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 State Senate Republican PAC Fined $5,000 By IRS
A political action committee supporting Wyoming’s State Senate Republicans has been fined $5,000 by the IRS over a tax filing discrepancy. State Sen. Brian Boner said it was a mistake in the paperwork.
Leo WolfsonApril 24, 2024
Candidates Lining Up To Fill House Seat Of Four-Time Casper Incumbent
Two Republican candidates have already announced campaigns to run for House District 56 in Casper, a seat held by four-time Republican incumbent Jerry Obermueller, who recently announced he’s not running for reelection.
Leo WolfsonApril 24, 2024
Freedom Caucus Blasts Barrasso For Supporting Warrantless Surveillance Bill
The Wyoming Freedom Caucus is condemning Sen. John Barrasso for his support of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which continues the federal government’s authority to conduct warrantless surveillance on U.S. citizens.
Leo WolfsonApril 24, 2024
Evidence Piles Up Showing Wyoming’s Secretive LLC Filing Laws Being Used For Fraud
A county-level investigation shows that Wyoming’s secretive business filing laws are allowing out-of-state entities to fraudulently co-opt addresses. In Sheridan, an address is the legal registered place for nearly 17,000 businesses.
Leo WolfsonApril 24, 2024
Wyoming Conservative Firebrand Rep. Jeanette Ward, Opponent Already Slinging Mud
One of the most outspoken members of the Wyoming Freedom Caucus, state Rep. Jeanette Ward, has a challenger for her House District 57 seat — and they’re already slinging mud.
Leo WolfsonApril 23, 2024
Wyoming GOP Blasts Wilderness Bill Supported By Hageman, Barrasso, Lummis
At the state convention over the weekend, the Republican Party overwhelmingly opposed legislation - supported by Wyoming’s entire delegation -- that would open up thousands of acres of federal land to more uses.
Leo WolfsonApril 23, 2024
Big Tent vs Small Tent: Wyoming GOP Divided Over How Inclusive It Should Be
The turnout for the Republican State Convention has been smaller over the last few years. Critics say this is because party leadership has pursued a "small tent" philosophy which is much less accepting of a variety of viewpoints within the party.
Leo WolfsonApril 22, 2024
Wyoming Pro-Life Legislator's Website Taken Over By Planned Parenthood
Pro-life state Wyoming legislator Rep. Rachel Rodriguez-Williams has had her campaign website URL taken over, and it now redirects to the donation page for the pro-choice advocacy group Planned Parenthood.
Leo WolfsonApril 22, 2024
Wyoming GOP Passes Rule To Kick Out County Precinct Members, But Is It Legal?
The Wyoming Republican Party passed a bylaw Saturday to remove county precinct committee members who don’t attend enough meetings. But some question whether it’s legal to remove people voted in during public elections.
Leo WolfsonApril 21, 2024
Teton County Man Says Luck Saved Him When Caught In Avalanche
Although he has no memories of the avalanche Jan. 12, 2024, Travis Halverson was flung for about 600 vertical feet down a slope through snow and trees like a ball in a Plinko board. He managed to get out despite breaking 10 bones in his spine, ribs, sternum and jaw, as well as a concussion.
Leo WolfsonApril 21, 2024
Wyoming Republican Party Censures Gov. Gordon; Gray Approves
After declining to even debate the topic, the Wyoming Republican Party censured Gov. Mark Gordon at its state convention on Saturday. Sec. of State Chuck Gray said he approved of the censure saying Gordon needed "accountability."
Leo WolfsonApril 20, 2024
Wyoming Republicans Advance Censure Against Mark Gordon
After some back-and-forth debate Friday, a committee of the Wyoming Republican Party advanced a measure to formally censure Gov. Mark Gordon.
Leo WolfsonApril 19, 2024
Potential Trump VP Pick Tulsi Gabbard Coming To Cheyenne This Summer
Tulsi Gabbard, a former congresswoman who left the Democratic Party and is on former President Donald Trump’s short list for vice president, will speak in Cheyenne this summer.
Leo WolfsonApril 19, 2024
Wyoming GOP Rejects ‘Liz Cheney Amendment’ To Kick People Out Of Party
After about eight hours of discussion and debate Thursday, the Bylaws Committee of the Wyoming Republican Party rejected a bylaws change nicknamed the “Liz Cheney Amendment” that would have allowed the state party to kick out members it doesn’t like.
Leo WolfsonApril 19, 2024
Wyoming’s Republican Governor Won’t Attend State GOP Convention
Citing prior commitments, Gov. Mark Gordon’s office told Cowboy State Daily that Gordon, Wyoming’s Republican governor, won’t attend the state GOP convention this weekend in Cheyenne.
Leo WolfsonApril 18, 2024
Radical Bylaw Changes Would Let Wyoming GOP Kick Out Members It Doesn’t Like
At its state convention this weekend, the Wyoming Republican Party will consider proposed bylaw changes that would allow the state party to kick out members for a wide variety of reasons.
Leo WolfsonApril 18, 2024
Wyoming GOP Says Water Tower Veto Was Retaliation, Possibly Unconstitutional
The Wyoming Republican Party is questioning whether Gov. Mark Gordon’s veto of emergency money for a failing water tower in Wheatland was retaliation and questions whether he violated the state Constitution.
Leo WolfsonApril 17, 2024
It’s Official: Barrasso Wants Another 6 Years In US Senate
John Barrasso, Wyoming’s senior U.S. senator, officially announced Wednesday that he’s running for reelection to a fourth term in Congress.
Leo WolfsonApril 17, 2024
Hageman Presents Historic Articles Of Impeachment Against Mayorkas
Wyoming congresswoman Harriet Hageman was among the U.S. House members to deliver the historic articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to the Senate on Tuesday.
Leo WolfsonApril 17, 2024
Unhappy Weston County Commissioners Declare Vacant Wyoming House, Senate Seats
In a move some Wyoming legislators say “they have zero ability to do,” Weston County commissioners unhappy with their representation in the Legislature have voted to declare vacant state Senate and House seats.
Leo WolfsonApril 17, 2024
Supreme Court’s Ruling On Trans Surgeries For Kids Likely Bolsters Wyoming’s New Law
A Monday U.S. Supreme Court ruling upholding Idaho’s ban on transgender surgeries for minors likely also bolsters Wyoming’s new law that does the same.
Leo WolfsonApril 16, 2024