Wyoming Vote Tracker

To those attending the 2008 Wyoming Republican State Convention,

I send warmest greetings to you from Cody, which according to the weather forecast is supposed to be in the 60’s with chances of thunderstorms.

Words cannot begin to express how much I want to be in Rock Springs with you all this weekend. Had I planned a little bit better (and in January my plans were quite different than what I wanted them to be today), I might have been able to somehow attend my first State GOP Convention.

I had the pleasure of being an Alternate Delegate for my precinct at the Park County Republican Convention this past January. I was fortunate that there was an opening that allowed me to participate with full voting privileges. Just being there was an amazing experience, but being able to participate added so much more to the day. January 5th, 2008 was the icing on the cake of being able to meet a few of the then-Presidential Candidates in Riverton last September.

Since January, quite a bit of decoration has been added to the icing. I’ve been to two Lincoln Day Dinners. I’ve had the pleasure of coming into e-mail contact with people that read my blog, and I’ve had the greater pleasure of meeting some of them in person. Many of you are in Rock Springs this weekend, and I send special greetings to you, with many thanks for your friendship and for reading my blog. Some of you, our paths are yet to cross in the inbox or with a hand shake, but I look forward to the day that it happens.

Those of you that are in Rock Springs this weekend, taking part in showing how we as Republicans are different from the Democrats, I commend you. You are being active in the process in a place I long to be, and someday, I will be there. One of the committee women from here in Cody, though she has granted me a pass on this State Convention, has promised torture on my political life if I miss the next one. Rest assured, I have a pen ready to mark my calendar as soon as the date and location are announced and I am made aware of it. I anticipate that when she gets home, she will have “insider information” for me so that I can begin making my plans.

Let it be known, that while I am not there in person this year, my heart is camping out in Rock Springs. I do hope that somebody can be generous enough to get it a ride back up to Cody after the festivities are completed.

This election year is already coming to fruition as one of the most important, if not the most important election year in this country and in this state.

In January 2009, Sen. Enzi will complete his second term as our Senator. He has done great work for Wyoming. I recommend to you that his contract be renewed. He deserves our support for the August primary and the November general election.

Sen. Barrasso has not yet completed a year of service in the U.S. Senate. But in the eleven months that he has been there, filling the void left by the late Sen. Thomas, he has made a tremendous effort to make sure he gets to talk to the people, and that, more importantly, the people get to talk to him. He has taken many occasions to stand up for Wyoming on the Senate floor. He has been to every Wyoming county at least once, some of them have seen multiple visits by Sen. Barrasso. It could very easily be said that in this short time, he has become Wyoming’s favorite Senator, and that’s a tough thing to do when both of them are on the ballot. At any rate, Sen. Barrasso needs to be elected to fill out the four remaining years of what was Sen. Thomas’ third term.

In addition to these two very important Senate elections, it is no secret that there is a spirited campaign to be Wyoming’s vote in the U.S. House. At the time of this writing, there are four Republicans, a Democrat, and a Libertarian seeing that position. Rep. Cubin will be completing 14 years of service to the state this coming January, and so in August, we must choose a Republican that can withstand the wiles of the Democrat party. Have no doubts, with the entire D.C. delegation at stake, the Democrats have a big blue bull’s eye painted on this traditionally reliable Republican territory.

This Republican needs to be strong. This Republican needs to be intelligent. This Republican needs to be unwavering. This Republican needs to be experienced. This Republican that I’m describing is Cynthia Lummis.  If you like the large surplus our state has been enjoying these past few years, thank Cynthia Lummis; she, as two-term State Treasurer, is the architect of putting the State’s money to work for the state. She did so well, she now shares her knowledge and experiences with foreign leaders, not to appease them, but to educate them on the benefits of capitalism at work. When it comes to experience, besides eight years as State Treasurer, she served fourteen years in the state legislature.  Insomuch as we tend to elect Presidents that have been Governors at one point or another, we tend to like our U.S. Senators and Representatives to have some kind of legislative background. Cynthia Lummis has learned the legislative process and she would be a valued team member for Wyoming working with Sens. Enzi and Barrasso to make sure that Wyoming’s interests are protected and to help spread a little bit of legislative common sense in Washington, D.C.

I would like to conclude by encouraging you to stay active, and encouraging others to get active. I would love to be more active than I am right now, and I have no doubt, that in time, I will be, lest a certain committee woman from Cody has to follow-though on her pledge. I have a ball cap, that back in February, I found tough to wear. It says on it “Proud to be Republican” It was tough to be proud. All of my presidential candidates of choice had gone by the wayside, and the last one I wanted to see get the nomination was being put on the fast-track to September.

If your candidate doesn’t make it, say in the Congressional primary, don’t give up the farm. Give your wounds time to heal, and no doubt, you’ll have plenty of reasons to make sure that Gary Trauner is not your next Representative.

One big difference between Republicans and Democrats is that we really do have hope. Granted, things are  not always the way we like them, but even then, Republicans can find the silver lining somehwere. While Democrats are campaigning on this proverbial idea of hope and change paid for by the Federal government (via the taxpayers), Republicans tend to be optimistic that the people can bring about the best change in their everyday lives without the Government subsidizing it.

Democrats in this state are getting a lot of attention right now. They’re excited. I say, let’s give them a run for their money. Why should they get all the attention? I’m proud to say that when I’m out and about, especially on my days off, I’m wearing my ball cap once again, that I’m proud to be Republican. Ironically, nobody’s told me they think any less of me as a result. Care to join me?

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