On Thursday, May 16, we entered the candidate filing period for people to register to run for public office. This year’s presidential election has already dominated our news cycle, but what is happening locally at the state and county levels is even more critical. More and more people are getting involved in politics and answering the call to help shape the future of the policies that affect Wyomingites. So, we decided to stop by the Secretary of State’s office and talk to some of the fresh faces asking for your vote and see what has called them to run for office.

Marc Torriani is running for Senate District 6, “I and many of my neighbors believe the current senator has not been giving a great amount of attention to the rural communities, farmers, and ranchers. Two years ago, the entire district was redistricted to Glendo, so it’s very rural and full of ranchers and farmers. I’m running to make sure they get great representation and keep Wyoming, Wyoming. A lot of the politics are centered around Cheyenne, and many of the changes that are being pushed forward in the name of progress are not how Wyomingites define progress.”

Kathy Russell is running for House District 7, “Conservatives have just been getting short-changed. We have not been heard, listened to, or even invited to talk. It is time for issues that are important to us to be addressed, and I can do that.”

Steve Johnson is running for House District 8, “I have nine grandchildren, and I don’t like the direction Wyoming is going, and I don’t like the direction the country is going. I think that conservatives need to step up, and their values need to be appreciated in the state of Wyoming.”

Gary Brown is running for House District 41. “Over the past three years, I have been attending the legislature for the full term, and during that time, I watched Bill Henderson as he voted in the House. I have noticed over those past three years that my Legislator, my House Representative, does not represent our party. He votes with the other party anywhere from 85 to 87 percent of the time, depending on the year. I believe the people in my district have the right to expect a Republican when they vote for a Republican, and he does not represent the Republicans.

Ann Lucas is running for House District 43, “Today, I officially filed to run for the Wyoming State House. I am ready for a battle because I know the establishment politicians, including my opponent Dan Zwonitzer, who has been in office for two decades, will not let go of their seats easily. Zwonitzer has become far too comfortable, so comfortable in fact that he’s linked arms with Democrats and destroyed a number of conservative policies that would have protected the women and children of this state. There is no excuse for the kinds of blatantly liberal policies Zwonitzer has supported, including transgender rights and radical race and gender identity-based education and indoctrination. I’m not expecting it to be easy, but I’ve already received tremendous support, and I am qualified to take on the liberal RINOs and restore conservative values to Wyoming.”

As of Friday, May 17, 2024, Gary Bjorklund and Kin Withers have filed to run against Marc Torriani for SD06. No one has filed to run against Kathy Russell in HD07. David Zwonitzer filed and is the incumbent running against Steve Johnson in HD08. Bill Henderson has filed and is the incumbent running against Gary Brown in HD41. Dan Zwonitzer has filed and is the incumbent running against Ann Lucas in HD43.

This is just the beginning of election season here in Wyoming, and we hope to talk to every candidate running for office so that they can tell us what their vision is for the future of Wyoming. The candidate filing period ends May 31, 2024.