Politics and Government Reporter

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.

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Latest from Leo Wolfson

Cheyenne resident Marci Kindred, pictured here playing chess at the Wyoming Capitol during the 2023 legislative session, is forming a group to be an organized voice to fight efforts to ban and/or restrict controversial books and materials in Cheyenne school libraries.

Cheyenne Group To Fight Against Banning Controversial Books From School Libraries

Wyoming Families For Freedom wants to block a raft of policy changes the Laramie County School District 1 is considering to restrict access to certain books in its library system.

Leo WolfsonMay 25, 2023

An artist's rendering of what the proposed Cody Wyoming Temple would look like.

Plans For 101-Foot Mormon Temple In Cody Spark Opposition, Petition Drive

A proposed Mormon temple in Cody has drawn backlash from some locals who say it will blight their views, violate zoning rules and cause other issues in the residential neighborhood it’s planned for.

Leo WolfsonMay 25, 2023

Weston County Agrees That Secret Ballots, Hidden Communications Illegal In Lawsuit Settlement

Weston County commissioners on Tuesday settled a lawsuit that sets a legal precedent clarifying that voting by secret ballot and conducting electronic communications to engage in public business in Wyoming is illegal, media attorney says.

Leo WolfsonMay 24, 2023

Hageman Says Republicans Can’t Seem “To Wake Up Joe Biden” To Face Debt Ceiling Crisis

U.S. Harriet Hageman said Republicans are effectively holding court when it comes to debt ceiling negotiations, and they won’t accept any proposal that doesn’t cut spending.

Leo WolfsonMay 24, 2023

WEA Lawsuit Over School Funding Latest In 50-Year Fight To Define Wyoming’s Charge For ‘Adequate' And 'Equitable' Funding

Just how much money is required for “adequate” and "equitable" public school funding is a legal question that’s been litigated in Wyoming for more than 50 years, including an ongoing WEA lawsuit.

Leo WolfsonMay 23, 2023

Wyoming Attorney Says ‘Christian Nationalism’ Has ‘Highjacked’ Republican Party

Casper Attorney Susan Stubson is getting pushback after saying Wyoming is being “hijacked” by “Christian nationalism” and far-right Republicans in a New York Times op-ed.

Leo WolfsonMay 23, 2023

Wyoming GOP Unhappy With Supreme Court Decision It Can’t Make Its Own Election Rules

A recent Wyoming Supreme Court decision that political parties can’t make rules contrary to state law is a frustrating legal pill to swallow, say some state party officials.

Leo WolfsonMay 22, 2023

Tiny trees and tasty Wyoming-grown honey are Cheryl Burke's stock-in-trade.

Cowboy State People: Cheryl Burke Sells Bonsai Trees & Honey Along Highway Through Tiny Eden, Wyoming

Cheryl Burke grows, trims and sells her bonsai trees from a roadside stand along Highway 191 as it runs through the tiny town of Eden in southwestern Wyoming.

Leo WolfsonMay 21, 2023

Rep. John Bear, R-Gillette, left, is chairman of the Wyoming Freedom Caucus. House Speaker Albert Sommers, R-Pinedale, right, has called out the caucus as a divisive force in the state Republican Party.

House Speaker Sommers Says Freedom Caucus Is Dividing Republicans In It’s ‘Thirst For Power’

House Speaker Rep. Albert Sommers, R-Pinedale, slammed Wyoming Freedom Caucus members, accusing the group of having a “thirst for power” in pushing a far-right or nothing agenda on state Republicans.

Leo WolfsonMay 20, 2023

Arp Elementary School in Cheyenne sits vacant and crumbling after being deemed unfit to house students anymore after it was found to be infested with vermin and sewage.

Rodents, Sewage, Crumbling Walls: Cheyenne’s Arp Elementary Forced Into Makeshift Building Next Fall

Arp Elementary School has rodents, sewage problems and crumbling walls. It will move into an abandoned school building in Cheyenne in the fall, but whether the state will OK money to replace or upgrade the school is far from certain.

Leo WolfsonMay 19, 2023

An angry and agitated abortion rights protester.

Hageman Says Feds Turn ‘Blind Eye’ To Violence Against Pro-Life Groups

U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman says the federal government is hypocritical in protecting people who are victims of hate crimes, turning a “blind eye” when pro-life groups are attacked.

Leo WolfsonMay 18, 2023

Uinta County Republicans Can’t Make Their Own Rules To Override State Law, Wyoming Supreme Court Says

The Wyoming Supreme Court ruled Thursday morning that former Uinta County Republican Party leaders improperly changed its 2021 party election rules in a way that contradicts state law.

Leo WolfsonMay 18, 2023

Other Authors

Wyoming GOP Committeewoman Nina Webber said she feels vindicated after charges alleging she was hunting recklessly near a home in Park County last fall were dropped with prejudice. She called the pursuit of the allegations a political "hit job."

Reckless Hunting Allegation A Political ‘Hit Job,’ Says GOP National Committeewoman Nina Webber As Charges Dropped

An allegation that Wyoming Republican Party National Committeewoman Nina Webber sprayed bullets near a home last fall while hunting have been dropped with prejudice. She called the charge a political “hit job” and said that “the truth has finally come out.”

Leo WolfsonMay 18, 2023

State House Speaker Rep. Albert Sommers, left, and Rep. John Bear.

Wyoming Freedom Caucus Says Lawmakers Who Voted Down Property Tax Bills Are ‘Unethical’

The Wyoming Freedom Caucus is pointing fingers over the mass failure of most of the 21 property tax bills proposed during this year’s legislative session.

Leo WolfsonMay 18, 2023

U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman, R-Wyoming, said Wednesday that the findings of the Durham investigation that say there was no collusion between former President Donald Trump and Russia during the 2016 campaign prove the federal government has been weaponized against Trump.

Hageman Says Durham Report Is Proof Federal Government Was Weaponized To Block Trump Reelection

U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman on Wednesday said, "The lack of probable cause, accuracy of examining information and objectivity by the FBI is criminal, and those who willfully advanced the lies exposed by the Durham report should face criminal prosecution.”

Leo WolfsonMay 17, 2023

The 2022 General Election was the first statewide election held under a 2021 law that requires people to show ID to vote.

Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Challenging Chuck Gray’s Voter ID Law

Secretary of State Chuck Gray said Tuesday that he’s “extremely pleased” with the dismissal of a lawsuit challenging what he calls “Wyoming’s landmark voter ID law.”

Leo WolfsonMay 16, 2023

Gov. Mark Gordon, left, and Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder have signed letters opposing a President Joe Biden administration rule that would override state bans on transgender participation in girls' sports.

Gordon, Degenfelder Slam Biden’s Proposed Transgender Athletes Rule, Which Would Override Wyoming’s New Law

Gov. Mark Gordon and Wyoming’s top education official Megan Degenfelder have signed letters opposing a Title IX rule proposal from President Joe Biden’s administration that would likely nullify a transgender sports law passed in Wyoming.

Leo WolfsonMay 16, 2023

Dr. Monica Bertagnolli grew up sheep ranching in Rock Springs, attended Princeton and now has been nominated to head up the National Institutes of Health.

Biden Nominates Rock Springs Native, Dr. Monica Bertagnolli, To Lead National Institutes of Health

Dr. Monica Bertagnolli, a cancer surgeon who grew up in Rock Springs, has been nominated by President Biden to lead the National Institutes Of Health.

Leo WolfsonMay 16, 2023

President Joe Biden gave the commencement speech at Howard University last week in which he said white supremacy is the No. 1 terrorist threat to the United States.

Barrasso, Lummis And Hageman Rip Biden For Calling White Supremacy Greatest Threat In U.S.

Sen. Barrasso and Rep. Hageman said President Biden was trying to deflect attention from other issues on Saturday when he called white supremacy the most dangerous terrorist threat to America.

Leo WolfsonMay 15, 2023

University of Wyoming Out-Of-State Tuition Cheaper For Some Colorado Students Than To Stay Home

It’s makes sense that Colorado students make up a significant percentage of the University of Wyoming student body considering it costs less for some than in-state tuition at CSU or CU-Boulder.

Leo WolfsonMay 15, 2023

Republican state Rep. Clark Stith sips a cup of coffee at his wife's book and wine bar in Rock Springs.

From Homelessness To Wyoming Legislature, Clark Stith Helped Spark Sweetwater County’s Republican Rise

One night when Stith was 25 years old, he found himself homeless. "I woke up outside under a bridge and saw a rat crawling in front of me and thought, ‘Law school couldn't be much worse than this,’" Stith remembered. "So, I applied to law school."

Leo WolfsonMay 13, 2023

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