Leo Wolfson
Leo Wolfson is the State Government and Politics Reporter for Cowboy State Daily and is based in Cheyenne. He is responsible for covering Wyoming politics on a federal and statewide level.
Leo led Cowboy State Daily's coverage of the 2022 Wyoming primary election, including the highly contentious race between former congresswoman Liz Cheney and her successor U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman. He also managed CSD's coverage of the 2023 State Legislature, which was by far the most extensive and timely media coverage of a legislative session in the state's history.
Before joining Cowboy State Daily, Leo was a general assignment reporter for the Cody Enterprise Newspaper in Cody from 2018-2022. Prior to that, he reported for a suburban newspaper outside Denver.
Latest from Leo Wolfson

Wyoming Businesses Expand To Asia Markets That Can’t Get Enough Cowboy Culture
More Wyoming businesses are finding eager buyers for their products in Asia markets that can’t get enough cowboy culture. That success has the state exploring more ways to bolster Wyoming trade with countries in Asia.
Leo WolfsonMay 06, 2025

Hot Springs County Keeps Getting Sued Over Controversial Tipi Retreat
Hot Springs County is being sued for a second time in four years over a controversial teepee resort and a private road used by multiple landowners. The dispute has divided officials, with a commissioner testifying against the county in court.
Leo WolfsonMay 06, 2025

State GOP Wants Federal ICE Detention Center Opened In Wyoming
The Wyoming Republican Party passed a resolution at its meeting Saturday calling for the opening of a federally funded Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Wyoming.
Leo WolfsonMay 05, 2025

Wyoming Allows, But Doesn’t Regulate, Self-Driving Cars — Yet
As more self-driving cars are on roads across the country, more states are regulating the use of them. Wyoming hasn’t regulated self-driving vehicles, but legislators say it’s only a matter of when that will happen, not if.
Leo WolfsonMay 04, 2025
Wyoming GOP Stands Firm On Not Letting Hot Springs County Members Vote
The Wyoming Republican Party firmly stood behind its lawsuit with four members of the Hot Springs County Republican Party on Saturday. Two members from that party who say they were fairly elected weren’t allowed to vote for state party officers.
Leo WolfsonMay 04, 2025
Wyoming Republicans Elect Sheridan's Bryan Miller As New Party Chairman
Sheridan resident Bryan Miller was elected the new chairman of the Wyoming Republican Party on Saturday, beating out Jackson resident Rebecca Bextel by a 42-32 vote.
Leo WolfsonMay 03, 2025

Failure That Caused Teton Pass To Slide Off Mountain Was Unavoidable, WYDOT Says
Wyoming Department of Transportation officials told legislators on Thursday the mudslide that wiped out Highway 22 on Teton Pass last year was an unavoidable event, caused by extreme, fast-changing weather conditions.
Leo WolfsonMay 03, 2025

Wyoming Airmen Make Extraordinary Cardiac Evacuation From Antarctica
Two members of the Wyoming Air National Guard played critical roles in successfully evacuating a patient in cardiac arrest from McMurdo Station in Antarctica. “This was more than a mission — it was a life saved against all odds,” Brig. Gen. Michelle Mulberry said.
Leo WolfsonMay 03, 2025

Commissioner Says Hot Springs County To Break From ‘Socialist’ State Association
A Hot Springs County Commissioner promises to break from the Wyoming County Commissioners Association because it’s a “socialist” group that opposes tax cuts. If that happens, Hot Springs would be the only one of Wyoming’s 23 counties to not be a member.
Leo WolfsonMay 02, 2025

Industry Expert Says Shipping Wyoming Coal Through Gulf Not Far-Fetched
Jackson resident Jim Manley has spent more than 40 years operating barges on the Mississippi River. Transporting Wyoming coal to Asia via barges from the Gulf Coast instead of the West Coast is not far-fetched at all, he said.
Leo WolfsonMay 01, 2025

Wyoming GOP May Let Hot Springs Members Vote In State Election Despite Lawsuit
The Wyoming GOP is considering letting members of the Hot Springs Republican Party it says were illegally elected to county positions vote in the state party elections Saturday. A lawsuit filed against the state party by the contested members is ongoing.
Leo WolfsonMay 01, 2025

Freedom Caucus Says Wyoming’s Budget Needs Some ‘DOGE-ing’
The Wyoming Freedom Caucus has set goals for the upcoming interim legislative session, including “DOGE-ing Wyoming’s Budget.” Inspired by the Trump administration’s cost-cutting moves, the conservative lawmakers say Wyoming also has too much waste.
Leo WolfsonMay 01, 2025

Gordon Wants To Use Gulf Coast Ports To Export Wyoming Coal, Gas To Asia
Gov. Mark Gordon said Wednesday he wants to use Gulf Coast ports to ship more Wyoming coal to Japan and Taiwan and beat out Alaska as a main trade partner.
Leo WolfsonApril 30, 2025

Led By Wyoming Chairwoman, Corporation for Public Broadcasting Sues Trump
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting Board, led by Riverton resident and Chairwoman Ruby Calvert, sued President Donald Trump’s administration Tuesday for firing three Democratic members from the group’s board.
Leo WolfsonApril 30, 2025

25% Property Tax Cut Has Cities And Counties Expecting To Cut Budgets
A 25% residential property tax cut approved earlier this year by the Legislature has cities and counties across Wyoming crunching numbers. Many tell Cowboy State Daily they’re already contemplating where to cut their budgets.
Leo WolfsonApril 28, 2025

UW Confirms Six Students Who Had Visas Revoked Are Reinstated
The University of Wyoming confirmed to Cowboy State Daily on Monday that six international students who had their visa registrations revoked have had them reinstated.
Leo WolfsonApril 28, 2025

Hageman, House Committee Staff Visit Sheridan VA To Investigate Complaints
U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman and Republican staff from the House Committee on Veterans Affairs visited the Sheridan VA on Thursday after receiving multiple concerning reports about the facility.
Leo WolfsonApril 25, 2025

Twice-Deported Man Accused Of Smuggling 18,000 Rounds Of Ammo Skips Court
A twice-deported Mexican immigrant with suspected cartel-ties accused of smuggling 18,000 rounds of ammunition through Wyoming skipped federal court Friday. A judge issued a warrant for his arrest.
Leo WolfsonApril 25, 2025

Charlie Kirk Tells UW Students To Reject Woke Ideologies, Traditional College Education
Conservative political activist Charlie Kirk implored an audience at the University of Wyoming on Thursday night to cast away traditional liberal beliefs and woke ideologies
Leo WolfsonApril 25, 2025

State Treasurer Plans To Invest Billions To Help Bring Manufacturing To Wyoming
State Treasurer Curt Meier said he has plans to use $1 billion to $1.5 billion of the state’s investment earnings to bring more manufacturing to Wyoming. The timing of this proposal is in direct alignment with President Trump’s ongoing tariff war, he said.
Leo WolfsonApril 24, 2025

Wyoming Activities Association Consider Allowing High School Athletes To Get Paid
High school athletes in Wyoming may be soon able to make money off their athletic performance. The Wyoming High School Activities Association is considering a policy that would allow athletes to pursue Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deals in the Cowboy State.
Leo WolfsonApril 24, 2025

Lummis Has More Than $1.5M So Far For 2026 Race, Campaign Finance Reports Show
Wyoming U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis so far has more than $1.5 million at her disposal heading into her 2026 race for reelection. That’s after she and her PAC raised about $420,000 in the first quarter of the year, according to campaign finance reports.
Leo WolfsonApril 24, 2025

Wyoming Union Group Says Gordon Not Doing Enough To Prevent Workplace Deaths
The Wyoming State AFL-CIO says Gov. Mark Gordon has not done enough during his time as governor to prevent workplace fatalities. Worker deaths spiked by 25% last year to the highest rate per capita in the country.
Leo WolfsonApril 24, 2025

Wyoming GOP Slams Lawsuit Brought By ‘Liz Cheney Republicans’
The Wyoming Republican Party slammed the Hot Springs County GOP and a former state legislator Wednesday as "Liz Cheney Republicans" in response to a lawsuit against the state party’s efforts to tell the county party how to conduct its elections.
Leo WolfsonApril 23, 2025

Mom Says 19-Year-Old Wind Tech Who Jumped From Turbine Struggled Long Before Death
Cristy Cobb, the mother of a 19-year-old wind energy technician who died when he jumped from a turbine earlier this month, said he battled mental health issues long before his death. She wants his story to now help others.
Leo WolfsonApril 23, 2025

Unpopular Choices May Be Ahead To Pay For Wyoming Schools As Minerals Money Shrinks
How Wyoming can make up for declining oil and gas revenues to fund public schools was a main topic of discussion at a state trust land forum held in Laramie on Tuesday. It could mean some unpopular choices may be ahead to raise money.
Leo WolfsonApril 22, 2025

Hot Springs County Republicans Sue ‘Soviet-Style Politburo’ State Party
The new leadership of the Hot Springs County Republican Party has sued the state GOP over a decision it made earlier this month to reject county election results and call for a recount. In the lawsuit, the county calls the state party a “Soviet-style politburo.”
Leo WolfsonApril 22, 2025

Two-Horse Race To Be Next Chairman Of Wyoming Republican Party
Wyoming is one of the reddest states in the nation politically, which makes leading the Republican Party in the Cowboy State a high-profile position with influence. There’s a two-horse race for GOP state chairman.
Leo WolfsonApril 21, 2025

Saxsquatch, The Baddest Sax-Blowing Bigfoot, Comes Out Of Hiding For Concert
Bigfoot came out of wherever he hides in the woods to make a rare public appearance Wednesday night in Fort Collins, Colo. Going by the stage name Saxsquatch, the baddest sax-blowing bigfoot in the forest, put on a monstrous concert.
Leo WolfsonApril 19, 2025

Gordon On Middle East, Asia Tour To Build Wyoming’s International Business Profile
Gov. Mark Gordon is piling up the frequent flier miles on a Middle East and Asia tour to build Wyoming’s international business profile. He’s also meeting with Wyoming military stationed overseas.
Leo WolfsonApril 18, 2025