Here’s where I stand.
These are some of the issues that matter to me. Are there are others more concerning to you?
Let me know: mike@mikeselmer.com
Reproductive Freedom
We must act to protect the rights of women. That includes assuring that every woman has access to the full range of reproductive choices. I will always resist those who would deprive a woman of her basic human rights.
Freedom to live our lives without undue government interference is a Wyoming value. It is dishonest and hypocritical to deprive women of their rights and freedoms. Extreme measures to restrict these rights harm Wyoming’s economy and every Wyomingites’ access to healthcare. In the legislature, I will stand with those who have been fighting these efforts.
Public Lands
The far horizon has always drawn my eye. I fell in love with Wyoming’s wide vistas long ago. To keep them, state and federal lands must be managed efficiently and effectively for the benefit of every citizen, not walled off for the enjoyment of a privileged few. They are ours and must be kept in public hands. Access to these public lands is basic to our ability to enjoy them. On the corner crossing issue, I stand with hunters and all who want access to those hard-to-reach public lands.
Education
Vibrant and fully-funded public schools are a vital part of a healthy democracy and key to the success of every community. As Senator, I will work to assure that every school has the resources to provide our children a top-flight and well-rounded education. We must trust and respect teachers. They are dedicated professionals who work hard to provide the best possible learning experience for every child. Teachers should not be in the crosshairs of agenda-pushing extremists.
Healthcare
As a cancer survivor, I know first hand the bright side, and the dark side, of our chaotic healthcare system. For a decade now, the Legislature has refused Medicaid expansion at significant cost to Wyoming hospitals and Wyoming’s economy, but most importantly, at great cost to the health of our people. Lack of access to health care is a problem for many. When elected, I will seek solutions, such as mobile health clinics and tele-health options.
Economic Resilience
The handwriting on the wall has become a testament to the Wyoming legislature’s failure to be honest about our economy and its dependency on fossil fuels. We must provide our hard-working energy sector workers a secure future. It is time to stop using “economic diversity” as election year fodder and take serious steps to make Wyoming’s economy resilient. Many segments of our economy are seedlings in need of nurturing to blossom and flourish. Reducing regulations that stand in the way of this is important. My life in small business will bring a valuable perspective to this effort.
Community Resilience
Our Wyoming communities are full of hardworking people who like honesty and straight talk. Here’s the truth, Laramie summers between 1948 and 1999 averaged 24 days above 80 degrees. Since 2020, we’ve averaged 56. The climate crisis is real, getting worse, and we must begin making our communities resilient. A healthy community will best withstand the challenges ahead. Increasing local food production is a crucial first step. Protecting our water is another. We need increased efforts to resolve our housing problems. The state should aid these efforts, not hinder.
Accessible Voting
Voting is our constitutional right. We must keep voting secure, safe from intimidation, and accessible to every eligible citizen. Half of Wyoming voters age 45+ prefer to vote in ways other than at their polling place on election day. Reducing the number of early voting days, ending vote by mail, and eliminating ballot drop boxes are among the options that have been targeted by Republicans in government or in the legislature. As Senator, I will always strive to protect our voting rights.
Private Property Rights
I was 22 and my wife was 21 when we bought our first home. We’ve owned property in four states, in jurisdictions widely different in the amount of restrictions placed upon our rights to do what we wanted with our private property. Although it was our own hard work that made owning property possible, we never felt burdened by regulations that were for the good of our neighbors and the community. Preventing government overreach is important. Assuring that our community can act to keep us safe and healthy is important too.
Wyoming’s agriculture
Our ranchers and farmers are crucial to the future health and resilience of every Wyoming community. Their hard work must be recognized and supported. I was a founding board member of the Wyoming Food Coalition, whose mission has been to strengthen Wyoming’s food systems and ensure that our producers thrive. That will also be my mission as Senator for District 10. I will listen to and support our farmers and ranchers. They want Wyoming consumers to have increased access to fresh, nutritious, Wyoming-produced foods and I want to help make that happen.