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
University of Wyoming Won’t Cut Diversity Program Despite Legislature Defunding It
Despite the Wyoming Legislature stripping funding for the University of Wyoming’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) program, the university won’t cut it, President Ed Seidel told Cowboy State Daily on Thursday. He said the university could use its own money or private money to keep it going.
Leo WolfsonMarch 22, 2024
Barrasso And Lummis Slam New Biden Administration EV Mandate
Sens. Barrasso and Lummis blasted a new Biden EV rule announced Wednesday that says gas-powered cars can make up no more than 30% of U.S. auto sales by 2032. They both vowed to overturn the mandate to protect consumer choice.
Leo WolfsonMarch 21, 2024
Affie Ellis, Wyoming's First Native Woman Legislator, Won't Run For Reelection
Affie Ellis, a Cheyenne Republican and first Native American woman elected to the Wyoming Legislature, has announced she won't run for reelection in the fall.
Leo WolfsonMarch 21, 2024
It’s Not A Conspiracy to Hide Wrecks, Those WYDOT Webcams Really Are Broken
Conspiracy theorists will be disappointed to learn that the Wyoming Department of Transportation doesn’t routinely shut off highway webcams when there’s a wreck. Dozens of them really are broken.
Leo WolfsonMarch 20, 2024
Wyoming House Majority Whip Cyrus Western Won’t Run For Reelection
House Majority Whip state Rep. Cyrus Western, a Republican from Big Horn, confirmed to Cowboy State Daily on Tuesday that he won’t be running for reelection this fall.
Leo WolfsonMarch 20, 2024
Wyoming Delegation Applaud Ruling Allowing Texas To Arrest, Deport Illegals
Wyoming’s congressional delegation applauded a Tuesday U.S. Supreme Court decision to allow Texas broad discretion to arrest and deport migrants illegally crossing the border.
Leo WolfsonMarch 19, 2024
US Supreme Court To Consider Wyoming Election Buffer Zone Challenge
The U.S. Supreme Court will consider whether to hear a Wyoming First Amendment challenge to the state’s buffer zones restricting campaigning around polling places. If the high court hears the case, it could impact elections nationwide.
Leo WolfsonMarch 19, 2024
Wyoming Clerk Says Gray's Office Doing Little To Promote Crossover Voting Change
For the first time this year, Wyoming primary voters can’t crossover vote. They have to decide party affiliation months earlier, by May 15. But a county clerk says Chuck Gray’s office is doing little to let people know about the change.
Leo WolfsonMarch 19, 2024
Gordon Vetoes Bill To Deregulate Mining Over Casper Gravel Pit Amendments
Gov. Mark Gordon vetoed a bill Monday that would have deregulated some mining operations on state lands. He said the bill was hijacked by amendments aimed at solving a Casper gravel pit proposal.
Leo WolfsonMarch 19, 2024
Legislative Watchdog Gary Brown To Challenge Cheyenne Incumbent Bill Henderson
Cheyenne resident Gary Brown says his state representative, Bill Henderson, snubbed him and doesn’t vote with the Republican Party line enough, so he’s running for Henderson’s House District 41 seat.
Leo WolfsonMarch 18, 2024
Sublette Is Fastest Growing County In Wyoming, Crook County Next
A new report from the Wyoming Economic Analysis Division shows Sublette and Crook counties are the fastest growing counties in the state while Carbon and Platte counties saw the largest decreases.
Leo WolfsonMarch 16, 2024
State Sen. Schuler Says She's ‘Had It’ With Mean, Divisive Politics In Legislature
Sen. Wendy Schuler, a fifth-generation Wyomingite, said she’s concerned with how many new residents of Wyoming are running for office. She said many of these people haven’t made an effort to understand Wyoming culture or beliefs.
Leo WolfsonMarch 16, 2024
Gordon Vetoes Bill That Carved Out $75 Million To Fight Feds
Gov. Mark Gordon on Friday vetoed a bill that would have carved out $75 million for Wyoming to fight federal overreach, including the BLM’s controversial Rock Springs Resource Management Plan. He said the bill was a "clear attempt to cross, blur and trample the line of separation" between the branches of government.
Leo WolfsonMarch 15, 2024
Powell Musician Planning To Put 150 People On Box Cars For "Trump Train" Video
A country musician from Powell plans to put 150 Wyomingites on box cars for his “Trump Train 2024,” music video which he is shooting this spring. He hopes his video gets noticed and the former president will use it during the campaign.
Leo WolfsonMarch 15, 2024
How Frugal Wyoming’s Next Budget Is Depends On Who You Ask
There’s a $1 billion disagreement among state legislators about the real cost of the final budget passed last week by the State Legislature. This debate, and who wins it, could highly influence the upcoming election season.
Leo WolfsonMarch 15, 2024
Recent Wyoming Transplant And Gun Lobbyist To Run For Barry Crago’s Seat
Mark Jones, a guns rights lobbyist who moved to Wyoming from North Carolina in 2021, announced Monday he’s running for the seat now held by Buffalo Republican Barry Crago in the state House.
Leo WolfsonMarch 14, 2024
Wyoming’s Republican Factions Face Off For Battleground GOP Primary
Now that the 2024 legislative session is over, Wyoming’s political focus shifts to the Republican primary, which could be a battleground between the state Republican Party’s two main factions, the Wyoming Caucus and the Wyoming Freedom Caucus.
Leo WolfsonMarch 14, 2024
Hageman Votes To Ban TikTok In The U.S. If Chinese Owner Doesn’t Sell
Wyoming congresswoman Harriet Hageman voted in support of legislation Wednesday that would ban the use of TikTok in America as long as it’s owned by a Chinese company. "TikTok is a clear and present danger to our national security,” she said.
Leo WolfsonMarch 13, 2024
Sparks Already Fly In GOP Showdown Between Cody Mayor, National Committeewoman
A Republican showdown between Cody Mayor Matt Hall and GOP National Committeewoman Nina Webber is already getting personal as they square off for a potential swing seat for the Freedom Caucus in the Wyoming Legislature.
Leo WolfsonMarch 13, 2024
Judge Tosses Lawsuit Seeking To Oust 4 Of 5 Sheridan County Commissioners
A lawsuit filed by the Sheridan County Republican Party seeking to oust four of that county’s five commissioners was tossed out by a judge Monday. The judge found the Sheridan GOP lacked standing to bring its lawsuit and failed to meet the burden of proof of any wrongdoing.
Leo WolfsonMarch 13, 2024
Former Colorado Political Operative Running For Wyoming Legislature
A former Colorado political operative has announced her candidacy for the Wyoming State House in Sheridan, and the seat of one of the most prominent members of the Wyoming Caucus, Cyrus Western.
Leo WolfsonMarch 13, 2024