Wyoming Democratic Congressional Candidate Richard Grayson Quits Race in Cowboy State, Will Now Run as Lone Democrat in Idaho's Second Congressional District

The Casper Star-Tribune's Laura Hancock has an article today, February 4, 2016, discussing the entrant of a Wyoming resident into the race for the state's congressional seat and the promised withdrawal of the candidacy of Brooklyn resident Richard Grayson, who is now running for the Democratic nomination in Idaho's Second Congressional District:

A Rock Springs man who works in the energy industry has entered the race for U.S. House – the first Democrat who lives in Wyoming to seek the office.

Ryan Greene, 33, is a political newcomer who describes himself as a news buff, political junkie and voter.

The other Democrat in the race for Wyoming’s lone House seat has quit his campaign. Richard Grayson, 64, lives outside the state. He had been running to motivate Wyoming Democrats to step up. . .

Greene’s entry into the race marks the exit of Richard Grayson, a Democrat who splits his time between Brooklyn, New York, and the Phoenix area. He promised that once a Democrat from Wyoming entered the race, he’d drop out. He’s living up to that campaign promise.

“Yes, I said I'd drop out once there was another Democratic candidate, and I'm keeping my word,” he said. Grayson is now running for U.S. House in Idaho’s second Congressional district, which runs along Wyoming’ western border. Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson has no Democratic challenger in that race.

“Once someone files in (the second district) as a Democrat, I quit there, and I'll go to (the first district) 1 or another state where there's no Democrat running for Congress and file there... all the way to Louisiana's deadline in July -- unless the Long Island Psychic can assure me Democrats will be running everywhere,” he said in an email, referring to psychic Theresa Caputo's upcoming visit to Casper.

Richard Grayson for Congress from Wyoming Releases First Campaign Video

Four Articles on Democrat Richard Grayson's Wyoming Congressional Campaign Appear Today from Wyoming Tribune Eagle, Business Insider, The Wire and Reuters

Articles on our campaign to become the Democratic candidate in Wyoming's At-Large Congressional District appeared today from four sources: The Wyoming Tribune,

which mistakenly called us "pro-life" when we're strong supporters of abortion rights; Business Insider,

which discovered that the political action committee (PAC) we filed with the Federal Election Commission was called PPLZ 4 GRAYSON CREW; the website The Wire,

which mentioned our run for President thirty years ago; and Reuters,

which probably was the most balanced and sober treatment, if such a thing is possible given the subject matter of our being the Democratic nominee in a statewide race.

Associated Press Story on Richard Grayson Running Unopposed in Wyoming's 2014 Democratic Primary for Congress

This evening, the Associated Press released a story on our candidacy for Congress from Wyoming.  It is on the websites of The San Francisco Chronicle and other newspapers:

Ariz. man only Dem. contender in Wyo. House race

By BEN NEARY, Associated Press

Published 6:11 pm, Friday, May 30, 2014

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Wyoming Republican Rep. Cynthia Lummis drew just one Democratic opponent by Friday's registration deadline: an Arizona man who says he entered the race with no hope of winning but only to spur Wyoming Democrats to field a candidate of their own.

Richard Grayson of Apache Junction, Arizona, said Friday he's run for Congress several times before in other states. He said he's a writer who has worked as a college professor and lawyer and now divides his time between Arizona and Brooklyn.

As the clock wound down on Friday afternoon with no other Democratic candidates coming forward, Grayson expressed surprise he could have the party's congressional nomination to himself for no more effort than sending in his candidacy papers.

"I'm not going to get elected obviously," Grayson said. "Otherwise somebody from Wyoming would have run. I assume somebody else will file."

Robin Van Ausdall, director of the Wyoming Democratic Party, said Friday the situation shows it's tough for the minority party to recruit viable candidates. "I am not thrilled with it, but I also am not willing to twist somebody's arm," she said.

Grayson said he briefly lived in Wyoming in 1998, when he went to a writer's workshop in Ucross. He said he's gay, not married and has no children. Asked if he intended to campaign in Wyoming if he were the only Democrat on the ballot, he said, "I guess so, yeah."

But Grayson, who turns 63 next week, noted Wyoming is large, with the smallest population of any state, and said it would be a tough state to campaign in.

Van Ausdall said the Wyoming Democratic Party would have liked to field a strong contender in the House race, but didn't turn up the right candidate. "It's a big thing to ask of somebody to quit a job, and ask every single person they know for money and raise several million dollars for a long-shot chance," she said.

A Democrat hasn't held statewide office in Wyoming since Gov. Freudenthal ended his second term nearly four years ago. Registered Republicans outnumber Democrats statewide better than three-to-one.

"Either we run somebody who spends two years or more, raises millions and runs a perfect campaign, or we run somebody for the sake of running them," Van Ausdall said. "It's either-or; those are the options. There's no middle ground."

Lummis,one of the richest members of Congress, last month announced she's seeking re-election to a fourth term to the state's lone seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. She faces a primary challenge from Jason Senteney, a state corrections officer from Yoder.