Government & Politics

Test Entry

Test

Test Election Coverage

Gordon Congratulates WYDOT Workers For Teton Pass Rebuild

Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon on Tuesday thanked 65+ Wyoming Dept of Transportation employees and dozens of private construction workers for their around-the-clock efforts to build a detour on Teton Pass after 200-feet of highway fell off the mountain last month.

Why Won't Anyone Debate This Year? They Don't Trust Who's Hosting It.

There’s a trend among Wyoming candidates running for office to not attend debates hosted by organizations they don't trust-- like the League of Women Voters in Fremont County. Candidates don't believe they are as non-partisan as the group says.

Florida Group Influences Wyoming Election, ESG Rules With Chuck Gray’s Help

A trove of emails show that Secretary of State Chuck Gray pushed forward bills and rules on elections and ESG over the past two years that were almost identical to the model legislation brought to him by a Florida lobbying group.

WYDOT Studying Ways to Bypass Wind River Canyon Byway

Wyoming transportation officials are studying alternative routes or detours around Wind River Canyon Byway because when there is inclement weather or a major traffic incident, waits can take hours and sometimes days.

Natrona County Officials Remove Road Barricade Erected By Ranchers

Barriers erected by a ranch family along County Road 505 were removed on Tuesday morning per the order of the Natrona County commissioners. The county announced it will now move forward to legally claim the road.

Hageman’s Primary Opponent Knows He’s A Long Shot But Believes She Needs Challenger

Casper attorney Steve Helling has no illusions about his chances of beating Wyoming Rep. Harriet Hageman in the upcoming Republican primary election, but he still believes it's the right thing to do so voters can have a choice.

Chuck Gray Announces Wyoming GOP Delegates Vote Unanimously For Trump

Wearing an oversized cowboy hat, Wyoming Sec. of State Chuck Gray on Monday announced at the Republican National Convention that all of the state's 29 delegates were cast for former President Donald Trump.

Natrona County Ranchers Block Off Road Claimed By County

A Natrona County ranch couple blocked off a portion of County Road 505 where it crosses their property, potentially impacting two major road projects. One commissioner said, "The county is extremely concerned."

Wyoming Congressional Delegation Excited About Trump’s Running Mate Pick, JD Vance

Wyoming's congressional delegation said they were pleased with former President Trump's decision to pick JD Vance as his running mate. Harriet Hageman said she "couldn't wait" to see him debate Kamala Harris.

Barrasso, Lummis Applaud Dismissal Of Trump’s Classified Docs Case

U.S. Sens. John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis celebrated the dismissal of a classified documents case against former President Trump on Monday, saying they had always viewed the allegations as a politically motivated attack by the Justice Department.

Wyoming Delegation Hopes America Will Come Together After Assassination Attempt

Wyoming's congressional delegation on Sunday told Cowboy State Daily they hope the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump over the weekend will cause the country to come together.

Wyoming At Least One Year Away From Offering Digital Driver's Licenses

The State of Wyoming is at least a year away from offering digital driver's licenses after the legislature authorized the use in 2020. Currently 11 states allow digital driver's licenses on phones and some allow them on watches.

Trump Shot At Rally, Wyoming Delegation Sends Prayers

Wyoming's congressional delegation sent prayers Saturday evening immediately after former President Donald Trump was shot at a rally in Pennsylvania. Trump is safe, the Secret Service announced after the incident.

Wyoming Did Propose Drilling A Tunnel Through Teton Pass But It Never Went Anywhere

The former head of the Wyoming Dept of Transportation did submit a request to the federal government to drill a hole through Teton Pass instead of maintaining a road over it. But it never went anywhere.

Group Says It Has 15,000 Signatures Opposing Controversial Casper Gravel Pit

An organized group says it’s gathered 15,000 signatures opposing plans to mine gravel from 300 acres of state-owned land at the base of Casper Mountain. The project’s manager said Thursday the project push go forward.

Biden Insists He's Fit For Office, Calls Zelensky "Putin" and Trump His "Vice President"

Wyoming’s congressional delegation said President Biden’s Thursday press conference, during which he mistakenly called former President Trump his vice president, was another failure.

Key Legislator Worries Activists Could Hurt Wyoming Economy In Oil And Gas Auctions

State Rep. Cyrus Western, the outgoing House majority whip, is concerned that a Lander-based conservation advocacy organization is waging a war on Wyoming’s middle class through the state’s oil and gas lease auction bidding process.

FE Warren Missile Upgrades Move Ahead Despite Being 81% Over Budget

The upgrade to the missile defense program at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne — which is expected to bring billions of dollars in construction money and thousands of jobs to the community — has come in 81% over budget. Delays have the project now beginning in 2027.

Permanent Fix For Teton Pass — Rebuild The Mountain — Could Be Done By November

A permanent fix for the catastrophic failure of Teton Pass seems simple — rebuild the mountain. But it's a huge effort that WYDOT officials say could be done by November.

Dept. Of Education, Former Agency Head Must Pay For Illegally Withholding Records

A judge ruled Wednesday that the Wyoming Department of Education and former Superintendent of Public Instruction Brian Schroeder have to each pay $700 for illegally withholding public records.

Cheyenne State Senate Candidates Divided Over Gigantic Facebook (Meta) Data Center

Republicans running for state Senate Districts 4 and 6 clashed Wednesday night over a massive $800 Million Meta (Facebook) data center. The 715,000-square-foot facility will be built in south Cheyenne.

Conservative Movement: Freedom Caucus Could Gain Control Of House In ’24

The Wyoming Freedom Caucus has been growing in numbers and influence. Now the group, and candidates aligned with it, feel 2024 could be the year it gains control of the Wyoming House.

Cody LDS Temple Opponents Sue, Claim City Is Stonewalling Turning Over Records

A group that has already sued to stop a planned gigantic 101-foot-tall LDS temple in Cody now claims the city is stonewalling on delivering public records.

Snubbed By Hageman And Barrasso, No WyomingPBS Debates For Primary

John Barrasso and Harriet Hageman have told WyomingPBS they won’t participate in the station’s televised debates this year. That means the station won’t have congressional primary debates.

Wyoming Chapter Of National Libertarian Group Raises Eyebrows With Endorsements

The Wyoming arm of Libertarian-leaning Americans For Prosperity is raising eyebrows with its primary endorsements. At issue: the group believes civility as a state legislator is an important trait.

First Entirely Out-Of-State-Based Lobbying Effort Of Wyoming Political Season Launched

An out-of-state group called Make Liberty Win is blanketing Wyoming with text messages and emails lobbying for conservative candidates. Many legislators say the group is pushing misleading and wrong information.

Hageman Lobbies Trump To Help Stop Drug, Human Trafficking On Reservations

Harriet Hageman said Sunday that she spoke with former President Trump about thwarting drug and human trafficking cartels on reservations. She said the problem is a direct byproduct of President Biden’s immigration policies.

Can Mark Gordon Run For A 3rd Term? Supreme Court Would Likely Have To Decide

Secretary of State Chuck Gray drew attention Sunday when he said he wouldn't certify Gov. Mark Gordon’s candidacy if he runs for a third term. Whether the governor can legally run or not is murky. And his office won't say if he's considering it.

Chuck Gray Says He Won’t Certify Candidacy If Gordon Seeks 3rd Term

Secretary of State Chuck Gray said Sunday that if Gov. Mark Gordon wanted to run for a third consecutive term that he wouldn’t certify his candidacy because he believes the governor is bound by term limits. He made the statement during a Sunday political event in Casper.

AI Candidate Can Run For Cheyenne Mayor, But Won’t Be On Ballot

Laramie County Clerk Debra Lee said Friday that VIC, an AI candidate for Cheyenne Mayor, can continue its run for office. However, VIC can’t appear on the ballot and instead will be listed as Victor Miller, the human behind the campaign.

Jackson Council Passes Resolution Recognizing 'The Rights Of Nature’

A new resolution from the Jackson Town Council proclaims that nature has rights. But the town's ecosystem stewardship administrator said it's not legally binding and trees, soil and rivers won't have the same legal standing as humans.

Trump Indicates Support Of Military Tribunal For Liz Cheney

Former President Donald Trump has rekindled his ongoing feud with former Wyoming congresswoman Liz Cheney. On Friday, he shared a post calling for a military tribunal for Cheney, something usually reserved for war criminals.

Cody Legislator Concerned Immigrant Resource Center In Jackson Could Lead To Voter Fraud

The presence of a new immigrant resource center in Jackson has state Rep. Rachel Rodriguez-Williams, R-Cody, concerned that the facility could assist immigrants with illegally voting and receiving welfare benefits.

In Brief: Natrona County Moves Ahead To Take Disputed Road From Landowners

After a judge ruled Natrona County doesn’t own a disputed road it has used and maintained for years, the commissioners said Tuesday they're moving ahead with legal efforts to take the road from landowners.

Wyoming Voter Registrations At Eight-Year Low

Voter registrations in Wyoming are at their lowest in eight years as of Monday, with less than two months before the state’s primary election. Numbers usually drop when there's not a competitive race at the top of the ticket in Wyoming.

Push To Ditch Ballot Machines For Hand Counts In Wyoming Gaining Steam

A push to ditch electronic ballot counting machines in favor of hand counts in Wyoming elections is gaining steam. And it has Secretary of State Chuck Gray’s full support.

Wyoming Sues Biden Administration Over ‘Overreaching’ EV Mandates

Gov. Mark Gordon announced Monday that Wyoming will join 25 other states in a lawsuit against President Joe Biden’s administration. This time it’s over new EV standards that require auto manufacturers produce electric vehicles.

Reid Rasner’s Bodyguard Runs Against Freedom Caucus Incumbent In Platte County

Guernsey Fire Chief Jeff Thomas, who also works for U.S. Senate candidate Reid Rasner as a bodyguard, is running against Platte County Freedom Caucus incumbent Jeremy Haroldson for the Wyoming House.

Wyoming Cities Say Supreme Court Ruling Gives Freedom To Deal With Homeless

City officials from two Wyoming cities struggling with growing homeless populations say they’re pleased with a Friday decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that gives cities freedom to regulate the issue how they want.

Southern Fryed Lead Singer Cuts Long Hair, Hides Tats For Wyoming House Run

People around Cheyenne know Exie Brown as “Russ,” the lead singer of popular country band Southern Fryed. Now he’s ditched his long hair and covered his tattoos to challenge longtime Wyoming House incumbent Landon Brown.

Chuck Gray Spars With Clerk Over $132K In Election Equipment Before Last-Minute OK

It took months of arguing back and forth with Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray, but Laramie County will get $132,650 in new election equipment after Gray had a last-minute change of heart and reversed his initial denial.

Supreme Court Guts Fed Bureaucratic Rulemaking Power, Wyoming Leaders Rejoice

Wyoming conservatives praised a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Friday which is being called a “massive blow” to rulemaking power of federal agencies.

Wyoming Bristles At Surgeon General’s Claim Guns A Public Health Crisis

U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy declared this week that gun violence is a public health crisis and called for an assault weapons ban. Wyoming gun owners bristled at the notion and said he doesn’t know what he’s talking about it.

Hageman Says Jill Biden Guilty Of ‘Elder Abuse’ For Letting Joe Debate

Reacting to Thursday’s first 2024 presidential debate, Harriet Hageman said President Joe Biden’s performance was so bad that first lady Jill Biden is guilty of “elder abuse” for “rolling President Biden out on stage to engage in a battle of wits while unarmed.”

Wyoming Has Fastest Growing Elderly Population In Nation

A new state demographic report released Thursday shows Wyoming has the fastest growing population of elderly people, age 65 and older, in the nation. The state’s oldest county is Hot Springs County followed by Johnson, Platte, and Niobrara counties.

Judge: Natrona County Can’t Stop Landowner From Blocking Off Road

A judge ruled Thursday that Natrona County cannot stop a local ranch family from closing off parts of County Road 505. The judge said the county doesn’t own the road and they cannot block the landowners from gating it.

PETA Wants Wyoming To Use Dinosaur Instead Of Bucking Bronco On License Plate

Wyomingites weren't impressed with a demand from PETA on Thursday to replace the bucking bronco on the state license plate to a dinosaur head. PETA says rodeos are cruel. In response, one man in Cheyenne said PETA can "kiss my ass."

Déjà Vu: Heiner, Crank Face Off For Wyoming House Seat For 4th Time in 8 Years

The ballot in southwest Wyoming will look familiar for the Republican primary for House District 18 with current and former legislators Scott Heiner and Tom Crank facing off for the fourth time in eight years.

Freedom Caucus Says Gordon Suing Over Coal Rule A Win For Them

Freedom Caucus member Jeremy Haroldson says Mark Gordon’s announcement that he has hired a top law firm to fight a federal coal rule is a win for the Freedom Caucus because they wanted a special session to push the governor to sue.

Oops! Natrona County Maintained Rural Road For Years, But Never Owned It

After years of maintaining County Road 505, Natrona County officials sued local landowners when they threatened to block off the road. Turns out, the county doesn't even own the road -- the landowners do. Both sides were in front of a judge Wednesday.

Will Freedom Caucus Primary Wins In Idaho & South Dakota Spill Over To Wyoming?

Although the Freedom Caucus picked up victories in both Idaho and South Dakota, political pundits in Wyoming disagree over the significance. Some believe it's an inevitable trend while others aren't so sure.

Gordon Vows To Fight Coal Mandates As Wyoming Hires Pedigree Law Firm

Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon vowed during a Gillette town hall Tuesday to wage a legal fight with the federal government to rollback on federal mandates on coal and other Wyoming energy industries, and the state has hired a pedigree law firm to do it.

Amazingly, ‘Catastrophic’ Teton Pass Failure Fixed In 3 Weeks, To Open Friday

Just three weeks after part of the highway on Teton Pass fell off the mountain, Wyoming transportation officials announced it will reopen on Friday. Considered the lifeline between Jackson and Idaho, the detour will have significantly slower speed limits but no weight limitations.

Where Does Wyoming Gambling Go Next? $2 Billion Industry At A Crossroads

Gambling in Wyoming has rocketed over the past decade to become a $2 billion a year industry. Does Wyoming go full throttle and follow Montana or will the state take a more moderate approach?

Federal Committee Recommends Renaming Devils Tower To Bear Lodge

A federal committee has recommended that the Sec. of Interior change the name of Devils Tower to Bear Lodge. She can't, however, because Wyoming is the only state exempt from the Antiquities Act. Only an act of Congress could do so.

Fate Of Wyoming’s Trans Treatments For Kids Law Hinges On U.S. Supreme Court

The U.S. Supreme Court announced Monday it will hear a case determining the constitutionality of Tennessee's ban on transgender surgeries for kids, which will likely determine the future of a new and very similar Wyoming law.

Big Horn Basin Parents Push For Wyoming’s First Online Charter School

A Big Horn Basin group is pushing to have a charter school approved this summer. It would become the first charter school in the northwestern part of Wyoming and the state’s first online-only charter school.