Gov. Freudenthal, Democratic party issue statements on his not seeking reelection

CHEYENNE,–-Gov. Dave Freudenthal issued the following statement on Thursday, March 4, after announcing he will not seek a third term.

“We are here today, in part, to confirm that I will not be a candidate for Governor in 2010. This decision is not made lightly but enjoys strong support from my family. I suspect this statement comes as no surprise to most observers of the Wyoming political scene,” Freudenthal said.

“The more important purpose of today is for Nancy and me to thank the Wyoming citizens for allowing us the opportunity to serve as your Governor and First Lady. As I am fond of saying, in the end being Governor is still just a job – a unique one – but a job nonetheless,” the Governor said.

“We look forward to working with our successor later this year in a transition process which will be marked by a sense of cooperation and goodwill,” Gov. Freudenthal said.

“I also want to thank the many dedicated state employees, agency administrators and citizen members of the many state boards and commissions that have contributed to our success,” Freudenthal said.

“In the remaining ten months of my term, we will continue to serve the State to the best of our ability. Although, I must admit that the time previously dedicated to campaigning will now be dedicated to simply enjoying the great people and unique outdoor lifestyle of Wyoming,” Gov. Freudenthal said.

The Wyoming Democratic Party issued the following statement; “The Wyoming Democratic Party respects Gov. Freudenthal’s decision not to seek re-election this year, and we thank him for his decades of service to the people of Wyoming, including the past seven-plus as governor. We wish him and Nancy the very best.

“Dave Freudenthal has been a remarkably effective and successful governor, and he would have been a fantastic candidate had he chosen to seek a third term. However, the governor has decided that it is time for someone else to move into the Governor’s Office, and we look forward to an exciting issues-based campaign for what will be an open governor’s seat.

“Gov. Freudenthal could not have provided a better living example of how a Democrat can successfully govern this state, by focusing solely on what’s in the best interests of our people, rather than blind adherence to partisan dogma. Wyoming’s next governor, no matter what his or her party affiliation, would do well to learn from Dave Freudenthal’s excellent example.”