Dear editor:

Park County voters have an important choice to make in the race for county attorney.

This election is about more than legal credentials. It is about who will best represent the values and priorities of the people of Park County.

When I look at the backgrounds of the two candidates, I see a significant difference.

Ericka Smith has spent decades living and practicing law in Wyoming. Her career has been built serving Wyoming communities, and her life experience reflects the values that have long defined our state.

Marina Tucker’s background was shaped largely outside Wyoming. Before arriving here, she spent much of her adult life in places like New York, Seattle and Louisiana. Those experiences undoubtedly influenced her perspective, just as growing up and living in Wyoming influences the perspective of lifelong Wyoming residents.

One aspect of her background that deserves attention is her service as editor-in-chief of the Tulane Journal of Law & Sexuality, the official legal journal of the National LGBT Bar Association. That publication focuses on legal issues involving sexual orientation and gender identity and serves as a platform for scholarship and advocacy in that area of law.

Voters can decide for themselves whether that background reflects the priorities and values of Park County. For me, it raises legitimate questions about whether the professional and cultural influences that shaped Marina Tucker are aligned with the community she now seeks to represent.

This is not a personal attack. People can come to Wyoming from anywhere and contribute to our state. But when choosing a county attorney, voters should consider not only a candidate’s résumé, but also the experiences and institutions that helped shape their judgment and worldview.

At a time when many Wyoming residents are concerned about preserving our traditions, our constitutional liberties, and our way of life, I believe Park County is better served by a candidate whose roots, career and values have been grounded in Wyoming for decades.

That is why I support Ericka Smith for Park County Attorney.

Sincerely,

Scott Weber

Cody