Matthew Christian
Matthew Christian covers state and federal politics for Cowboy State Daily.
He previously worked for the Aiken (South Carolina) Standard and the Morning News in Florence, S.C. Matthew is a graduate of the University of South Carolina School of Law and the University of Charleston in West Virginia. He grew up in West Virginia.
Matthew lives in Cheyenne.
Latest from Matthew Christian
Chuck Gray Says He’s Not Done With Wyoming Election Reforms, Like Paper Ballots
Chuck Gray says he’s not done pushing election reform in Wyoming, including doing away with electronic voting machines in favor of pen-and-paper ballots. Another try at banning ballot drop boxes is also among more than a dozen other changes he wants.
Matthew ChristianJuly 08, 2025
Wyoming GOP Lukewarm On Musk’s New Party, Dems Say It’s ‘The Last Thing We Need’
Elon Musk’s plan to form a new political party — the America Party — is drawing mixed reaction in Wyoming. Republicans are lukewarm to the idea so far, while a leading Democrat says it’s “the last thing we need.”
Matthew ChristianJuly 07, 2025
Feds Could End Wyoming’s Controversial Cloud Seeding Program For Good
A federal bill calling for a nationwide ban of cloud seeding and other weather modification could end Wyoming’s controversial program for good. Some Wyoming legislators support the ban, while others call it a “knee-jerk reaction.”
Matthew ChristianJuly 07, 2025
Underhanded Pitches, No Gloves And A Soft Ball: 1860s Baseball Nothing Like Today
America’s pastime and the Fourth of July go together like peanuts and Cracker Jacks, but the game in the 1860s was nothing like today. Vintage baseball was a highlight at Fort Laramie on Friday, where players didn’t have gloves and pitched underhanded.
Matthew ChristianJuly 05, 2025
Fort Laramie Rings In The 4th With Cannons, 38-Gun Salute
Historic Fort Laramie partied like it was 1876 on Friday, celebrating the Fourth of July as folks at the fort did nearly 150 years ago. The celebration was punctuated by cannon fire and a 38-gun salute, representing the 38 states in the Union then.
Matthew ChristianJuly 04, 2025
Wyoming Being Considered For Location Of Another Huge New Data Center
A partnership between OpenAI and Oracle could lead to the construction of another large data center in Wyoming. Cheyenne is a very popular location for national data centers because of its location and the availability of the necessary power.
Matthew ChristianJuly 03, 2025
Federal Agents Help ID Explosives That Sparked Evacuation In Laramie Neighborhood
ATF and FBI agents were part of a large response to “potential explosives” in a Laramie home Tuesday that prompted an hourslong evacuation. It turned out to be the fireworks-making materials discovered after the man who lived there died.
Matthew ChristianJuly 03, 2025
Wyoming Legislators Aren’t Done Looking For Ways To Lower Property Taxes
Wyoming legislators passed a 25% property tax break earlier this year, but they’re not done looking for “long-term reform.” Options include eliminating residential property tax altogether, something that was considered in 2024.
Matthew ChristianJuly 03, 2025
Degenfelder Says Stopping School Choice Payment Has Brought ‘Utter Chaos'
A judge's decision to temporarily stop payments to Wyoming’s school choice voucher program brought “utter chaos” to the families of the students enrolled, Wyoming Superintendent Megan Degenfelder said Wednesday.
Matthew ChristianJuly 02, 2025
Gordon Names Former Wyoming Supreme Court Justice Keith Kautz As Attorney General
Gov. Mark Gordon appointed Keith Kautz, a former Wyoming Supreme Court Justice, as Wyoming’s 39th attorney general Wednesday. Kautz said he’s “honored to serve Wyoming.”
Matthew ChristianJuly 02, 2025
‘Huge Flipping Waste Of Money’: Legislator Wants To Eliminate Wyoming Business Council
Calling the Wyoming Business Council a “huge flipping waste of money,” state Rep. Ken Pendergraft says he wants to reduce the state’s budget by getting rid of the entity. Economic development shouldn’t be the government’s responsibility, he said.
Matthew ChristianJuly 01, 2025
Wyoming Legislators Cheer Removal Of Ban On States Regulating AI From Budget Bill
Gov. Mark Gordon and a pair of Wyoming legislators cheered Tuesday’s removal of a ban on states regulating artificial intelligence. A 99-1 Senate vote took it out of the controversial federal budget bill.
Matthew ChristianJuly 01, 2025
Trans Woman Breaks Wyoming’s New Bathroom Ban In State Capitol, Nothing Happens
Nothing happened Tuesday when a transgender woman flagrantly violated a newly implemented Wyoming law restricting people to the restroom corresponding to their birth sex in public buildings.
Matthew Christian & Clair McFarlandJuly 01, 2025
ESPN’s SportsCenter To Broadcast From Cheyenne Frontier Days
ESPN’s SportsCenter program will broadcast from Cheyenne Frontier Days on July 24 as part of its 50 States in 50 Days event. It will be a homecoming for ESPN's Gary Striewski who got his start at KGWN-TV in Cheyenne.
Matthew ChristianJuly 01, 2025
Rob Wallace: Don’t Expect Public Land Sale To Be Brought Back Anytime Soon
People shouldn’t expect to see a plan to sell federal public lands brought back to Congress anytime soon, says Rob Wallace, former Assistant Interior Secretary. In the future, the proposal needs to be its own standalone bill, says Sen. John Barrasso.
Matthew ChristianJune 30, 2025
Former Wyoming Chief Justice Says Supreme Court Order Reining In Judges ‘Brilliant’
A Former Wyoming Chief Justice says Friday’s U.S. Supreme Court order reining in district court judges from issuing nationwide injunctions is “brilliant.” The Washington delegation also praised the order as a victory over “activist” district court judges.
Matthew ChristianJune 27, 2025
Not Everybody Hates Sen. Mike Lee’s Idea Of Selling Off Federal Public Land
Despite a loud public outcry against U.S. Sen. Mike Lee’s efforts to sell millions of acres of federal public land, not everyone hates the idea. Former Wyoming legislator Ray Peterson said states could buy the land and manage it much better.
Matthew ChristianJune 27, 2025
Lummis Says Congress Needs To Set Cryptocurrency Rules By End Of Year
Sen. Cynthia Lummis says Congress needs to pass rules for digital assets by the end of the year to take advantage of having “the most pro-crypto president.” A Wyoming expert says the state is still on track to be the first with its own stable token.
Matthew ChristianJune 27, 2025
Hundreds Cheer At Public Lands Rally As Provenza Calls Sen. Mike Lee A 'Jackass'
Hundreds attended a rally Thursday evening in Cheyenne to protest Utah Sen. Mike Lee’s proposal to sell federal public land. State Rep. Karlee Provenza received the loudest cheer when she called him a “jackass.”
Matthew ChristianJune 27, 2025
Wyoming Farmers Want More Federal Oversight Of Foreign Ag Land Ownership
The Wyoming Farm Bureau Federation supports a bill that would provide more federal oversight of foreign ownership of agricultural land. The bill, introduced Monday, would include the Secretary of Agriculture in overseeing foreign investment in the U.S.
Matthew ChristianJune 26, 2025
‘Great Job Of Feeding The Legal Profession’: Driskill Blasts Freedom Caucus
State Sen. Ogden Driskill is blasting the Wyoming Freedom Caucus, saying bills backed by the group are “doing a great job of feeding the legal profession.” The Freedom Caucus says Driskill has “flip-flopped” to take “the side of woke Democrat attorneys.”
Matthew ChristianJune 26, 2025