Sen. R.J. Kost, R-Powell, is facing two challengers in the Senate District 19 primary. Ray Peterson, who held the seat until Kost won the 2018 primary, is hoping to regain the position, and Rep. Dan Laursen, R-Powell, who has served in the House since 2014, wants to move up to the Senate. 

Laursen calls himself the “most conservative” of the three contenders and points to his voting record, which is 100% in line with the Wyoming GOP platform, to support his claim to the conservative mantle. 

Laursen is on the board of directors for the Wyoming chapter of the American Legislative Exchange Council, a non-partisan organization committed to limited government, free markets and federalism. In February, the Conservative Political Action Conference recognized Laursen for his consistent conservative voting record. 

“I go to Cheyenne to fight for the people, not for the government,” Laursen said. 

Laursen supports  the Convention of States Project, which seeks to bring about an amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which will restrict federal spending, limit the federal government’s power, and impose term limits on its officials and members of Congress.

“We need to get our federal government under control … I think they went overboard on the pandemic,” Laursen said. 

If elected, Laursen said he’ll continue to fight back against any tax increases or new taxes. 

“Government has to prove they’re out of money,” he said. 

Kost said he isn’t interested in showing allegiance to any party or agenda. 

“I hope people see my honesty, my integrity, my character, and my devotion to the people of Senate District 19,” the incumbent said. 

Kost said he believes the best decisions are made at the local level and wants to keep state government out of the local arena as much as possible. 

“I think we get involved with too much,” Kost said. 

However, he said he’s not trying to maintain a hard-line definition of what a conservative should be. 

“Just what does conservative mean?” Kost asked. “Just because one person has a definition of what he thinks is conservative, does that mean everyone has to have that same definition?” 

Kost has been criticized for voting against party lines.

If reelected, Kost said he’ll do what he can to help the people of Park and Big Horn counties he serves. He said he can’t make promises when it comes to legislative action, which requires rounding up enough votes from other legislators to get something passed. He will, however, research every bill to make sure the vote he casts is the best for the people of the district. 

“They feel I should represent the party, and I’m sorry, but this position represents the people of Big Horn County and Park County. And I hope I’m true to that,” Kost said. 

Peterson stresses the importance of getting leadership in the Legislature for the Big Horn Basin. He said the Basin’s three senators and six representatives alone aren’t enough to counter the overwhelming representation that Casper, Cheyenne and Laramie enjoy. To really have a voice for the rural Basin, Peterson argues, the Basin’s representatives need leadership on key legislative committees. 

As co-chair of the Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee, Rep. Mike Greear, R-Worland, is the only Basin legislator with a leadership position on a key committee, and he is not running for reelection. 

“We’re already at a disadvantage in the Basin,” Peterson said. With so few senators and representatives in the Legislature, “we need leadership.”

Peterson said he’s as conservative as the other two candidates, but he doesn’t place a lot of importance on that credential. 

“It’s not enough to be a conservative. For the most part, anyone who lives in the Basin is a conservative,” Peterson explained. 

He said to be an effective champion of conservative values, a senator needs to pull in the votes of other legislators. 

Like Laursen, Peterson champions the Convention of States Project. 

Explaining his failure in the 2018 primary, Peterson said, “I’m not a good campaigner, but I’m committed now.” 

In this election, he’s getting out to meet voters, using social media to reach them and promoting his website. 

“It’s going to be a full-on fight,” he said.

Peterson plans to hold debates with the other candidates, in Powell and Greybull, in the lead-up to the primaries on Aug. 16. 

The last day for filing is Friday, May 27.