Winters, Samelson face off

Candidates Howard Samelson and Nathan Winters are vying for the seat of Wyoming State Representative of House District 28 on Nov. 8.

On the Democratic side, Samelson believes people’s individual freedoms must be protected, public lands must be kept in public hands, local institutions must be locally managed, Medicaid must be expanded, the Wyoming Food Freedom Act must include all meat products and all possibilities for economic diversification must be invested in. He’s a strong believer in making sure everyone has a choice.

Additionally, it’s his belief that many and varied educational opportunities should be presented and properly funded. He wants to having meaningful conversations with the people about issues in Thermopolis, the Big Horn Basin and the state.

Republican candidate Winters has been the State Representative for the past four years. In that time, he’s worked to stand for the principles he outlined when he first ran for office, and he’s fought for free speech, the right to keep and bear arms.

He’s developed and won the battle to help those caught between state and federal governments, specifically with regard to the wolf issue. He’s voted for two general budgets that funded basic needs of government at the local level but against two supplemental budgets that isolated funds in the southeast corner of the state rather than allowing them to be distributed through cities, towns and counties.

Winters also believes in wise fiscal spending, as there has been a loss of nearly three quarters of $1,000,000 since the fiscal forecast that came out two budget cycles ago, and this “rainy day” situation that could last eight to 10 years.