Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal won’t run for reelection

by Phil Noble, Cowboy State Free Press Bureau Chief, and Mary Angell, Reporter

CHEYENNE—Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal on Thursday said he has decided not to run for a third term in office because “eight years is enough.”

His wife, Nancy, was by his side at the announcement. She is poised to become Wyoming’s third active federal judge as soon as the U.S. Senate gives her the nod, which is expected at any time.

If he had decided to run for a third term, Freudenthal would have had to challenge Wyoming’s term limits law. But the two-term Democrat said he didn’t see that law as an obstacle since a precedent had already been established when legislators a few tears ago overturned the term-limit law as it applied to them.

When announcing his decision at a news conference this morning, Freudenthal said his children’s opposition to another four years played heavily in his decision. When asked about his plans for the future, he said, “I just don’t know.”

Wyoming Democratic Party Chair Leslie Petersen of Jackson said “there are two or three people who are seriously running (for Governor). They were just waiting to see what Gov. Dave was going to do. I’m not going to start naming names at this early date without talking with them.”

She said the potential Democratic candidates “have to now do a gut-check and see if this is the right time for them. There are two possible candidates who have statewide name recognition and would make great candidates.”

Political sources say one of those two candidates could be Gary Trauner, who narrowly lost Wyoming’s congressional race to Cynthia Lummis in 2008.

The other candidate could be State Parks and Cultural Resources Director Milward Simpson. Simpson is a Democrat despite a Republican trend in his family: His cousin is Republican House Speaker Colin Simpson, and his uncle is former U.S. Sen. Al Simpson, R-Wyo.

Milward Simpson two weeks ago said he was not going to run for the Democratic nomination for governor, but with Freudenthal’s decision on Thursday, sources say Simpson could change his mind. Simpson could not be reached for comment.

“As far as the Republicans go, if people move too far to the right, we could wind up with another centrist democrat like Dave Freudenthal,” Petersen said.

But, as NBC News reporter Pete Williams, a former news director of Casper’s K2 television and close friend of Freudenthal, said this morning on MSNBC.com, “No Democrats in the state have anything approaching Freudenthal’s popularity.”

A poll conducted by the Wyoming Republican Party
that was announced at a Republican Legislators’ caucus is said to have placed Freudenthal’s approval rating at 82 percent, an astronomically high figure for a Democrat in a two-thirds Republican state.

Announced Republican candidates for the seat include State Auditor Rita Meyer, former legislator and state official Ron Micheli, and former U.S. Attorney Matt Mead, grandson of former governor and U.S. Senator Cliff Hansen.

Republican legislator Roy Cohee of Casper told the Cowboy State Free Press today he would not enter the gubernatorial race, despite giving it serious consideration last year.

“I finally came to the conclusion that as a business owner, I really need to take care of my 55 employees — who are like my extended family — and taking care of them and my family is more important than jumping into a political race,” he said.

Cohee said he received both moral and financial support from “the right kind of people” but ultimately decided the needs of his business and family should come first.

Cohee and his wife, Barbara, own the C&Y Transportation Company in Casper, which primarily serves the oil and gas industry.

Republican Wyoming House Speaker Colin Simpson, who plans to announce “within a couple of weeks” whether he will run for governor, said Gov. Freudenthal’s statement did not influence his decision in any way.

He had no comment on the field of candidates for either party in the gubernatorial race.

“Today is the day to honor Dave and Nancy Freudenthal and their service to the state,” Simpson said. “I think we should acknowledge the fine job that Gov. Freudenthal has done. I’m sure that the remainder of his term he will continue to do a good job for the for the state.”

U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., released the following statement following Freudenthal’s announcement that he will not seek reelection:

“I appreciate the way Dave has worked with the delegation in Washington and me in particular. Cooperation gets a lot done for Wyoming. Dave has been a good spokesman and salesman for our state. His fiscal conservatism and his recognition of the power of the legislature has resulted in good things getting done and bad things from happening. Assuming the rest of the year goes well, Dave will be pleased with his legacy and I thank him for his service.”