Joe Biden look like a mental giant,” lamented Warpness.
Biteman answered that its time pragmatic delegates took back sanity from the far right and far left.
“If you let (fringes) dictate policy, no one’s happy, everyone’s fighting and we get gridlock,” said Biteman.
Data Centers
Former state Rep. David Miller, a Riverton Republican, asked the candidates multiple questions. One of those was about their stance on data centers.
Balow said the state should develop consistent framework toward the industry, exercise what she cast as rightful suspicion, and stop giving tax breaks.
She pointed to her work on the top state executive boards, where she said her opposition to some wind farm advancements helped craft more consistent framework.
Biteman echoed Balow on the tax break sentiment especially, saying that state law has outlived its purpose.
As a former state representative, Gray voted twice to keep Wyoming’s sales tax exemption for large data projects in place — in 2021 and 2022 — though he’s come out altogether against data centers in his current campaign.
He’s since told Cowboy State Daily that when he voted to keep that exemption, people didn’t expect the rapid advance of artificial intelligence now amplifying data center controversies.
Here Biteman differs slightly from Balow by emphasizing that on a private lands level, landowners should have freedom to contract with data centers. He voiced opposition to the “NIMBY” (not-in-my-backyard) crowd, which he said seeks to dictate how people can use their own property.
Biteman, who is a professional landman, pointed to his background in energy and his energy advocacy.
He took the data center topic as a chance to criticize “the surveillance state,” and said if Congress has a role in data centers, it should be ensuring they’re not farming people’s information around privacy constraints, and to ensure the government isn’t using private companies to get around the Fourth Amendment.
“Get a warrant, if you want my private information,” said Biteman.
He voiced opposition toward Flock and other-brand license plate reader cameras, which he cast as expansive data miners.
Both candidates touted their energy backgrounds. Balow noted that she grew up in Gillette, one of the state’s mining strongholds.
She and Biteman both said they want to unlock energy dominance to free the industry from its boom and bust cycle. Both voiced favor toward the nuclear industry.
Balow said Wyoming can develop nuclear energy businesses without having to store nuclear waste.
Iran War
Miller asked for each candidate’s stance on the Iran war.
President Donald Trump has vacillated on Iran, a conflict that has halted trade through the Strait of Hormuz and driven up gas prices for Americans but which, on the other hand, is a gesture to halt Iranian advanced weapons development and attacks on U.S. ally Israel.
The Constitution is the answer, said Biteman.
“Congress has the power to declare war. If we’re going to declare war, we need to declare war,” he said. “If not, Congress needs to take back the authority. I don’t care if it’s our guy in the White House or the other guy in the White House. Rules are rules. The Constitution matters.”
The last war for which Congress declared the nation’s entry, World War II, was also the last war in which the U.S. “kicked maximum ass,” said Biteman.
Here Warpness recalled the Vietnam War, saying he spent time there and “questioned what we were doing there sometimes,” but has believed that the nation is good if it does good.
Biteman said he agrees, but would like Congress to declare what that “good” is, rather than the president.
Balow voiced similar sentiments about the separation of powers. She said the Iran war was realistic at its start.
“Iran is a threat to us,” she said, adding that Iran should not have a nuclear weapon, should not be sponsoring terrorism, and should not be controlling the Strait of Hormuz.
But at this point, she said, the war “needs to end … and Congress needs to have a say in that.”
Department Of Education
Both candidates said they want to get rid of the U.S. Department of Education.
Casting that vote to eliminate the agency should be the extent of Congress’ involvement in local education, said Biteman.
Balow said the federal government should send DOE’s money to the states in a thoughtful way, rather than into the coffers of certain businesses.
Both candidates pointed to their extensive work in this area, Balow as former schools chief for Wyoming and Biteman as a member of multiple education-related committees in the Legislature.
Balow emphasized the value of school choice but said it shouldn’t detract from the public school system.
Biteman, who helped pass a state stipend program for private and homeschooling programs, said the Legislature ensured the money for the program doesn’t come from the K-12 funding pot. He also said the federal government has degraded public education.
“The whole system is screwed up. It is rotten to the core it needs to be fixed,” said Biteman.
Housing
Cowboy State Daily asked if Congress has a role in mitigating the housing shortage and if so, what form that should take.
Balow said deregulating and more proactive legislating, like offering incentives to first-time homebuyers, are among the solutions. She said refusing to create and raise taxes will help drive interest rates down and get the market moving.
“Above all, (the solution is) making sure we’re curtailing this reckless spending we now have,” she said.
“Housing is one of the issues where I think there needs to be some legislation that can really pave the way for more affordable land, more — just more of an opportunity for communities to meet their needs,” Balow added.
Biteman, who reiterated a minimalistic approach to nearly every issue throughout the gathering, said Congress’ role in this area should be deregulation and reining in its own fiscal decisions.
He also urged the deregulation of the timber industry on public lands, saying that would drive homebuilding and job creation both, while reducing wildfire outbreaks.
Balow and Biteman both touted multiple use public lands approaches and strong energy advocacy.
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
