It has been a little while since my last update and a lot has happened in the Equality State in regard to the race for governor. In case you have been living in a cave, popular incumbant Gov. Dave Freudenthal has deicded to call it quits after two terms. Gov. Dave is a Democrat and was relected with 70% in Wyoming in 2006. However, I have heard that Gov. Dave had a choice; leave office as the most popular politician and Democrat in the state of Wyoming, or leave office because Wyomingites still prefer term limits to Gov. Dave. Anyway, that’s just a rumor.

There are four serious GOP candidates for governor in Wyoming; Ron Micheli, Colin Simpson, Matt Mead, and Rita Meyer. I have blogged on Ron Micheli in the past and he is, without question, my preferred candidate. He is conservative in every sense – fiscally, socially, morally, you name it. He’s my guy!

Well look, here’s why:

Reaction from Colin Simpson has been nice. He sent a letter to Gov. Dave today, with many of his collegues in the the legislature, and asked that the state join the lawsuits other states intent to file. He calls the law unconstitutional. Colin is a decent politician, and is the son of former Wyoming U.S. Senator Alan Simpson. Father and son share one important political belief – they are both pro abortion.

Matt Mead is a multi-millionaire and the grandson of former Wyoming U.S. Senator and Governor Cliff Hansen. Cliff recently passed. In addition, Matt’s mother was a candidate for governor herself in 1990 and got thoroughly thumped by former Gov. Mike Sullivan. Matt said that lawsuits should be a last resort, but he would consider joining other states.

It is worth noting that both Matt Mead and Colin Simpson are trial lawyers.

State Auditor Rita Meyer said, well, here you go. You be the judge:

Gov holds off on joining health care lawsuit
“I’ve looked at it, and I don’t know enough to whether that’s a good venue to take or not. I would certainly carefully look at that with my attorney general to say, ‘Is this doable? Is that feasible? Is this something that will move us further ahead in terms of health care reform?”

Apparently Mrs. Meyer is concerned about whether or not a lawsuit helps move forward health care reform. I would think that protecting the Constitution should be at the forefront of her thoughts. Ah, well.

The reaction of all of the candidates gives a glimpse into how they view the role of government in the lives of the people. I think, given the reactions, Ron Micheli stands out head and shoulders above the rest.

Don’t take my word for it. See for yourself.

Republican Ron Micheli, former state representative and former director of the Wyoming Department of Agriculture, officially kicked off his campaign Tuesday and Wednesday with speeches in Lyman, Cheyenne, and Casper, Wyoming.

Micheli said his highest priority will be to help create an environment where it is easier to do business in Wyoming thereby providing the conditions for sustained job creation and economic growth.

My highest priority as your governor will be to maintain an environment where it is easy to do business in Wyoming so that we can provide the conditions that will encourage job creation and steady economic growth. Together, we will use state government to create an environment where entrepreneurs decide to take risks in doing business in Wyoming, where businesses choose to invest in their own success. We can do this by keeping taxes low, keeping spending low and freeing businesses from outdated or unnecessary regulations and by focusing on helping the private sector create competition.

And then we will get government out of the way and unleash the private sector.

Micheli also addressed challenges facing Wyoming as a result of lower revenues to state coffers.

I believe that times of challenges are also times of great opportunities. We have the opportunity to return to many of the principles of good government that our founding fathers recognized. We have the opportunity to remind ourselves that government cannot and should not try to solve all of the ills of society and our economy. We will demonstrate to the rest of the country that smaller, more efficient and properly restrained government is the best protector of our economy, society and our liberties.

During his speech, Mr. Micheli railed against the Obama Administration and Democratic leaders in Congress for their continued and sustained attack on state sovereignty and individual liberties.

Unfortunately, many of Wyoming’s challenges come from outside Wyoming. I believe that the greatest threat facing Wyoming today, and quite frankly the country we all love is coming from Washington DC. The Obama administration and the Congress have adopted policies that punish us for producing traditional energy resources that have and will continue to fuel the nation’s economy. The Obama administration continues to add to the many job-killing regulations and federal mandates that will further burden Wyoming’s energy sector.

President Obama, Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid have embarked on a path of unprecedented deficit spending that threatens the financial future of all of our citizens. With each passing month, we learn of a new federal program concocted by a liberal President and his accomplices in Congress that will add to our mounting national debt, stifle freedom and make it even harder for states to balance their budgets. Meanwhile, the federal government continues to create more power for itself and trample the rights granted to Wyoming in the Constitution.

We need a governor who will fight for the Constitution, who will join with other governors and fight the infringement of the rights of the states. We need a governor who understands the meaning of the 10th amendment and who will fight for it with his whole heart.

I will be that governor!

With all the challenges, Wyoming needs a governor with the experience, leadership and commitment to secure Wyoming’s legacy for future generations from the threats we face from our own federal government, to ensure that Wyoming has a strong and vibrant economy, and that Wyoming honors and protects our individual freedoms and liberties.

I will be that governor!

Also, Micheli reaffirmed his commitment to the sanctity of marriage and to protecting and fighting for unborn children.

We need a leader who will guard our families and our culture from those demean their importance or would redefine their very meaning. We need a leader who will protect traditional family values, understands the sanctity of marriage and who will protect the sanctity of life and has the record to prove it.

I am committed to doing that. I will be that governor.

Micheli concluded:

Today, we see great threats to freedoms. One of the greatest threats is the apathy of our nation’s citizens toward preserving our liberties. Public service is demeaned. Patriotism is not politically correct. We have lost the intense passion that our founding fathers held for the principles of the Constitution. I believe we are at a crossroads of our history. Thirty years from now I want to be able to look my children and my grandchildren in the eye and say, “we made a difference.”

I am asking you to join us today, in the spirit of our strongest traditions, to recommit to the values that made this country the greatest nation on the face of the earth. Please join with us as we build a Wyoming that is better than the one that we inherited.

. . .

But I do pledge to you today that the hour has come. My whole heart is in it. All that I have, and all that I am and all that I hope in this life, I am now ready to pledge to Wyoming. Together we can make a difference. We must do all that we can to preserve the noble heritage that has been left to us by our founding fathers. At the end of the day, I want to be able to look my children and grandchildren in the eye and say, we did it, we made a difference.

Thank you for joining us and God bless the great state of Wyoming.

The full text of the speech can be found here.

To put this into perspective, Mr. Micheli raised more money by December 31 of the off-year, than all of the GOP candidates for governor in the whole 2006 primary.

I am not going to be a regular blogger on the Texas GOP primary battle royale.  Although, it is interesting to note that the guy I support and am working for in the Wyoming GOP primary, Ron Micheli was the director of the Wyoming Department of Agriculture at the same time that Gov. Rick Perry was the head of the Texas Dempartment of Agriculture.  So, these two gentlemen know eachother and are actually friends.  Because of that little fact, this ad by Kay Bailey Huchison caught my eye.

Okay, it is a little entertaining.  However, I find this ad really to be lacking.  For crying out loud, Gov. Perry has been govenor since late 2000, so it’s not like the voters don’t know who he is.  This is the kind of ad you would run to try to define a candidate who is unknown to most voters.  An ad like this against a sitting governor who has held the office for almost 10 years seems like it would be completely ineffective and petty.

It makes me wonder if this is the kind of campaign we can expect from KBH.  If so, I wonder what her plans are for private life.

I am excited to introduce Ron Micheli to Red State.  Ron Micheli is a Republican candidate for governor in Wyoming and is exactly the kind of candidate those of us at Red State would appreciate and support.  He is a family man and small businessman with leadership experience in both the legislative and executive branches of government in Wyoming.

 

Ron is a true conservative!

 

From his web site:

Personal Freedom

Decisions should be made by those closest to the situation. This means that, to the greatest extent possible, individuals should control their lives and futures without interference from government; parents should have the first say in their family’s and children’s lives; and local elected officials should have primary control over local issues.

 

This also means that national politicians or unelected bureaucrats that live thousands of miles from Wyoming and who have likely never even been to Wyoming should not control and dictate Wyoming’s policies. As Governor, I will push back on the federal incursion into state’s rights. I will work to ensure that the federal government complies with the 10th Amendment and allows Wyoming the authority to control its own future.

 

Yes, there is more!

 

Wyoming’s Culture and Values

Our history of hard work, self-reliance, sacrifice, and perseverance is part of the heritage that we all enjoy. Wyoming citizens understand that these values don’t come from government programs, but are forged in the family. As Governor, I will work to strengthen and protect these values by protecting and strengthening Wyoming’s families. This means keeping our tax burden low so families can make ends meet. I will also work to protect against policies that erode traditional family values. Wyoming and America cannot continue to lead the world if we suffer from a collapse of the family.

 

I have a 16 year voting record in the State Legislature supporting and upholding the sanctity of human life. I sponsored and carried legislation that prevented state funding of abortions except in cases of rape, incest or life of the mother. I supported and advocated for legislation to require parental notification before an abortion could be performed on a minor. I have found that on issues of life, actions speak louder than words. I am proud of my long record of protecting the sanctity of life.

 

Ron Micheli is a former state representative and served as Speaker Pro Tempore, Majority Floor Leader, and Majority Whip.  In addition, he served in the cabinet of Gov. Jim Geringer as Director of the Department of Agriculture.

 

Ron has always relied on the values of hard work, honesty and integrity to guide him in his family, his business, and his service to the people of Wyoming.  He will bring those values to the Governor’s Mansion in Cheyenne as well.

 

Many of you know that the current governor of Wyoming is a popular two-term Democrat.  Wyoming has a two term limit on its governor and other elected executives.  However, those term limits are statutory and are unconstitutional.  To get them reversed by the state Supreme Court would only require one of those elected official to challenge the statute in court.  The only individual who would have standing to challenge that particular statute is Gov. Dave Freudenthal in 2010.  He claims he is undecided as to his future plans.  Many say he will run and many say he won’t.  We just don’t know right now. 

 

Some people say that if Freudenthal runs for re-election, his is a safe seat for the Democrats.  Maybe, maybe not.  He endorsed Obama during the primaries and campaigned for him in Pennsylvania during the general election.  Notice how he didn’t do it in Wyoming?  Anyway, Obama’s cap and tax scheme would devastate the Wyoming economy and Gov. Freudenthal helped put the man in office who has it in his agenda to kill Wyoming’s carbon based energy industry.

 

Whether or not Freudenthal runs again is irrelevant to Ron Micheli.  Ron Micheli is a candidate for governor in Wyoming no matter who ends up running on the Democrat side.  I think that says a lot about his determination to serve Wyoming and to stand on principle no matter how long or tough the odds may be.

 

Ron Micheli is our kind of candidate and we should help him out!  Forward this to your friends and visit his web site; www.MicheliforGovernor.com.  While you’re there, feel free to give him advice (he’ll listen), encouragement, volunteer, and drop off a few bucks.

 

Wyoming is the “energy basket” of America.  Wyoming coal, oil, natural gas, and uranium help power our country and keep America’s economy at the forefront of the globe.  Saving the American economy means using Wyoming’s natural resources – all of them; coal, oil, natural gas, uranium, wind, and so forth.

 

So America has a stake in who the next governor of Wyoming will be.  America needs a conservative leading Wyoming to help lead our nation in adopting common sense energy policies that protects our natural environment and uses all of our natural resources.

 

Join Ron Micheli today! Wyoming and America needs him!