Man runs for Wyoming Legislature for eighth time

CHEYENNE (WNE)  — Bill Winney is running for a seat in the Wyoming Legislature for an eighth time after seeking elected office unsuccessfully in every Wyoming election since 2010. After falling short in his bid for Senate District 14 in 2024, Winney is once again running for House District 20 after most recently coming in third during the Republican primaries in this district in 2022.

Despite his losing record, Winney, a Bondurant resident and U.S. Navy veteran, remains steadfast in his belief that his unique background provides him with the tools necessary to address Wyoming’s most pressing fiscal and social challenges.

“I look at my background, I look at my speaking ability to get up and speak in front of people and I say, ‘I’ve got something to offer. I’ve got a background of experience,’” he said. 

His professional life is rooted in decades of military service. During his 30 years in the Navy, he rose to leadership positions, including serving as the commanding officer of nuclear-powered submarines such as the USS Benjamin Franklin and the USS Holland.

Winney’s career also included a six-year stint working at the Pentagon, where he served as a program coordinator for the submarine-launched Tomahawk missile program during the late 1980s.

After retiring from active duty in 2002, Winney returned to Wyoming, where he had been a voter and on-and-off resident since the late 1970s. Rather than pursuing a quiet retirement, he became a fixture at the state Capitol. Around 2005, he started spending extensive time observing legislative proceedings and interim committee hearings as a private citizen.

One of Winney’s primary political priorities is fiscal responsibility and state spending. Beyond the budget, Winney is passionate about education and energy policy. He is a strong proponent of expanding nuclear energy in Wyoming, citing the state’s abundant uranium resources. 

This story was published on March 20, 2026.