More Throw Hats Into County, State Primary Rings

by Joy Ufford

With the May 30 deadline for filing as a primary candidate now come and gone, a handful more politically minded county residents have thrown their hats into the ring.

While some candidates are running uncontested races, others are facing challenges from both Republican and Democratic candidates. Before last week, only two Republicans – incumbent John Linn and challenger Cat Urbigkit – had announced their intentions to run for the sole county commission seat available.

After the dust cleared May 30, three more candidates had filed. Newly sworn-in Pinedale Town Councilman Dave Smith (R Pinedale) has also put his name into the running for the county commission seat. The three will vie for the Republican nomination in the Aug. 19 primary election.

Those wishing to cast votes for their preferred candidates in the primaries can register at the polls before they vote.

Two Democratic candidates – Susan Kramer and Courtney Skinner, both from Pinedale, have also declared their intentions to run and will face off as well in the August primaries.

There are three candidates now for the Wyoming House District #22 seat that current State Rep. Monte Olsen declared he would not seek again this fall – one from each county the elected official will represent. Along with Jim Roscoe (D-Wilson/Teton County) and the recently announced candidacy of Charles Stough (R-Pinedale/Sublette County), comes Donn Wooden (R-Alpine Junction/Lincoln County) competing for the two-year term. State Rep. Kathy Davison (RKemmerer) is running unchallenged in her quest for another two years as the House District #20 official.

Another uncontested race will be for the Rural Health Care District trustees’ slots; there two four-year terms with two candidates – Cindy Van of Cora and Richard Kalber of Big Piney – and one unexpired two year term on the board with Kenneth Shriver of Pinedale looking to keep that position.

State Sen. Stan Cooper (R-Kemmerer) is running uncontested for another four-year term representing Wyoming’s Senate District #14, as is Dan Dockstader (R-Afton) for the State Senate House District #16 office.

On the national front, with U.S. Rep. Barbara Cubin resigning from politics this year, there are six candidates filed in the contest for her two-year term in Washington, D.C., as the sole state representative. Four are Republicans with just one from Sublette County – Bill Winney of Bondurant, who is joined by Michael Holland of Green River, Mark Gordon of Buffalo and Cynthia Lummis of Cheyenne. Gary Trauner (D-Wilson), who ran two years ago against Cubin and lost by a very narrow margin, is joining the fray again this time around as is Libertarian W. David Herbert of Cody.

Incumbent U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi (RCasper) is being challenged for a renewal of the six-year term by Al Hamburg (D-Torrington) and Chris Rothfuss (D-Laramie). U.S. Sen. John Barrasso, appointed by the governor last year to step into the late U.S. Sen. Craig Thomas’ office, has competition from Nick Carter (D-Gillette) and Keith Goodenough (D-Casper) for the unexpired four-year term in Washington, D.C.