2016 Congress Candidates
Greene targets concerns of ag, energy, small business
Running for Wyoming’s lone seat in the House of Representative hasn’t been an easy feat, but Ryan Greene, Democrat candidate for House, is confident that he is the best choice to represent Wyomingites in Washington, D.C.
Priorities
As he looks to representing the state, Greene says his first priority would be to bring Wyoming tax dollars back to the state.
“We send tons of our taxes to D.C., and I think we need to fight to bring those back in the form of grants,” Greene says. “Farmers and ranchers could all benefit from things like rural healthcare and improved transportation to export assistance and infrastructure improvements.”
He also sees that decreasing the overreach of the federal government is also a top priority.
“I am also a small businessman,” Greene says. “I’ve helped my family expand on welding truck into a 250-employee energy service company.”
He started as a welder and worked his way up the chain to operations director.
“Every single day, I have to put up with red tape and regulations,” he comments. “Personally, I see the impact of these things. I will work to get the federal government off our backs.”
Finally, Greene promises that he will work to “keep public lands in public hands.”
“This priority is so important to me,” he says. “Under our system, Wyoming became the number one coal state in the country. Under this system, Wyoming became one of the top oil and gas producers in this country, and under this system, we can hunt and fish wherever we’d like.”
Greene adds, “The reality is, the state sells land. When that happens, hunters lose access and ranchers pay more for grazing. I say we keep public lands in public hands, and I’ll fight for that every day in Congress.”
As he looks at examples from around the country, he sees the loss of public lands as an assault on freedoms, and he promises to fight to preserve freedom for Wyomingites.
Work in Washington
If elected to the House of Representatives, Greene looks to leverage his background on committees.
“I’ve worked for 18 years in Wyoming’s coalmines, the oil patch and the fertilizer plant,” he says. “I would certainly try to leverage my background in these industries to get on the House Energy and Commerce Committee.”
He also will prioritize the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Agriculture Committee as those committees he hopes to serve on.
“I work with these industries every day, and my expertise is in those industries,” Greene says. “I would hope to serve those industries on committees.”
First term
With just under a month left to campaign Greene also adds that he is realistic in his goals for his first several years in Washington, D.C.
“I have to be honest with what I can accomplish as a freshman congressman,” he says. “Big promises are not going to serve Wyoming well. It’s important not to promise the voters the world for a first-term congressman.”
Greene adds that the extravagant promises of congressmen and women across the country are likely the reason that Congress has a nine percent approval rating.
“At the end of the day, it’s just not realistic to make big promises,” Greene comments. “I will work to leverage my backgrounds to work in my committees. I will do what I can to work with both parties to make sure Wyoming issues are represented on both sides of the aisle.”
Working forward
Greene also adds that it is important to work together in Washington, D.C.
“I am the only candidate who will work with whoever America elects as their next president,” he comments. “I will make sure that Wyoming’s issues are represented.”
As he looks at Wyoming, Greene comments that our state is one of only four in the nation that does not have a growing economy.
“We have to take a look at what we can do for Wyoming,” he says.
Greene also notes that this election is critical.
“There are so many things at stake and so many critical issues we should be talking about,” he comments. “We need to ask these questions and discuss the solutions we need to work together.”
“I look at taking practical, proactive steps to accomplishing our goals,” Greene notes. “We need to have Wyoming in our conversation to start working to advance Wyoming issues.”
Whether he is elected or not, Greene comments that he understand the agriculture industry and the energy industry, and he believes that he can make an impact for Wyomingites.
“I have put my sweat and muscle into our ag sector,” he says. “I want to ask Wyoming’s ag communities, will they support someone who has supported you? Win or lose, I will keep working with the ag industry. The other candidates can’t say the same.”
Presidential election
As Wyoming Democrat Ryan Greene looks at the presidential election, saying, “Four former U.S. presidents are living today, and these are the only people in the world who fully understand the job.”
He continues, “Not a single one of them is backing Trump.”
While Greene adds that he doesn’t agree with all of Hillary Clinton’s positions, he believes she is the only viable option for president.
“We disagree on energy. We disagree on guns, and we disagree on a few other things,” he says, “but the alternative is too dangerous and too risky.”
Greene comments, “I will cast my ballot for Secretary Clinton in this election.”
Learn more about Ryan Greene and his bid to represent Wyoming in the House of Representatives at ryangreene16.com.
Saige Albert is managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup and can be reached at saige@wylr.net.
Cheney looks toward support Wyo way of life in House
As Election Day draws closer, Liz Cheney continues campaigning across the state, telling Wyomingites her story and the reasons she will make the best candidate for Wyoming in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“If I’m elected, one of my top priorities will be to make sure we are able to undo as much of the damage from the Obama years as possible,” Cheney says. “We need to start by rolling back the size, scope and authority of the federal government, particularly as it comes to issues like the Environmental Protection Agency and Bureau of Land Management, among others.”
Committee work
As a first priority, if elected, Cheney says she will focus on being placed in the right committees.
“My priority would be the Natural Resources Committee,” she explains. “I think that committee is hugely important for Wyoming because of the political lands issues.”
Cheney also says she would like to play a role in the national security area, including making sure the military has the appropriate resources and the country is well defended.
Federal overreach
As a top issue, federal overreach is widespread throughout the current administration in Washington, D.C.
“When we look at things like BLM Planning 2.0, for example, making sure that people understand how dangerous it is and how it is a threat to our sovereignty is important,” Cheney comments. “I think it’s important that Wyoming’s representative is really leading on these issues.”
As she looks back 40 years, Cheney says that the federal government used to operate such that the general population believed they were operating in good faith and that the government listened to the people.
“I think that sense is gone today,” she says. “We really need to re-establish why local control is so important.”
She adds, “We also have to make sure that we explains to people the extent to which these agencies are operating outside of the law.”
Solid action
To start the reforms process, Cheney sees that repeal of a number of pieces of legislation is an important place to start.
“We have to think of creative ways to tie the hands of these agencies,” she explains.
Cheney believes that one of the best ways to solve some of the problems in today’s government is by looking at repeal of pieces of legislation, such as the Endangered Species Act and estate tax legislation.
“Fundamental regulatory reform and really limiting the ability of agencies to change the meaning of the law by the rules that they pass are very important,” she continues. “We need clear, quantitative requirements.”
Moving to local control
“We have got to have more authority invested in the state,” Cheney says, adding that government that is closer to the people it governs is better.
The concept also applies to federal lands, though Cheney does not believe that clear-cut transfer of public lands to state hands is the best solution.
“I think there’s a lot of options when we look at federal lands,” she says. “I think it’s important to guarantee access and make sure the state has the resources it needs for an increased role that we ought to play.”
She continues that management of federal lands is not a cut-and-dry issue with a simple yes or no answer.
“We’ve got to do whatever is best for the land and the people of Wyoming,” Cheney comments. “Certainly more authority and more autonomy is important, but this issue is too big and too important to answer with a yes or no response.”
“The people who are dependent on the land ought to be in charge of it,” she adds.
When the federal government begins to get involved in people’s lives, the result is often unfavorable, Cheney adds, noting that healthcare is an prime example.
“That is what happens when the governments starts to reach its tentacles in,” Cheney comments. “We shouldn’t have to keep learning this lesson over and over again.”
Running for Congress
“It has been a real honor to be the Republican nominee,” Cheney comments. “I think it’s a sacred obligation and duty to be Wyoming’s representative in Congress.”
She adds, “If I’m honored to be elected, I’ll fight ever day on behalf of these issues that impact Wyoming. These are issues I really care about and will fight for so that we’re able to build the kind of coalitions we need to defend our people.”
Presidential election
While the race for U.S. House is at the top of her mind, Liz Cheney explains that the future of the country will also be largely impacted by the winner of the presidential election.
“I think if we have a President Trump, we will really see some change,” she says. “I think he really understands the need to reduce the size of the federal government.”
She also notes that reducing the national debt and beginning to decrease the size and authority of lands agencies, including the EPA, BLM and Forest Service, will also be important.
“If we have a President Clinton, it’s going to be even more important to make sure our next representative is able to take the fight to her and be clear that we’ve got to lead an effort to stop this massive overreach,” Cheney states. “A lot of it comes to a real focus and attention on a lot of these issues.”
The presidential election also has implications in terms of presidential appointments, particularly as they relate to the court system.
Learn more about Liz Cheney and her candidacy by visiting cheneyforwyoming.com.
Saige Albert is managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup and can be reached at saige@wylr.net.
