Featured Articles in Regional Politics

Barrasso brushes off Senate leader speculation

(The Center Square) — Wyoming Republican Sen. John Barrasso will not say whether he’ll run for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s position next year.   As the Senate Republican Conference chair, he is widely speculated to run.  “That election doesn’t occur until later in November. To me, the key election is the one earlier in November. Read More…

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Oregon County Votes To Join ‘Greater Idaho’ in Rejection of Progressive Portland Policies

Another county in eastern Oregon voted to approve a measure to join the “Greater Idaho” movement in response to progressive policies in Portland. Sixty-three percent of voters in Harney County supported the non-binding Measure 13-18 as of Wednesday morning, Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) reported. It’s the only countywide vote this year. READ FULL STORY

WYO LAWMAKERS ADVANCE TWO, KILL THIRD ANTI-FEDERAL VAX RULE BILLS

The Wyoming Senate voted 15-13 Friday to kill a bill fighting expected federal COVID-19 rules as the House advanced two heavily amended measures of its own. Senators voted down Senate File 3-COVID-19 discriminatory practices, one of three COVID-related measures being worked by the Legislature, after considering 13 amendments and adopting seven. As originally written, the measure Read More…

SPECIAL SESSION OF WYOMING LEGISLATURE FORMALLY ANNOUNCED

The leaders of the Wyoming House and Senate have formally announced a special session of the Wyoming Legislature to deal with President Biden’s vaccine mandate. The session is scheduled for Oct. 26-28, according to Senate President Dan Dockstader and House Speaker Eric Barlow. According to a release from the pair on Tuesday afternoon: READ FULL STORY

Burgum: Net neutral goal set off $25 billion ‘cascade’ of interest in North Dakota

Gov. Burgum’s net-zero challenge to industry during the Williston Basin Petroleum Conference raised eyebrows — and maybe even a few hackles — back in May.   It did something else, too, though. It has attracted what Burgum described as a multibillion dollar “cascade” of global investment interest.   “Our announcement that we made in May Read More…

Idaho governor and lieutenant feud over vaccinations

Idaho‘s feuding governor and lieutenant governor are at it again. As coronavirus cases spike in the state, Gov. Brad Little’s office disclosed Tuesday that he was mobilizing the National Guard again and adding hundreds of new medical personnel for state hospitals. And with hospitals strained due to unvaccinated patients, he called for more Idahoans “to receive the safe and Read More…

WYOMING’S CRYPTO SECTOR’S FATE UP TO FEDERAL REGULATORS

After years of laying groundwork, the future of Wyoming’s cryptocurrency banking industry now lies in the hands of federal regulators, officials with Wyoming U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis’ office told lawmakers Tuesday. In a presentation to the Wyoming Legislature’s Select Blockchain Committee on Tuesday, Lummis policy advisers Tyler Lindholm and Chris Land warned lawmakers that Wyoming Read More…

Wyoming Democratic Party unionizes

The Wyoming Democratic Party staff is unionizing as a part of the IBEW Local 415 union.   Workers handed in their union cards Saturday to Joe Barbuto, the chair of the party, and he voluntarily recognized the union.   “A big part of it is walking the walk,” said Lindsey Hanlon, the deputy communications director and a Read More…

Gordon, Lummis to fundraise for South Dakota’s Noem

The fundraiser, coordinated by Michigan-based Republican consultants the Templar Baker Group, features former candidates for the Wyoming statehouse, agriculture leaders and other high-profile political figures. It comes as Noem has been floated as a potential candidate for the Republican Party’s 2024 nomination for president. A representative for Gordon said Noem’s campaign approached him initially, asking Gordon whether he would Read More…

Death of former House Majority Leader David Lust stuns South Dakota political world

A longtime South Dakota lawmaker and former House majority leader died unexpectedly Friday, prompting tributes from state political leaders from around the state. David Lust died during the overnight hours Friday morning of a suspected heart attack, his law office confirmed to the Argus Leader. Lust was a partner at the Rapid City firm Gunderson, Read More…

Wyoming GOP official asked congressmen for help ousting Cheney

Breaking with the longstanding norm of intraparty candidate neutrality, a Wyoming Republican Party official asked members of Congress for help vetting potential challengers to U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney in next year’s Republican primary. According to emails obtained by WyoFile, Wyoming Republican Party Revenue Committee Chairman Jeff Wallack contacted staffers for Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, on Read More…

Governor plans to expand outdoor opportunities, address overcrowding at Wyoming State Parks

(Cheyenne, WY) –  Governor Mark Gordon has announced that up to $6.5 million of remaining CARES Act funds will be used to fund capacity expansion at Wyoming State Parks and Historic Sites. This will expand opportunities for people to spend time outside in the state, boost tourism and address overcrowding caused by COVID-19. The funds will Read More…

South Dakota governor slams Biden over fireworks plans: ‘What a hypocrite’

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) blasted President Biden on Tuesday, accusing him of being a “hypocrite” for planning Fourth of July celebrations at the White House after her plans to hold a fireworks display at Mount Rushmore were denied. “What a hypocrite. President @JoeBiden wants “a summer of freedom” where we “mark independence from the virus by celebrating with Read More…

North Dakota Enacts Price Transparency Law

On April 27, 2021, Governor Doug Burgum of North Dakota signed House Bill 1032 into law, making North Dakota the latest state to enact drug price transparency measures. The North Dakota law has three main disclosure requirements applicable to drug manufacturers: (1) quarterly Wholesale Acquisition Cost (WAC) reporting, (2) disclosure of certain information upon a drug price Read More…

Democrat announces candidacy for Idaho governor

NAMPA, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) —Transgender Democrat Melissa Sue Robinson announced on Tuesday her candidacy for governor of Idaho. Robinson says she’s running to help save the educational system in Idaho and fight fascism that has been “brought forward by Lt Governor, Janice McGeachin, Rep. Barbara Ehardt, The Idaho Freedom Foundation, Wayne Hoffman, and other far-right-wing Republicans.” Read More…

Gordon and Lummis support Wyoming’s rise in digital finance

CHEYENNE — Governor Mark Gordon and Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) welcomed news that the Federal Reserve has announced the opening of a comment period for proposed “Account Access Guidelines for the Reserve Banks.” In a press release, Gordon and Lummis said this is “a critical step towards approval of Wyoming-chartered special purpose depository institutions (SPDIs).” READ FULL STORY

Gov. Kristi Noem’s new PAC paves way to fundraise, spread influence

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has formed a federal political action committee, indicating her growing fundraising prowess and national ambitions. The Republican has insisted she is focused on getting reelected as governor next year, but her nationwide fundraising network has fueled speculation she could be eyeing a 2024 presidential bid. Last week, her campaign registered a Read More…

Ammon Bundy files election paperwork for Idaho’s governor race, though he’s not a registered Idaho voter…

Anti-government activist Ammon Bundy has filed paperwork with the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office indicating he intends to run for governor in 2021, writes Idaho Press reporter Ryan Suppe. The Secretary of State’s campaign finance portal shows Bundy’s name, with a Republican party affiliation. His treasurer appointment filing is dated May 21; he sought to Read More…

What Voters in Wyoming Say About Liz Cheney’s Lonely Stand

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — On a prairie hill on the rolling highway into Wyoming’s capital city looms a billboard with the beaming face of the state’s lone congressional representative, Liz Cheney. In huge letters it declares: “Thank you Rep. Cheney for defending the Constitution.” Some local Republicans see Cheney’s lonesome stand against former President Donald Trump’s Read More…

Balow Says No To Teaching Critical Race Theory in Wyoming Classrooms

Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow is pushing back against proposed federal priorities for schools to teach the theory that racism is an ingrained part of American life. The U.S. Department of Education recently proposed priorities for American history and civics education grant programs which include encouraging districts to use curriculum related to the Read More…

Former Wyoming state senator arrested for soliciting prostitution

A former Wyoming state senator has been arrested in Sweetwater County for soliciting prostitution, jail records show. John Hastert, who served in the Wyoming Legislature from 2003 to 2019, was booked into the Sweetwater County Detention Center Thursday, according to the detention center’s inmate roster. He faces charges of soliciting prostitution and interfering with a peace Read More…