Wyoming Gubernatorial Candidates to Debate at UW Oct. 25

All four candidates seeking the office of Wyoming governor will debate Thursday, Oct. 25, at the University of Wyoming. The event is free and open to the public.

Expected for the debate from 5:15-6:45 p.m. in the UW College of Arts and Sciences auditorium are candidates Mark Gordon, Republican; Mary Throne, Democrat; Dr. Rex Rammell, Constitutional; and Lawrence Struempf, Libertarian.

Laramie Boomerang Editor Joel Funk will moderate the panel. Wyoming Public Radio News Director Bob Beck and Alex Mulhall, Associated Students of UW vice president and political science major from Worland, will ask the questions.

After the event, candidates will be invited to attend a post-debate reception in the College of Business atrium from 6:45-8:15 p.m. A U.S. Senate candidate forum, which will be televised from Casper, will be available for attendees to watch in Room 121 of the College of Business.

Gordon is a rancher, small-business owner and currently serves as Wyoming’s state treasurer, a position he has held since 2012. He grew up on a family ranch in Johnson County and, together with his wife, Jennie, continues to ranch outside Buffalo. He graduated from St. Paul's School, an Episcopalian boarding school in Concord, N.H., and Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vt.

Throne was born and raised in Campbell County, growing up on a ranch on Wild Horse Creek. She has a bachelor’s degree in history from Princeton University and a law degree from Columbia Law School. The Cheyenne attorney is a former assistant Wyoming attorney general and spent more than 10 years representing Laramie County in the Wyoming Legislature.

Rammell, who grew up in the mountains of western Wyoming and eastern Idaho near Yellowstone National Park, is a licensed veterinarian. He and his wife, Lynda, own Sweetwater Stables in Rock Springs. He has a doctorate in veterinary medicine from Kansas State University, a master’s degree in animal science from Utah State University and a bachelor’s degree in animal science from the University of Idaho.

Struempf, a Laramie County Community College computer information systems instructor on the Albany County campus, grew up on a cattle ranch near Pavillion. He earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science and a doctoral degree in instructional technology, both from UW; and a master’s degree in management from Regis University. He lives in Laramie with his wife; they have four children.

The forum is co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters; UW School of Politics, Public Affairs and International Studies; UW Department of Communication and Journalism; the Laramie Boomerang; and Wyoming Public Media. Five UW student groups also are sponsors of the event: Political Science Club, College Republicans, Young Democrats, the Debate Club and Turning Point USA.

The Political Science Club and the UW debate team are hosting a “Crash Course on Wyoming Politics” for UW students to prepare them for the gubernatorial debate. The course will be Tuesday, Oct. 23, at 6 p.m. in Room 214 of the Classroom Building. Refreshments will be served.