Tag archive

Foster Friess

Bill Sniffin: As Foster Friess Was Laid To Rest, Well-Known Folks Attended His Final Services

Published on in Foster Friess/News
11384

***For All Things Wyoming, Sign-Up For Our Daily Newsletter***

By Bill Sniffin, publisher

Nearly a thousand people from all over the world gathered last weekend at four sites to celebrate the life of their good friend.

 The late Foster Friess was well known for a great many things. First and foremost was his generosity as he and his wife Lynn gave away $500 million in their lifetimes.

Foster was also well-known as a high profile Republican donor and a supporter of conservative causes. 

He spoke well and was a frequent guest on TV news shows including the Fox News programs of Tucker Carlson, Laura Ingraham, Charles Payne, Neil Cavuto, and Maria Bartiroma.

Hundreds of the most famous people in America gathered in Jackson on June 6 to celebrate his life.

Carlson gave a rousing speech to the huge crowd at the Diamond Cross Ranch big barn near Moran.

The event was attended by special guests including former Vice President Mike Pence, former Vice-President Dan Quayle,  and former Trump cabinet member Dr. Ben Carson.  Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyoming, was there along with South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem. Gov. Mark Gordon and his wife Jennie were present along with Wyoming Secretary of State Ed Buchanan, Treasurer Curt Meier, Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow and Auditor Kristin Racines, the top elected state officials in Wyoming. 

Former Wyoming House Speaker and Senate President Eli Bebout of Riverton was there along with a slew of Jackson friends such as Hank McKinnell, Dick Scarlett, Jerry Blann, Steve Duerr, Paul Von Gontard, and Steve Meadows, among many others.   

The day before, a funeral service was held in Scottsdale, Arizona. Earlier in the day, a funeral service was held at the Presbyterian Church in Jackson. The next day, a service was held in Foster’s hometown of Rice Lake, Wisconsin, where he was laid to rest.

At one point during the Jackson funeral, former Veep Pence and Gordon presented Foster’s wife Lynn with United States  and Wyoming flags.  Foster Friess was a veteran and a flag was draped over his casket during the entire service. He and Lynn have four children who were all in attendance, along with a big gathering of grandchildren, many of whom spoke during the service.

The crowds were huge at the Diamond Cross and it took a while to get everyone to the site and located for the celebratory dinner.

The music was wonderful and the food was tasty.  The weather was spectacular with the Tetons looking down over the crowd.

It was a near-perfect day for a send-off for a near-perfect guy.

Photos by Bill Sniffin and Peter Lobozzo

A funeral attendee holds the brochure for the Foster Friess funeral in Jackson June 5.

Lynn Friess is greeted by an old friend of the family, former Vice President Mike Pence.

Fox News’ Laura Ingraham was sitting with former Trump Cabinet member Dr. Ben Carson.

Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA and Conservative Political talk show host Candace Owens toasted Foster Friess during the celebration of life.

Ross Perot Jr. of Dallas was sitting with Gov. Kristi Noem of South Dakota.

Gov. Mark Gordon and former Vice President Mike Pence presented flags to the family in honor of Foster Friess.

Attending were  Wyoming First Lady Jennie Gordon and her husband Gov. Mark Gordon (right).  State Supt. of Public Instruction Jillian Balow and State Auditor Kristi Racines were also in attendance.

Jackson friends of the Friess family were enjoying the sunshine prior to the celebration of life service. (L-r) Hank McKinnell, Joanna Slonecka, Olson Fenwick, and Paul Von Gontard.

Sen. John Barrasso and his wife Bobbie were chatting with South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem.

Former Senate President Eli Bebout was chatting with Hank True of Casper.

Tucker Carlson of Fox News posed for a photo with Lynn Friess, the wife of the late Foster Friess. They were married 58 years.

Former U. S. Sen. Rick Santorum paused by his friend’s casket at the Jackson funeral.

Friess grandchildren were solemn after the funeral as they stood next to their grandfather’s casket. Son Michael Friess is standing in the background.

***For All Things Wyoming, Sign-Up For Our Daily Newsletter***

You might be interested in

Only In America: The Foster Friess Story

Published on in Foster Friess/News
11131

***For All Things Wyoming, Sign-Up For Our Daily Newsletter***

You might be interested in

Foster Friess: What Are God’s Dreams?

Published on in Column/Foster Friess
9450

By Foster Friess, columnist

Just as an outrider keeps the herd on the right trail, Foster’s Outriders works to keep our country on the right path. Looking at America’s dissension and anger today, we could use a mid-course change in our spiritual direction.

How can some who have been treated terribly react with grace and forgiveness that defies understanding, such as the nine families who forgave the white supremacist who shot their relatives in the 2015 Charleston tragedy, while so many others react to injustice by lashing out in anger?

How can we have more of our country react to evil with vigils, sadness and resolve rather than riots, bricks and fires? In which culture would you rather live?

In which example can we heal America’s disunity and anger?

Foster’s Outriders is enamored with Thomas Jefferson’s view, “Of all the systems of morality, ancient or modern which have come under my observation, none appears to me so pure as that of Jesus.”

What did Thomas Jefferson, who was not a Christian, see in those teachings that captured his appreciation? Always consider other people more important than yourself. We’ve been set free to serve. Never return evil for evil. Strive for servanthood, not power. Be an encourager, not a denigrator.

Unfortunately, secularists, in advancing their agenda of division, have turned many against these teachings. Teachings that hold the answers to healing our nation.

Forgiveness impressed Jefferson the most. As Jesus was poked, stabbed and hoisted onto His cross, he uttered, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Foster’s Outriders launches, supports and endorses numerous efforts that embody the notion that anger and hate does not drive out hatred; love drives out hate.

Rachel’s Challenge embraces the exhortation of Rachel Scott, the first Columbine victim, to create a chain reaction of kindness and works to end bullying and drug abuse.

The annual Outriders National Coffee Challenge, inspired by LGBTQ leader Donna Red Wing’s example, encourages Americans to invite someone with whom they disagree to coffee. The best examples shared on social media receive rewards.

ACE Scholarships enable low-income students to attend private schools of their parents’ choice.

Water Mission designs and builds safe water and sanitation systems in developing countries, often in conjunction with a natural disaster.

Outriders organize Harmony Meals, where black and white churches partner to host law enforcement.

These are a few of the programs the Foster’s Outriders Foundation supports to help heal America. Engaging in these programs allows us an opportunity to set an example of how we might fulfill some of God’s dreams for America. These projects welcome people of every ethnicity, political and religious persuasion. Each program provides an opportunity for us to come together in harmony to express love to our fellow man.

I would see America as one of the most harmonious, loving communities if it weren’t for those who want to exploit divisiveness for their own profitability and power. There are those in the press and “Kingdom of DC” special interests groups who benefit from dissension and make money off of it. What can we do to counter them?

Those in Charleston exhibited the teachings of forgiveness and never returned evil for evil. Teachings that created self-esteem and a realization that God has a plan for their lives. This stands in contrast to secular teachings, where self-esteem doesn’t come from a sense of God’s love for them but instead from materialism — a bigger house, more expensive car and from power.

Which route will you champion?

Let’s listen to Thomas Jefferson’s assessment of all the great concepts Jesus articulated and leave the winning of people to the Christian faith to our nation’s pastors.

We can focus on making the world a better place for all Americans, whether Christian or secularist, Republican, Democrat or Independent, black, white, yellow or bro

Join us at Foster’s Outriders. Together we’ll get there!

You might be interested in

Foster Friess Announces Funds Distributed to Neighborhood Heroes and Charities

Published on in Column/Foster Friess
8049

***For All Things Wyoming, Sign-Up For Our Daily Newsletter***

By Foster Friess, guest columnist

Last week we encouraged Outriders to help us share God’s blessings in these challenging times by nominating a charity or neighborhood hero to whom Lynn and I could send a check of encouragement.

Lynn and my grants are inspired by Galatians 6:2, “When we carry one another’s burdens, we fulfill the law of Christ.” Particularly at this time when we celebrate the birth of Christ and how much He gave so that we can be set free to serve, and our past mistakes washed away. 

Here are a few highlights from the hundreds of charities and heroes we selected:

The first grant, which we increased to $25,000, went to the Amish Miller family’s church. Five children in the Miller family were injured when their buggy was struck from behind by an alleged drunk driver while headed to school near Birchwood, Wisconsin, on December 14th. The buggy was destroyed and the horse had to be euthanized due to injuries sustained. The check will help with medical bills and restore their sole means of transportation.

The next grant, which we increased to $25,000, goes to the Amish King family whose horse on December 17th ran a stop sign while headed to school. A garbage truck T-boned the buggy, killing three of the King children, including the 15-year old driver. We added $5,000 to the traumatized truck driver’s church for counseling and support.

Mimi’s House in Casper, Wyoming, received our third check. It houses housed unaccompanied homeless youth and helps them earn their high school diploma or equivalent. 

In Indiana, Brianna’s Hope is a participant-driven, faith-based support center for those battling with substance abuse. Freedom Farm Ministry in Boone, North Carolina, provides a similar program, helping those suffering from drug and alcohol addiction.

Multiple veterans nominated Dogs and Tags of Wyoming. One said, “Dogs and Tags gave me my life back. Gave me a safe place to go. Gave me a dog, helped me with resources and set me up with other veterans that we could help each other.”

In Greenville, South Carolina, we were inspired by a small charity making a big difference for little ones born into families in financial need. Greenville’s Gift helps new moms and babies feel celebrated and loved by providing bags filled with newborn essentials like baby clothes, blankets, burp cloths, and more.

In a year that was especially difficult for young people, unable to be with friends and at school, programs like Mr. Lorentz’s ‘Get out There’ program in Birchwood, Wisconsin, and the Wyoming Boy Scouts were nominated by parents who are grateful for the impact on their students. 

We also selected heroes like Kristi, a COVID nurse who recently lost her long-time boyfriend in a tragic car accident, and Josh, a firefighter in Casper, Wyoming, who for years selflessly helped others and was recently afflicted with life-changing symptoms from COVID.

One of the most touching heroes was “Miss Tammy” of Converse County, Wyoming. She has dedicated her life to individuals with intellectual disabilities, like Autism. The moms that nominated Tammy say she’s an angel for them and their children.

Lynn and I are so grateful for all of the Outriders who have helped us be the Lord’s hands and feet. Together we’re His hands and feet in this hurting world.

Let’s Make America a Philippians 4:8 Land. Merry Christmas!

***For All Things Wyoming, Sign-Up For Our Daily Newsletter***

You might be interested in

Foster Friess Giving Away $5,000 Per Day to Charities/Neighborhood Heroes

Published on in Uncategorized
7903

***For All Things Wyoming, Sign-Up For Our Daily Newsletter***

Wyoming’s Foster Friess is in the Christmas spirit as he’s launching his own “12 Days of Christmas” campaign through December 24.

And to celebrate, Friess announced he will give away $5,000 per day to charities and neighborhood heroes.

“Each day between December 13 and December 24th, I’m filling up my saddle bag with $5,000 checks,” he said.

Interested individuals should visit Friess’ website and nominate a charity or neighborhood hero. 

“Tell us why you think they could use a Christmas boost from Foster and include where they’re located,” the page reads.

“Together let’s be His hands and feet in a hurting world,” Friess said.

To visit Friess’ page, click here.

***For All Things Wyoming, Sign-Up For Our Daily Newsletter***

You might be interested in

Foster Friess Offers $500k For Food Bank, Trades Scholarships

Published on in News/Coronavirus
4045

***For All Things Wyoming, Sign-Up For Our Daily Newsletter***

By Bill Sniffin, Cowboy State Daily

Wyoming businessman and former gubernatorial candidate Foster Friess and his wife are donating $250,000 to Wyoming Food Bank of the Rockies, a donation that was matched by another Jackson resident.

Friess, in a newsletter to his group of supporters “Foster’s Outriders,” announced he and his wife Lynn are making the donation to help the food bank provide assistance to those who have seen their income cut by the coronavirus epidemic.

On Easter Sunday, Henry “Hank” McKinnell of Jackson matched the Friess grant with an additional $250,000 for the Wyoming Food Bank. McKinnell is a former CEO of Pfizer.

“The virus impacts almost all of us,” Friess said. “Our main focus, however, must be the 10 million of our fellow Americans who are without jobs. We must guard against the tendency to allow recent stock market declines to make us less generous to those who need financial support.”

Friess suggested that people “think of ways you can help…hire an unemployed caterer to cook meals for you a few times each week? Pay her to cook food for folks quarantined at home? Add that deck you considered? Remodel your bathroom? Utilize restaurants’ pick up/delivery service and give a generous tip?”

“Others of you who still have jobs and income could consider donating $25 or $50 to a food bank,” he added.

The Wyoming Food Bank serves all 23 of Wyoming’s counties, frequently partnering with local churches. The address of the Wyoming Food Bank of the Rockies is Box 1540, Evansville, WY 82636-1540. Their phone number is 307 265 2172. 

Friess also announced he is donating $250,000 to create $2,000 scholarships for those wishing to pursue a career in the trades.

Friess said his Foster’s Outriders Scholarships for the Trades will be available not only to new students, but those now unemployed and eager to retrain for a new career, and those already enrolled but struggling to pay tuition. He asked applicants to coordinate directly with the financial aid offices of the state’s eight community colleges.

“Please share this opportunity with anyone for whom a traditional college experience is not the ideal choice,” he said.  He suggested applicants can see available courses by visiting the following schools online:

Sheridan College
Gillette College
Casper College
Central Wyoming College
Western Wyoming Community College
Eastern Wyoming College
Laramie County Community College
Northwest College

(Editor’s note: Foster Friess is a primary financial contributor to the Cowboy State Daily.)

***For All Things Wyoming, Sign-Up For Our Daily Newsletter***

You might be interested in

Foster Friess: The Cure Should Not Be Worse than the Disease

Published on in Column/Foster Friess
3742

***For All Things Wyoming, Sign-Up for Our Daily Newsletter***

By Foster Friess, Columnist

We applaud Governor Mark Gordon for his effectiveness in alerting Wyomingites of the steps to minimize the spread of COVID-19 while keeping Wyoming open for business. We must use his example to encourage the majority of our nation to carefully and gradually reopen our nation’s business.

 Last week, Dr. David L. Katz, the founding director of the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center, one of the Centers for Disease Control’s units, argued in the New York Times; that in addition to the two primary goals of saving lives and avoiding hospital crush, we must also avoid destroying the economy.

Will people spend their $1,200 checks if they see businesses shuttered and “no toilet paper?” Confidence must be restored by getting businesses open and functioning, with care and caution.

Restaurants could limit patrons; theatres, baseball parks could sell only enough tickets to allow two empty seats between attendees; and barbers, beauty salons and gyms could implement their coronavirus cautions and let patrons determine if they want to take the risk.  

For those of us who are members of the Great Generation, we remember the risk our family members took as they faced the bullets of the Nazis in World War II. We faced mumps, measles, chickenpox, and dreaded polio.  On our way to school, we walked past quarantined houses where the practice was to quarantine the sick rather than the healthy. This is the approach Sweden and Netherlands now takes.

Has our new generation become too averse to risk? How risky is it to begin cautiously getting businesses open? 

On Thursday, March 26th   White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx, an Army physician who has served both the Obama and Trump administrations,  chastised the press for sensationalizing the extent of the risk and pointed out that one of the earlier prognostications of 500,000 deaths has been revised to 20,000. She said, “The predictions of the models don’t match the realities on the ground.” 

The 2,227 U.S. deaths as of Sunday, March 29 include 1,340 from five states, NY, NJ, MI, WA and CA leaving the remaining 887 deaths coming from the rest of the population of 300,000,000 people. A 0.00000296% death rate.  That will increase. Can we keep the inevitable increase manageable?

My neighbor with several factories in China reports virus spread has indeed slowed and his plants reopened. Macau reopened its shuttered casinos. The Food and Drug Administration over the weekend approved Abbott Labs test that gives positive results in 5 minutes; negative in 13. Ventilator production is soaring thanks to President Trump’s inspiring America’s private sector.

This past week Dr. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases wrote in the New England Journal of Medicine, “This suggests that the overall clinical consequences of Covid-19 may ultimately be more akin to those of a severe seasonal influenza (which has a case fatality rate of approximately 0.1%).”

The Center for Disease Control’s 2017 report reveals annual deaths from influenza and pneumonia of 55,672; chronic lower respiratory diseases160,201; cancer 509,000 and heart disease 647,000.  Will COVID-19 surpass traditional flu/respiratory deaths of 215,873? Outside of the top five states, we are at 887 and counting.

Dr. Katz also outlined how the data from South Korea, shows “that as much as 99 percent of active cases in the general population are “mild” and do not require specific medical treatment.” The vast majority of people, who become infected will not require hospitalization. They face much graver symptoms if we keep America on pause.

For many losing their jobs, closing their businesses and being alone at home could be much worse than the coronavirus. The non-profit National Suicide Prevention Lifeline reported call volumes spiked 300 percent since the start of the coronavirus.

Matthew 6:25 implores us:  ”do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear… “  Can anyone of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” The exhortation to “fear not” appears 365 times in The Bible. President Franklin Roosevelt’s charge during the despair of the Great Depression: “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

April 2nd I  turn 80, and despite my exhortation to ”fear not”, I am very fearful that our political class has ignored the wisdom that exists among our entrepreneurs and business community and does not fully understand the detrimental impact of shutting America’s employees off from their livelihoods.

As many governors frighten the Constitutionalists among us by limiting the right of assembly and making it punishable to attend church we want to encourage Governor Gordon to continue to set an example for the nation. Unless the disease escalates to the point of overwhelming hospitals we must allow wage earners to regain their livelihoods.

Sign up for Foster’s Outriders if you want to help get our government on a better track. Wait until you see how they just spent your money.  

Let’s Make America a Philippians 4:8 land.

***For All Things Wyoming, Sign-Up for Our Daily Newsletter***

You might be interested in

Foster Friess: CNN Not Providing Perspective with Coronavirus

Published on in Column/Foster Friess
3356

CNN’s reporting fails to provide key perspectives. Compare this CNN map which distorts the extent of Coronavirus to our Foster’s Outriders map and data chart which shows a red dot 🔴 that reflects the number of cases relative to the state’s population.

Even after the most recent decline, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is still up from where it was when President Trump was elected. 

Pass along these perspectives and sign up for Foster’s Outriders’ “Truth Squad.”

Perspective is important, it’s also important that we do everything we can to follow President Trump’s guidance to stop the spread. 

Together we’ll get there! 

You might be interested in

Foster Friess Decides Against Senate Run

Published on in Column/Bill Sniffin
3231

By Bill Sniffin, publisher Cowboy State Daily

Foster Friess has decided he can help the people of Wyoming more by not running for the U. S. Senate, he announced today.

He said: “After a listening tour to Cody, Gillette, Casper, and Cheyenne, and a Tele-Town Hall visit with 8,000 fellow Wyomingites, I believe my most significant opportunity to serve the people of Wyoming is by enlarging the efforts of Foster’s Outriders. A U.S. Senate run would alter our focus.”

The departure of Friess from the race opens the door for former U. S. Rep. Cynthia Lummis as she seeks the Republican nomination for the Senate race. Several other lesser known candidates from around the state have announced plans to run.

He announced the following initiatives going forward:

He said he wants to expand civics education and “are committing $100,000 cash awards to students who pass a private sector sponsored contest.”

He said: “After visiting Gillette College, we are increasing our efforts by helping young people to receive training in Welding, Diesel, Culinary Arts, and various other trades with the creation of the $250,000 Foster’s Outriders Scholarship for the Trades. Wyoming students who believe a four-year college isn’t the best path for them should be encouraged by this opportunity.

“We’re doubling our efforts so that every high school in Wyoming receives the lifesaving presentation from Rachel’s Challenge, a proven successful program to reduce bullying, drug abuse, suicides, and create a sense of connectedness in student bodies.

He also said: “Remaining focused on Wyoming does not diminish our ability to impact national legislation. For example, Foster’s Outriders was instrumental in the recent introduction of House Resolution 5916 and Senate Bill 3318 by Congressman Mike Gallagher and Louisiana U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, respectively. This bill will require all providers of healthcare products and services to the public to disclose cash prices on the internet and at the point of sale.

“All of the above efforts appeal to Wyomingites of every political persuasion. I hope each of you who provided so much encouragement to Lynn and me in the governor’s campaign and wanted me to run for the senate will intensify your efforts to get your friends and neighbors behind these and future Outrider efforts,” he concluded.

Friess said: “As outriders keep the cattle herd on the right trail, Foster’s Outriders helps keep the government on the right path. Encourage your friends to sign up at FosterFriess.com. These are unifying endeavors that will move Wyoming and America to a Philippians 4:8 land.”

Disclaimers: This site was founded by Annaliese Wiederspahn, daughter of Cynthia Lummis. Also: Foster Friess has been a major donor to this site.

You might be interested in

Bill Sniffin: Wyoming Senate Race: Lummis, Friess in the News

Published on in Column/Bill Sniffin
Wyoming sign
3132

By Bill Sniffin, Cowboy State Daily Publisher

Former Wyoming U. S. Rep. Cynthia Lummis got some big endorsements this week in her race for the U. S. Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Mike Enzi.

And Jackson GOP Megadonor Foster Friess launched his statewide listening tour Thursday morning, concerning the same U. S. Senate race.

Lummis was endorsed by both current sitting senators, Enzi and Sen. John Barrasso.

“I served in the Wyoming House of Representatives with Cynthia Lummis,” Enzi said in the news release. “She was effective. I served in the Wyoming Senate with her. She was a leader and a successful legislator. When I came to the U.S. Senate, she became a world renowned State Treasurer, another area of expertise. Then she successfully ran for our lone seat in Congress.

“She was a formidable campaigner. She did a spectacular job for eight years and founded the Western Caucus that gave us the clout to preserve Wyoming’s Abandoned Mine Land (AML) money and much more. She is a uniter we need. Cynthia will put Wyoming first and be a force to be reckoned with in Washington.”

Meanwhile, Friess (who finished second in the GOP Gubernatorial primary in 2018) and is deciding whether to run or not in 2020, will be in four Wyoming cities Thursday, Feb. 20 and Friday, Feb. 21.

Friess said: “I believe that on many challenges we can find common-sense solutions behind which Democrats, Republicans, and Independents can unite. I’ve been asking Wyoming voters what they are looking for in their next Senator? Do they want a businessman who can’t be bought by special interests and will join President Trump in disrupting the status quo in Washington?”

Friess will be at Cody’s Irma Hotel at noon Thursday and the Wyoming Rib Shop in Gillette at 4:45 p.m. On Friday, he will host a town hall breakfast at 8 a. m. at Eggington’s in Casper and at the GOP Salute to Womens’ Suffrage Dinner that evening in Cheyenne.

As for Lummis, Sen. Barrasso said: “Now, more than ever, Wyoming needs a gritty champion for our conservative values, Filling Mike’s shoes is no small task, and taking on Washington’s big spenders and bigger government will require someone that has proven they can do it and win. Bobbi and I support Cynthia because she is all these things.

“I know Cynthia will stand side by side with me in support of President Trump and for policies that are right for Wyoming. I will work for her, vote for her, and fight alongside her.”

Lummis thanked Enzi and Barrasso. “Wyoming’s congressional delegation is truly the gold standard,” Lummis said. “Sen. Enzi and Sen. Barrasso are giants in the U.S. Senate and I am beyond honored to have their support. Should I be elected as Wyoming’s next Senator, I look forward to working side-by-side with Sen. Barrasso and Congressman Cheney on behalf of our great state.

You might be interested in

Wyoming U. S. Senate Race Takes Interesting Twists Among Lummis, Cheney, Friess

Published on in Column/Bill Sniffin
2752

By Bill Sniffin

This past week has been an interesting time for Wyoming politicians Liz Cheney, Cynthia Lummis, and Foster Friess.

For months, former U. S. Rep. Lummis was the only well-known Republican candidate announced as running for U. S. Senate in 2020.  Her successor, the current U. S. Rep. Cheney, was expected by many to move up for a Senate run, too.

Political pundits were salivating at the thought of a Lummis-Cheney race for current U. S. Sen. Mike Enzi’s senate seat. It would have been a doozy.  Literally, thousands of Republicans in Wyoming were debating which one of these two popular Republican women they would vote for in such a primary?

Then last Thursday, Jan. 16, Cheney announced she was staying in the House.

And then last Friday, former gubernatorial candidate Foster Friess reiterated that he is interested in the Senate seat and plans a “listening tour” of Wyoming. He has some things to say and wants to hear what are the key issues from Wyoming voters.

Could this mean in a 24-hour period, Lummis went from being a clear front-runner to possibly facing a hotly contested race against Friess? And who knows who else might be thinking of jumping into the race?

Friess is not to be taken lightly.  He is one of the best-connected Republican non-political office holders in the state. He is a friend of President Donald Trump and was the only gubernatorial candidate endorsed by Trump in the 2018 Wyoming Republican primary.  

Meanwhile, Lummis, who once was expected to run for governor in 2018, sat out that race and decided to wait Enzi’s decision on retirement.  Since Enzi’s announced retirement, she has been working hard.  Her appearance at the Wyoming Business Alliance in Cheyenne in November was impressive. She hit a home run with her participation in a program on civility.

Lummis and Friess know each other well.  In a big state with a small population, everybody knows everyone.  Their conservative Wyoming politics mesh well. Both preach civility, which is a welcome trend.

Friess has a personal set of issues that he and his wife Lynn have supported financially and promoted publicly.  These include transparency in government, posted prices for medical procedures, supporting the Rachel’s Challenge program to prevent school bullying, and teaching Civics in schools.  He also is a big proponent of school choice.

The Senate Conservative Fund has recently endorsed Lummis, which is a national group of heavy hitter Republicans.  On Facebook, her page is filled every day with endorsements by statewide Republican leaders.

“I am a dyed-in-the-wool Wyoming conservative and I share the policy goals and unapologetic, liberty-minded orientation of many Senate Conservative Fund candidates like Ted Cruz, Mike Lee, Marsha Blackburn, and Tom Cotton,” she writes on her Facebook page.

Meanwhile, these twists and turns have caught this writer by surprise.  I was positive that Liz Cheney would run for the Senate.

Then when she chose to stay in the House, Friess reaffirmed his interest in the senate seat.

Meanwhile Lummis will keep on doing what she has been doing, which is traveling the state, listening to folks and rounding up endorsements. 

Former Gov. Matt Mead sure sounded like he was not interested in that Senate seat, but will Cheney’s departure from the race change anything?  Another Jackson Republican heavyweight, Bob Grady, was very serious about a House run if Liz moved up.

There are only 100 U. S. Senate seats in the country and they do not come up very often.  Wyoming’s two seats are the most powerful in the country complains the New York Times because they are equally as powerful as two seats from California. However, ours each represent 290,000 people while a senate seat in California represents 20 million people! By this math, it takes 68 people in California to have the clout in the Senate as one person in Wyoming.  Feels about right to me. But I digress.

Liz Cheney now has the chance to settle in at the U. S. House and some day move up to Speaker.  She already has set records at the speed at which she has gain influence, becoming the third-ranking member in just her second term. This is unprecedented. I think it is wonderful that she is staying put. 

So, Wyoming voters, sit back and enjoy the ride in 2020. Political races are fun for just about everybody, but it can be hard on the participants. So let’s give a shout-out to all those folks stirring the pot including Lummis, Cheney, Friess, and anyone else who wants to jump into the fray. 

You might be interested in

Go to Top