When Wyoming historians years from now look through news archives about today’s state Legislature, state Sen. Anthony Bouchard, R-Cheyenne, will likely catch their attention a few times, for better or worse.
During his eight years in the Legislature, Bouchard has openly and sharply criticized leadership and those who oppose his legislative efforts on social media and in the press. But after two terms, Bouchard announced he won’t run for reelection, and is endorsing Cheyenne resident Darin Smith for his seat.
“I never thought of elected office as a lifetime position,” Bouchard said in a Wednesday afternoon press release. “I’m proud of winning four hotly contested races in District 6. And I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished for my district and for the state. But now it’s time for someone new.”
Bouchard is stepping aside after recently reaching a personal watermark, having passed his first bill into law during the 2024 legislative session. This bill prohibits medical practitioners from providing any transgender care to minors in Wyoming.
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He also was a firm Second Amendment advocate, fought COVID-19 restrictions and blocked Medicaid expansion efforts.
Bouchard was stripped of his interim committee positions in 2023 for his behavior.
He said Smith will continue his conservative voting legacy, if elected. Bouchard believes that Wyoming is at a political crossroads and may turn into Colorado if left unchecked.
“Now, more than ever, we need legislators who will fight for our conservative principles,” Bouchard said. “As I retire from the Senate, I believe Darin Smith will be that fighter.”
Darin Smith (Darin Smith For Senate District 6 via Facebook)
Who’s Smith?
Smith is an eastern Laramie County resident who has past campaign experience.
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He finished fourth in the 2016 Republican U.S. House primary that was won by former congresswoman Liz Cheney and ran a short-lived campaign for the same seat in 2020. He also worked on the 2018 campaign of Republican gubernatorial candidate Foster Friess and is a past chairman of the Laramie County Republican Party. His wife Alicia Smith is a member of the Laramie County School District No.1 board.
In a Tuesday press release, Smith wasted no time stepping in where Bouchard left off, offering a similar viewpoint that there are illegitimate Republicans in the state Legislature. Although Wyoming has the most Republican-dominated legislature in the country, Smith said there’s an ongoing joke in conservative circles that Wyoming is the reddest state with the bluest legislature.
“For the last 20 years Wyoming has been in an economic purgatory when we should be the leader in of industry in the region,” Smith said. “At the same time, we have allowed liberal forces to chip away at our families and our Wyoming values. The Wyoming Legislature is packed with liberal politicians masquerading as Republicas.”
After selling a successful investment firm in 2005, Smith was an executive with conservative nonprofits like the Family Research Council and Christian Broadcast Network.
The Race
With Smith’s entry into the race, there are now six Republicans running for SD 6, by far the most crowded primary race in the state so far. These candidates are Laramie County GOP Chair Taft Love, Cheyenne resident Kim Withers, Wheatland residents Eric Johnston and Gary Bjorklund, and Pine Bluffs resident Marc Torriani.
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SD 6 makes up eastern Laramie County and all of Platte County.
Bouchard was first elected in 2016, beating current state Rep. Dave Zwonitzer by five votes in the Republican primary that year.
Leo Wolfson can be reached at leo@cowboystatedaily.com.
CASPER, Wyo. — The Casper City Council voted Tuesday to approve on first reading a zoning change for a vacant 2.4-acre parcel located at 1530 SE Wyoming Boulevard, transitioning the property from residential to commercial use.
The ordinance reclassifies Lot 4 of the Methodist Church Addition from Residential Estate to General Business. Located between East 15th and East 18th streets, the irregular-shaped property has remained undeveloped since it was first platted in 1984.
While original plans for the subdivision envisioned a church and an associated preschool, Community Development Director Liz Becher reported those projects never materialized.
According to Becher, the applicant sought the rezoning to facilitate the potential installation of a cell tower or an off-premises sign. Under the new C-2 designation, a cell tower up to 130 feet in height is considered a permitted use by right, though any off-premises sign would still require a conditional use permit from the Planning and Zoning Commission. The applicant also owns the adjacent lot to the north, which the city rezoned to general business in 2021.
Becher said the change aligns with the “Employment Mixed Use” classification in the Generation Casper comprehensive land use plan. This designation typically supports civic, institutional and employment spaces.
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Despite the new zoning, the property remains subject to a subdivision agreement that limits traffic access. Entry and exit are restricted to right turns onto or from East 15th Street, and no access is permitted from East 18th Street.
The council will vote on two more readings of the ordinance before it is officially ratified.
SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Two men were detained in Wyoming in connection with a fatal shooting at a downtown Salt Lake hotel that killed one man.
Carlos Chee, 23, and Chino Aguilar, 21, were both wanted for first-degree felony murder after the victim, identified as Christian Lee, 32, was found dead in a room at the Springhill Suites near 600 South and 300 West.
According to warrants issued for their arrest, Chee and Aguilar met with Lee and another woman at the hotel to sell marijuana. During the alleged drug deal, Aguilar allegedly shot and killed Lee after he tried to grab at his gun.
MORE | Shootings
Investigators said they found Lee dead in the room upon arrival, as well as a single shell casing on the floor and a small amount of marijuana on the television stand.
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The woman told investigators she had met Chee on a dating app and that he agreed to come to the hotel to sell her marijuana. She had been hanging out with him in the room, which Lee rented for her to use, when Lee asked them to leave. Lee was then shot and killed following a brief confrontation.
Chee and Aguilar allegedly fled the scene in a 2013 Toyota Camry with a Texas license plate that was later found outside of Rock Springs, Wyoming just a few hours later.
The two men were taken into custody and detained at the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office.
ROCK SPRINGS, Wyoming (KUTV) — A man was hospitalized with critical injuries after he was reportedly shot by a deputy responding to reports of a disturbance.
Deputies with the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office and officers with the Rock Springs Police Department responded to the Sweetwater Heights apartment complex in the 2100 block of Century Boulevard just after 4 a.m. on Monday to investigate reports of a disturbance involving an armed individual.
Information that dispatch received indicated that the individual had shot himself. When officials arrived, they found the individual on the balcony of an upstairs apartment “who appeared to have a gunshot wound consistent with the initial report,” a press release states.
MORE | Officer-Involved Shooting
During the encounter, a deputy discharged their weapon and struck the individual.
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Emergency medical personnel rendered aid, and the individual was transported to an area hospital in critical condition.
No law enforcement officers or members of the public were injured during the incident.
The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation will conduct an independent investigation.
The deputy who fired their weapon was placed on administrative leave per standard protocol.
