TORRINGTON – Another week, another round of Republican candidates taking the stage in Torrington. This time, the Goshen County Republicans hosted contenders for Goshen County Sheriff, House District 2, 5 and 10 and Senate District 3 in the Pony Express Room at Torrington City Hall.
This article is a brief overview of a selection of questions and candidate responses. To view the full forum, go to the Goshen County Republicans Facebook page.
To begin the event, current interim Goshen County Sheriff Jeremy Wardell, Investigative Deputy Sheriff Kory Fleenor and former Torrington Police Department Assistant Chief Brian Wise fielded questions regarding their decision to run for sheriff, personal values, and beliefs regarding proposed handgun registration requirements.
Fleenor said he decided to run for sheriff because, “I truly care about each and every citizen in this county”; Wardell referenced his experience and qualifications, stating he worked directly under former Sheriff Don Murphy for the last five years and is endorsed by the now-retired law enforcement officer; Wise said, in the past, as a member of TPD, he was able to regain the trust of the community and hoped to make the sheriff’s office “the best it can be.”
Each candidate also spoke on the role of sheriff and the responsibilities he believes are most important. “Administrating the whole agency,” Wardell said; Wise touted the importance of being accessible to the public; and Fleenor stated a combination of maintaining and keeping a jail, administration and interacting with the public were crucial.
All agreed proposals requiring residents to register handguns were unnecessary, with Wardell calling the idea a “federal overreach” and stating he is a huge supporter of the Second Amendment; Wise said, “It’s not the gun that (has) the problem, it’s the person behind it”; and Fleenor agreed, stating the issue is mental illness, not gun ownership.
After a brief break, Hans Hunt, incumbent candidate for House District 2 addressed the crowd. Hunt is running unopposed in the August primary.
House District 5 contenders Roseanna Davison, Shelly Duncan and Ruth Van Mark, as well as House District 10 incumbent John Eklund, Jr. and challenger Donn Edmunds answered a plethora of questions, including those related to their stance on protective classes for special groups and marriage.
Moderator Shane Viktorin asked the group, “In the 2018 platforms, the Wyoming Republicans state that every citizen is equal before, equally protected by and equally subject to the law. Do you agree with that, or do you believe Wyoming should expand its protective classes?”
Davison said she believes “all men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with unalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness … and there should be no protective or special classes”; Edmunds said he doesn’t feel there is a need for special classes; Eklund stated the Constitution protects the citizens and protective classes would “clutter … the law up”; Duncan answered the question in two parts, saying, “As a realtor we do not discriminate against anyone wanting to achieve the American dream of home ownership.” She added the Constitution clearly indicates equal rights for all; Van Mark said, “When government expands, liberties contract … we’re all equal before the law, and that’s the way it should be.”
The candidates also spoke on the topic of marriage and whether they would support and defend the platform of it being a union between one man and one woman, should they be elected.
Edmunds said he would support the platform, adding, “Myself, it’s not for me. But I’ll not condemn anybody that wants to do it”; Eklund emphasized the issue is state law, and said he supports traditional marriage, as well as relies on the Bible for guidance; Duncan said she has “difficulty” with the issue, as gay marriage is permitted in the state, but the Wyoming Republican Party does not support it. “It’s not about my beliefs, it’s about the laws and what exactly is the context of those laws,” she said; Van Mark said she does support traditional marriage and has “no trouble relying on my Judeo-Christian values,” adding she is still able to represent gay and lesbian individuals, “We’re going to just disagree on that issue”; Davison encouraged treating one another with dignity, kindness and love, and said she does support marriage between one man and one woman.
To end the event, Martin Gubbels and Cheri Steinmetz, contending for Senate District 3, addressed the crowd. The pair took on the same questions regarding protective classes and marriage as the group before.
On the topic of protective classes, Gubbels said, “I believe we should never expand our protective classes … this is a free country, protected by the Constitution; Steinmetz agreed, stating, “Everyone is equally protected under the law,” and spoke of her time as House District 5 Representative and working to defeat proposed legislature requiring protective classes “time after time after time,” and said she would continue this fight.
Steinmetz also said she would “completely support and defend that platform,” referring to marriage being defined as a union between one man and one woman. “It’s not only our platform, it’s currently Wyoming state law … our state should have the ability to govern itself.”
“Being raised Catholic, I’ve read the words of the Bible,” Gubbels said on the subject. “I fully support what the Republican platform states, that marriage is between a man and a woman,” adding he believes an individual’s sexual orientation and background is their “freedom and choice.”
