By Madelyn Beck
As a growing tally of Congressional Democrats call on President Joe Biden to step back from his reelection bid, Democrats in Wyoming are weighing the implications of the president’s candidacy for the Equality State.
“It absolutely matters who’s at the top of the ticket because a rising tide raises all ships, right?” said Wyoming Democratic Party Chair Joe Barbuto.
Democrats have struggled in Wyoming, offering only 16 legislative candidates this election, the lowest number in at least 26 years.
Barbuto will support Biden whether the president decides to stay in or step back, he said. Either way, he said, he trusts there will be a strong Democratic campaign that will bring out progressive voters in Wyoming.
“I support[ed] President Biden during his presidency and during his last campaign,” he said. “And up to this point, I have found that he’s a person of integrity, and I trust him to make the right decision … What he thinks is in the best interest of our nation.”
Reports of Biden potentially stepping down in the coming days are just speculation, he said.
House Minority Floor Leader Mike Yin (D-Jackson) agreed, saying he feels the decision is still up to Biden, the only person who can make that official call.
“Ultimately, the goal still is to have a Democrat in the White House,” he said.
While he believes the state will fare better under a Democratic president, Yin said, focusing on local races is key. In the past, Wyoming Democrats have fared better in races for state and local office than in competitions for federal office.
“I also look at focusing on: How can Democrats in the state that get elected help their communities, help encourage more personal freedoms, help ensure that our land is best used in the way that Wyoming wants to use it,” he said. “And just making sure that we still have honest debate in this state, which is getting harder every day.”
Recently, a handful of Republican candidates in Fremont County declined invitations to local debates. Wyoming PBS also canceled a debate after U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman and U.S. Sen. John Barrasso declined to participate, according to the Wyoming Tribune Eagle.
Why vote?
Rep. Karlee Provenza (D-Laramie) is concerned about Democratic voter apathy if Biden remains on the ticket, saying it may be better if he steps back.
“Based on just my finger on the pulse, I think that there’s potentially an opportunity to reinvigorate voters to show up to vote for a presidential race if Biden were to not be the candidate,” she said.
She represents many students and employees at the University of Wyoming, a younger demographic that hasn’t been shy about voicing its concerns on social media regarding both the presidential candidates’ age. Some people Provenza has talked with asked her why they should even vote.
“It’s an opportunity to talk about what’s down ballot, and who really impacts your day-to-day life,” she said. “Your state legislator, your city council, your county commission, your school board, the people that run the communities on the ground.”
At the same time, she said, her concerns aren’t confined to Biden in this election, saying “it would be better if both candidates weren’t the candidates.”
“I believe better of our country and of the people of this country,” she said. “We could have two better candidates than the two we’ve got now.”
Provenza isn’t alone as a Mountain West Democrat saying Biden should step back. Montana farmer and U.S. Senator John Tester said, “While I appreciate his commitment to public service and our country, I believe President Biden should not seek re-election to another term.”
There are no primary elections for Democrats running for legislative seats in Wyoming — those running are unopposed — but there are some for local races, including in Teton County.
Presidential nominees can affect voter turnout, Yin said, which may be important for the county commissioner primary race there.
Wyoming’s primary elections will happen on Aug. 20 and the general election is Nov. 5. For more information regarding new voter registration rules, go here.
This article was originally published by WyoFile and is republished here with permission. WyoFile is an independent nonprofit news organization focused on Wyoming people, places and policy.
