Gary Trauner
{{short description|American politician and businessman}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Gary Trauner
| image = Gary Trauner at Campbell County League of Women Voters' General Election Candidates' Forum in Gillette, Wyoming (1).jpg
| caption = Trauner in 2018
| office = Chair of the Teton County School District Number 1 Board of Trustees
| term = 2006 – 2008
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1958|12|15}}
| birth_place = Scarsdale, New York, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = Democratic
| spouse = Terry Trauner
| education = Colgate University {{small|(BA)}}
New York University {{small|(MBA)}}
| website =
}}
Gary S. Trauner (born December 15, 1958) is an American businessman and politician from Wyoming. He was nominated by the Democratic Party in the state's United States House of Representatives elections in 2006 and 2008, as well as in its 2018 U.S. Senate election. He previously chaired the Teton County School District Number 1 Board of Trustees (2006–2008).
Background
Trauner was born and raised in Scarsdale, New York and was raised in a Reform Jewish family.{{Cite news|url=https://forward.com/campaign-confidential/7433/cubins-new-york-ad-raises-jewish-eyebrows/|title=Cubin's "New York" Ad Raises Jewish Eyebrows|date=2006-11-06|work=Forward Magazine|access-date=2018-02-09|language=en-US}} He received a bachelor's degree from Colgate University in Hamilton, New York, and an MBA from the Stern School of Business at New York University in New York City. He first visited Wyoming when he was 13 and permanently moved to the state in 1990.{{Cite news|url=https://buckrail.com/gary-trauner-announces-hell-challenge-barrasso-senate-seat/|title=Gary Trauner announces he'll challenge Barrasso for Senate seat|date=2017-12-08|work=Buckrail|access-date=2018-02-09|language=en-US}} He co-founded and served as Chief Financial Officer of OneWest.net, a regional internet service provider, and later served as the Chief Operating Officer for St. John’s Medical Center in Jackson and as Executive Director of Jackson Hole Lacrosse.{{Cite news|url=http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/news/legislature/trauner-announces-senate-bid/article_da175a2c-2735-556b-b085-bb7885a687b7.html|title=Trauner announces Senate bid|date=2017-12-09|work=Jackson Hole Daily|access-date=2018-02-09|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.gillettenewsrecord.com/news/wyoming/article_229d4053-af3a-573d-a77a-8221c7e868d2.html|title=Trauner vows to put people before party|date=2017-12-13|work=Gillette News Record|access-date=2018-02-09|language=en-US}} He previously served as Vice President of the Teton Trust money management company and founded a dog food company. His dog food company, Mulligan Stew Pet Food, received an honorable mention from Fortune Small Business's business plan competition in 2007.{{Cite news|url=https://money.cnn.com/galleries/2008/smallbusiness/0810/gallery.entrepreneurs_for_congress.smb/3.html|title=Elect an entrepreneur- Gary Trauner|date=2008|work=CNN|access-date=2018-02-09|language=en-US}}
Trauner lives in Wilson, Wyoming with his wife Terry, who is Catholic. He is the father of two sons.{{Cite news|url=https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/gary-trauner-of-wilson-announces-senate-run-in/article_ce19727c-dcae-11e7-adc2-df878256222a.html|title=Gary Trauner of Wilson announces Senate run in 2018|date=2017-12-09|work=Wyoming News|access-date=2018-02-09|language=en-US}}
Politics
= Teton County politics =
Trauner served on the Teton County School District Number 1 Board of Trustees from 2002 to 2006, eventually rising to Chair of the Board.{{Cite news|url=http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/wyoming/trauner-moves-past-get-to-know-you-stage/article_6f4c5e0f-fa3e-5740-987c-a9ff5093fe4b.html|title=Trauner moves past get-to-know-you stage|date=2008-10-20|work=Billings Gazette|access-date=2018-02-10|language=en-US}} Trauner was credited with replacing the district's unpopular Superintendent with Pam Shea under whose leadership saw student test scores rise and teacher salaries go up.{{Cite news|url=http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/valley/people/closeup/trauner-s-career-turns-to-lacrosse/article_530cd5af-02ac-5523-b650-1e39d58b0249.html|title=Trauner's career turns to lacrosse|date=2015-12-02|work=Billings Gazette|access-date=2018-02-10|language=en-US}} Trauner was the Chair of the Aspens Pines Water and Sewer District and his term ended in November 2018.{{Cite news|url=http://communities.pitchengine.com/113657565446930432|title=Gary Trauner named first executive director of JH Lacrosse Club|work=Buckrail|access-date=2018-02-10|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.tetonwyo.org/DocumentCenter/Home/View/3976|title=Proposed Budget- Aspens Pines Water and Sewer District|date=2017-07-11|work=Teton County government|access-date=2018-02-10|language=en-US}} In 2017, Aspens Pines Water and Sewer District won the Gold Award from the 18th Annual Great American Water Taste Test for best-tasting water in the nation.{{Cite news|url=http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/news/town_county/aspens-water-district-wins-best-water-contest/article_464efaae-789b-53a2-b327-613d9290b00a.html|title=Aspens water district wins best water contest|date=2017-02-21|work=Jackson Hole Daily|access-date=2018-02-10|language=en-US}} In 2013, Trauner received the Silver Award for Best Politician That Does Not Hold an Office in Planet Jackson Hole Newspaper's annual awards as voted by the local community.{{Cite news|url=http://planetjh.com/2013/03/06/best-of-jh-2013-readers-poll/|title=Best of JH 2013 Readers' Poll|date=2013-03-06|work=Planet Jackson Hole|access-date=2018-02-10|language=en-US}} Additionally, Trauner also serves as Chair of the Charture Institute, a Jackson-based conservation think-tank founded in 2002.{{Cite news|url=https://missionandvision.org/nonprofit/030384966/charture-institute/overview|title=Charture Institute|date=2015|work=Mission&Vision|access-date=2018-02-10|language=en-US}} He is the former Vice Chair of the Teton County Pathways Task Force, a nine-member citizen advisory committee appointed by the Town and County, and is a member of the Jackson Hole Land Trust.{{Cite news|url=http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/wyoming/democrat-mulls-bid-for-u-s-house/article_a736b5c0-2da8-53e0-a8f7-cb4854fb0d30.html|title=Democrat mulls bid for U.S. House|date=2015-10-18|work=Billings Gazette|access-date=2018-02-10|language=en-US}}
=House elections=
File:Gary Trauner (100222328).jpg gathering]]
Trauner ran as the Democratic nominee in the 2006 United States House of Representatives election in Wyoming, and raised nearly as much money in the first quarter of 2006 as the incumbent Representative Barbara Cubin.{{Citation |author=Marie Horrigan |publication-date=2006-04-22 |title=WY At-Large: Well-Funded Trauner Poses Threat to Cubin |publisher=Congressional Quarterly |work=CQPolitics.com |url=http://www.cqpolitics.com/2006/04/wy_atlarge_wellfunded_trauner.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060831023359/http://www.cqpolitics.com/2006/04/wy_atlarge_wellfunded_trauner.html |archive-date=2006-08-31 }} In the second quarter he raised more money than Cubin and had more cash on hand at the time.{{Cite web |url=http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2006/07/16/news/wyoming/7ad96712ffa7ed8c872571ac00005f73.txt |first=Jared |last=Miller |title=Trauner fundraising outpaces Cubin |date=2006-06-15 |work=Casper Star-Tribune}} By May 2006, a poll had put Trauner within the margin of error.{{Citation |publication-date=2006-05-08 |title=Wyoming House Seat in Play |publisher=Rasmussen Reports |work=Election 2006 |url=http://rasmussenreports.com/2006/State%20Polls/April%202006/Wyoming%20April.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060518051932/http://www.rasmussenreports.com/2006/State%20Polls/April%202006/Wyoming%20April.htm |archive-date=2006-05-18 }} In mid-August, Congressional Quarterly changed their rating of this race from "Republican Favored" to the more competitive "Leans Republican".{{Citation
|author=Bob Benenson |publication-date=2006-08-10 |title=Big Batch of Rating Changes Reflects Stronger Democratic Breeze |work=CQPolitics.com |publisher=Congressional Quarterly |url=http://www.cqpolitics.com//2006/08/big_batch_of_rating_changes_re.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060813081104/http://www.cqpolitics.com/2006/08/big_batch_of_rating_changes_re.html |archive-date=2006-08-13 }} Trauner narrowly lost 47.8% to Barbara Cubin's 48.3%. Trauner ran for the seat again during the 2008 United States House of Representatives election in Wyoming and was endorsed by Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal.{{cite web | url=http://www.jacksonholestartrib.com/articles/2008/10/25/news/wyoming/88712246221b051f872574ea00828b2a.txt | title=Gov lauds Trauner, jabs Lummis | last=Barron | first=Joan | date=2008-10-25 | work=Jackson Hole Star Tribune}} He lost in 2008 with 43% of the vote to Cynthia Lummis' 53%.
=2018 U.S. Senate election=
{{main|2018 United States Senate election in Wyoming}}
Trauner won the Democratic primary unopposed to run against incumbent United States Senator John Barrasso in the 2018 election.{{cite web |title=Gary Trauner |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Gary_Trauner |website=Ballotpedia |accessdate=16 July 2018}}
His goals included "getting big money out of politics,"{{cite news |title=Democrat Gary Trauner Announces Bid for Wyoming US Senate |url=https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/wyoming/articles/2017-12-08/democrat-gary-trauner-announces-bid-for-wyoming-us-senate |accessdate=16 July 2018 |work=U.S. News & World Report |date=8 December 2018}} and had pledged not to accept corporate campaign funding from any political action committee.{{cite news |last1=Taylor |first1=Zac |title=ELECTION: Trainer running for U.S. Senate seat |url=http://wyomingpublicmedia.org/post/us-senate-candidate-gary-trauner-hopes-fix-washington#stream/0 |accessdate=16 July 2018 |work=Cody Enterprise |date=4 June 2018}} For this reason he was endorsed by End Citizens United.{{cite news |title=END CITIZENS UNITED ENDORSES GARY TRAUNER FOR U.S. SENATE IN WYOMING |url=http://endcitizensunited.org/press-releases/end-citizens-united-endorses-gary-trauner-u-s-senate-wyoming/ |accessdate=16 July 2018 |work=End Citizens United |date=1 March 2018}} He also criticized Senator Barrasso for his vote to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to "take health care away from 20 million people."{{cite news |last1=Rosenfeld |first1=Arno |title=Democrat Gary Trauner almost won Wyoming's House seat 10 years ago. Can he beat Barrasso? |url=https://trib.com/news/state-and-regional/democrat-gary-trauner-almost-won-wyoming-s-house-seat-years/article_c2be2d3e-a5c9-53d8-953e-b73ec137b858.html |accessdate=16 July 2018 |work=Casper Star Tribune |date=14 December 2017}} He considers "opportunity and inequality" to be the biggest issues facing the nation,{{cite news |last1=Victor |first1=Jeff |title=Democratic candidate for Senate: 'Opportunity and inequality' biggest issues facing nation |url=http://www.laramieboomerang.com/news/local_news/democratic-candidate-for-senate-opportunity-and-inequality-biggest-issues-facing/article_db34a7f4-185b-11e8-8d6e-87b5b6894371.html |accessdate=16 July 2018 |work=Laramie Boomerang |date=23 February 2018}} and has advocated for the diversification of Wyoming's economy.{{cite news |last1=Davis |first1=Theresa |title=Senate candidate Gary Trauner visits Kemmerer |url=https://kemmerergazette.com/article/senate-candidate-gary-trauner-visits-kemmerer |accessdate=16 July 2018 |work=Kemmemer Gazette |date=16 June 2018}}
In the November election, he lost in a landslide of approximately 37%.{{Cite web |date=2018-11-07 |title=Wyoming Senate Election Results 2018: Live Midterm Map by County & Analysis |url=https://www.politico.com/election-results/2018/wyoming/senate/ |access-date=2025-03-28 |website=www.politico.com |language=en}}
References
{{Reflist|2}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20181119070506/https://traunerforwy.com/ Gary Trauner for Senate] official campaign website
- {{Conglinks|votesmart=67458|fec=S8WY00189}}
- [https://www.fec.gov/data/candidate/H6WY01025/ Financial information (U.S. House in 2006, 2008)] at the Federal Election Commission
- {{C-SPAN|1021904}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-ppo}}
{{s-bef|before=Tim Chesnut}}
{{s-ttl|title=Democratic nominee for U.S. Senator from Wyoming
(Class 1)|years=2018}}
{{s-aft|after=Scott Morrow}}
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Trauner, Gary}}
Category:American businesspeople
Category:Colgate University alumni
Category:Jewish American people in Wyoming politics
Category:Politicians from Scarsdale, New York
Category:Businesspeople from Scarsdale, New York
Category:Scarsdale High School alumni
Category:School board members in Wyoming
Category:New York University Stern School of Business alumni
Category:People from Wilson, Wyoming
Category:Candidates in the 2018 United States Senate elections