THE ROAD TO THE CAPITOL: “Anything Can Happen In an Election,” Says Democrat

By Shen Wu Tan

Special to the Wyoming Truth
 

SHERIDAN, Wyo. — While some Democrats are crossing over to the Republican side, David Myers will remain faithful to the party.

Myers, the vice chair of the Sheridan County Democrats, is deliberating between Democratic candidates Lynnette Grey Bull, whom he supported in 2020, and Meghan R. Jensen for Wyoming’s sole seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. He’ll likely make his final choice based on a gut feeling about who can best go “toe-to-toe with people in Washington.”

“My intention is to vote for the Democrat,” Myers, 47, said about the Aug. 16 primary and November general election, as he leaned against a table in Kendrick Park.

The Democrats who are registering as Republicans for the primary, he said, are all but conceding the election.

“I think they do it because they don’t think that a Democrat has any chance in Wyoming for statewide office,” he said. “But I think that’s wrong, and I think that attitude is why no Democrat has a chance in statewide office. I think it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy.”

Both Grey Bull and Jensen share similar campaign platforms, Myers noted. He commended Grey Bull for her connections to the Native American community and Jensen for participating in the Roe v. Wade demonstration last month in downtown Sheridan.

On the economic front, Myers believes there are opportunities for Wyoming to expand into light manufacturing and energy development.

“I want to see us more aggressively pursue new technologies and new industries in Wyoming to fill that gap that extractive industries — coal, oil — have left, because I want my children to want to live here,” Myers said. “There’s just so many opportunities here, and I just don’t think the controlling party [Republican] right now in our state legislature has the vision to take advantage of that.”

That vision, in Myer’s opinion, includes figuring out new revenue streams for Wyoming and diversifying the economy, addressing issues related to public lands, building more housing, tackling climate change and confronting the state’s brain drain.

And his thoughts about Rep. Liz Cheney, who is seeking reelection?

“Liz Cheney has become somewhat of a hero to some people on the Democratic side and probably moderate Republicans,” Myers said. “In my opinion, she has stood up to bullying from people in her own party and has done the right thing. It does take a lot of guts to stand up in the face of that much resistance. But at the same time, all she did was not perpetuate the lie that the rest of her party was perpetuating, and I don’t know if that’s something that makes her necessarily qualified to be our representative.”

He paused, adding with a laugh, “I sincerely hope that Democrats are people who align with Democratic values and don’t fall for it and vote for her [Cheney] in the general.”

But if it’s a choice between Cheney and Harriet Hageman, the GOP candidate who leads her in the polls, Myers prefers Cheney.  

Myers had some respect for Hageman when she ran for Wyoming governor in 2018.  But, in his view, the Cheyenne attorney has undergone a makeover since securing the endorsement of former President Donald Trump last year.  

“She completely changed her entire demeanor and redefined herself in the image of Donald Trump and that side of the party,” Myers said. “I lost all respect for her, what little respect I may have had previously, when she completely sold herself out just to get Trump’s endorsement essentially, I think.”

Although state election data this month shows that Republicans comprise about 73% of registered voters, Myers remains hopeful.

“Anything can happen in an election, but realistically, statistically, it doesn’t look great,” he said about a Democrat’s chance in the general election. “There’s a lot of scenarios that could play out between now and November. So, I’m staying positive.”