Joseph Ronald "Ron" Micheli | |
---|---|
Wyoming State Representative from Uinta County | |
In office January 1, 1977 –December 31, 1992 | |
Director,Wyoming Department of Agriculture | |
In office 1995–2003 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Uinta County,Wyoming | May 30,1948
Political party | Republican |
Spouse | Patricia J. "Patty" Smith Micheli |
Children | 8 children |
Residence(s) | Fort Bridger,Wyoming |
Alma mater | University of Wyoming |
Profession | Rancher |
Joseph Ronald Micheli, known as Ron Micheli (born May 30,1948),is a former director of the Wyoming Department of Agriculture who also served from 1977 to 1992 in the Wyoming House of Representatives. He ran a strong third-place finish as a candidate for the Republican gubernatorial nomination in 2010. His primary opponents were former U.S. Attorney Matt Mead,who won the nomination and later the general election,state auditor Rita Meyer,who placed second less than a percentage point behind Mead,and Speaker of the Wyoming House Colin M. Simpson of Cody,who finished in fourth place.
Ron Micheli was born in Fort Bridger in Uinta County in the southwestern corner of Wyoming to Joseph G. Micheli (born 1927) and Rebecca T. Micheli (born 1925). In 1966,he graduated from Mountain View High School. In 1970,he received a Bachelor of Science degree in animal science from the University of Wyoming at Laramie. He was voted the "Outstanding Animal Science Student" by the agriculture honorary fraternity Alpha Zeta. [1] Micheli has also been recognized as an "Outstanding Alumnus" of the University of Wyoming College of Agriculture.
On June 13,1969,Micheli,a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,married the former Patricia J. "Patty" Smith (born 1949),a 1967 graduate of Hot Springs County High School in Thermopolis and a 1971 graduate of the University of Wyoming. The couple has eight children,all of whom have attended the University of Wyoming. As of 2010,five of the Micheli offspring had received their UW degrees.
Micheli is a fourth generation rancher in Fort Bridger,where he runs and operates a ranch in partnership with his brother,Dale Dee Micheli (born 1954). [2] The ranch maintains a purebred Hereford and Angus cattle operation with an annual bull sale each year in October. Ron Micheli is a former Regional Vice President of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association and has received the "Guardian of the Grassland Award," the highest honor of the association. In 1991,Gamma Sigma Delta named Micheli as Wyoming's "Outstanding Agriculturalist." [3] In 1997,Wyoming Livestock Roundup named Micheli the "Outstanding Agriculture Citizen for the State of Wyoming". [3] The Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts awarded Micheli their Presidential Award,the highest honor given by that organization. Micheli received the "Compadre Award" from the interest group,the Wyoming Wool Growers Association,which recognizes achievement on behalf of the state's sheep industry.
In 2007,after the death of U.S. Senator Craig L. Thomas,the Wyoming Republican Party held a special election to choose three candidates to submit to the Wyoming Governor so the Governor could choose Senator Thomas's replacement. Micheli participated in the special election process and advanced to the final round of five candidates. [4] Ultimately,Democratic Governor Dave Freudenthal tapped John Barrasso,a Casper physician,for the appointment.
Before running for the United States Senate,Micheli served in the Wyoming House of Representatives. [5] During his time in the House,Micheli held various leadership positions including Majority Whip,Majority Floor Leader,and Speaker Pro Tem. [6] Micheli served as the chairman of the House Revenue Committee for six years where he was recognized as the tax authority in the House. [7] Micheli drafted and carried major revisions to the Wyoming Tax Code including legislation to ensure that agriculture lands were taxed according to their productive value. [8] Micheli also drafted and successfully shepherded a constitutional amendment to clarify property taxation under Wyoming law. [9]
On social issues,Micheli supported legislation to require parental consent before a minor could procure an abortion, [10] and he sponsored and successfully enacted legislation to prevent the use of public funds for abortions except in the case of rape,incest or danger to the life of the mother. [11] Micheli also sponsored and carried the Victims Bill of Rights,sweeping legislation to protect victims of crimes. [12]
During his time in the Wyoming House,the media covering the legislature named Micheli as the most outstanding legislator. [13]
Micheli also served on the House Agriculture Committee,House Health and Human Services Committee,Mines and Minerals Committee,among others.
Micheli has served as a Republican precinct committeeman for twenty-two years and on the Wyoming Republican State Central Committee for twelve years,including a stint as treasurer. Micheli served as the chairman of the Wyoming State Republican Convention in 1994 and twice headed the Platform committee,most recently in 2008. In 2012,Micheli served as an Elector for Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan. [14]
Micheli served as the Director of the Wyoming Department of Agriculture from 1995 to 2003. [15] During his time as the director of this state agency,Micheli served on several national boards including serving as President of the Western Association of State Departments of Agriculture (WASDA) where Micheli presided over an organization which included twelve western state departments of agriculture. [16] As president of WASDA,Micheli helped to develop joint policy and positions with all twelve state agricultural departments to address concerns of the coalition.
During his time as Director of Agriculture,Micheli worked extensively with various environmental and regulatory issues. [17] Micheli also served as the chairman of the National Task Force on Clean Water Act Compliance. [18] In this position,Micheli led a national task force to reduce the impact of implementing Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) standards under the Clean Water Act. [19] This task force worked with state and federal agencies to reach a compromise agreement on standards and enforcement that would protect waters and protect private industry and agriculture. Micheli represented Wyoming in the Western States Governors Association initiative to overhaul the Endangered Species Act. As the Wyoming representative on this task force,Micheli worked closely with members of Congress to craft legislation to amend the Endangered Species Act. As the co-chair of the Wyoming Animal Damage Management Board,Micheli represented Wyoming in congressional hearings related to predator control. Micheli also represented Wyoming before federal agencies on issues related to the implementation of the Endangered Species Act,the authorization of the Farm Bill,and public land use issues.
Micheli also led several state interagency tasks force to address issues facing Wyoming. Micheli served as the chair of the Wyoming Interagency Brucellosis management team,having led an interagency task force to address brucellosis infection in bison and elk in the Greater Yellowstone National Park area that had caused several states to place an embargo on Wyoming cattle. [20] This task force successfully worked to end the embargo and allow the exportation of Wyoming cattle to every state. Micheli also served as the co-chair of the Governor's Drought Task Force. [21]
Michael Bradley Enzi was an American politician who served in the United States Senate from Wyoming as a member of the Republican Party from 1997 to 2021. Prior to his tenure in the United States Senate he served as mayor of Gillette,Wyoming,in the Wyoming House of Representatives from Campbell County,and the Wyoming Senate from the 24th district. He was the longest-serving senator from Wyoming since Francis E. Warren.
Craig Lyle Thomas was an American politician who served as United States Senator from Wyoming from 1995 until his death in 2007. He was a member of the Republican Party. In the Senate,Thomas was considered an expert on agriculture and rural development. He had served in key positions in several state agencies,including a long tenure as Vice President of the Wyoming Farm Bureau from 1965 to 1974. Thomas resided in Casper for twenty-eight years. In 1984,he was elected from Casper to the Wyoming House of Representatives,in which he served until 1989.
Barbara Lynn Cubin is an American politician who was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives,Wyoming's sole member of that body. She was the first woman elected to Congress from Wyoming.
Michael John Sullivan is an American lawyer and politician who served as the 29th Governor of Wyoming from 1987 to 1995,and United States Ambassador to Ireland from 1998 to 2001,as a member of the Democratic Party. Prior to his gubernatorial tenure he was active in local politics in Natrona County,Wyoming.
Edgar Jacob Herschler was an American politician and attorney who served as the 28th governor of Wyoming from 1975 to 1987. A member of the Democratic Party,he is the longest-serving governor of Wyoming,with three full terms;since a two-term limit for governors was approved by a ballot initiative in 1992,he has remained as such.
Joseph Maull Carey was an American lawyer,rancher,judge,and politician,who was active in Wyoming local,state,and federal politics.
Cynthia Marie Lummis Wiederspahn is an American attorney and politician serving as the junior United States senator from Wyoming since 2021. A member of the Republican Party,Lummis served as the U.S representative for Wyoming's at-large congressional district from 2009 to 2017. She served in the Wyoming House of Representatives from 1979 to 1983 and from 1985 to 1993,in the Wyoming Senate from 1993 to 1995,and as the Wyoming State Treasurer from 1999 to 2007.
Eli Daniel Bebout is an American athlete and politician who served in the Wyoming House of Representatives from a multi-member district in Fremont County and the 55th district from 1987 to 2001,and later served in the Wyoming Senate from the 26th district 2007 to 2021,as a member of the Democratic and Republican parties. He was the first person to serve as both Speaker of the Wyoming House of Representatives and President of the Wyoming Senate
Colin Mackenzie Simpson is an American lawyer and Republican politician who served in the Wyoming House of Representatives from District 24 from 1999 to 2011. He was the House Speaker during his last two years in office. He finished fourth in the Republican primary for the 2010 gubernatorial election. After leaving the legislature in early 2011,Simpson resumed his law practice in Cody.
Matthew Hansen Mead is a Wyoming attorney,businessman,and politician who served as the 32nd governor of Wyoming from 2011 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party,he previously was the United States Attorney for the District of Wyoming from 2001 to 2007.
Cale Case is an American economist,businessman,and politician from Wyoming. A Republican,Case has been a member of the Wyoming State Senate since 1999. From 1994 to 1998,he was a member of the Wyoming House of Representatives.
The 2010 Wyoming gubernatorial election was held on Tuesday,November 2,2010 to elect the governor of Wyoming. Party primaries were held on August 17.
William Henry Harrison III was an American politician who served in the United States House of Representatives and in the state legislatures of Indiana and Wyoming.
The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) founded in 1973,is a Wyoming state agency to protect,conserve and enhance the environment of Wyoming "through a combination of monitoring,permitting,inspection,enforcement and restoration/remediation activities". It consists of 6 divisions and since 1992,the Environmental Quality Council (EQC),a separate operating agency of 7 governor-appointed members.
The 1990 Wyoming gubernatorial election took place on November 6,1990. Incumbent Democratic Governor Mike Sullivan ran for re-election. In the general election,he faced Republican nominee Mary Mead,a businesswoman and the daughter of former U.S. Senator and Governor Clifford Hansen. Owing to Sullivan's personal popularity,he won re-election over Mead in a landslide,marking the fifth straight Democratic victory in Wyoming's gubernatorial races,a streak that has yet to be broken by either party.
Michael Yin is an American politician,software engineer,and businessman. A Democrat,he has represented District 16 of the Wyoming House of Representatives since 2018. Yin is Wyoming's first Chinese-American legislator.
Marshall A. Burt is an American politician who served in the Wyoming House of Representatives. A member of the Republican Party,Burt previously was a Libertarian while he represented the 39th district from 2021 to 2023. Burt was the first third-party candidate elected to the Wyoming Legislature in over 100 years.
A general election was held in the U.S. state of Wyoming on Tuesday,November 7,2006. All of the state's executive officers—the Governor,Secretary of State,Auditor,Treasurer,and Superintendent of Public Instruction—were up for election.
Mark O. Harris is a Democratic politician from the state of Wyoming who served in the Wyoming Legislature from 1989 to 2002. From 1989 to 1993,Harris represented Sweetwater County in the State House,and from 1993 until his resignation in 2002,he represented the 14th District in the State Senate. Harris was the 2002 Democratic nominee for State Auditor,losing to Republican incumbent Max Maxfield.
A general election was held in the U.S. state of Wyoming on Tuesday,November 5,1918. All of the state's executive officers—the Governor,Secretary of State,Auditor,Treasurer,and Superintendent of Public Instruction—were up for election. Republicans won all statewide offices by wide margins,and with Robert D. Carey's defeat of Frank L. Houx,picked up the governorship following two consecutive losses to Democrats.