Steve Duerr announces run for Senate

JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. — Jackson attorney and former executive director of the Chamber of Commerce Steve Duerr announced he will run for a seat in the Wyoming Senate.

Duerr, a Republican, is the first to challenge Mike Gierau (D-Jackson) in his reelection bid for senator representing District 17 in Teton County.

“Teton County is at a tipping point,” Duerr says. “Significant commercial and tourism growth over the past several years, coupled with public revenue challenges, have strained our infrastructure and the qualities that make our community so remarkable. With a sense of urgency, we must invest in solutions that will balance growth with conserving the resources that make Teton County a destination for individuals from around the world.”

Duerr moved to Jackson Hole from Minnesota with his family in 1985. He has practiced law for 42 years. Duerr has served as General Counsel for Lower Valley Energy for 30-plus years, and as former executive director of the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce (1999-2006) and the Murie Center (2008-2012).

Duerr’s dedication to nonprofit organizations includes: a founding board member of the Jackson Hole Center for Global Affairs, a 30-year member of the Jackson Hole Rotary Club, co-chair of Community Entry Services and court appointed guardian for two CES clients for 20 years leading to becoming a hospice volunteer with St. John’s Hospital, and board member of Curran Seely Foundation.

Noting that laws written in Cheyenne have a direct impact on Teton County, Duerr said it is imperative that local representatives have a seat at the table.

“If you are not at the table, you are probably on the menu. That has certainly been true in the Wyoming Legislature over the past several years,” Duerr shares. “We have seen bills out of the State House that hurt Teton County residents and make it harder to call this place home. It is important to consistently make the point in Cheyenne that Teton County is part of Wyoming—and a critical part. We need thoughtful, respectful Republican leadership on the important committees, driving policy discussions in Cheyenne.”

Among Duerr’s top priorities are ensuring robust, equitable funding for Wyoming’s schools; diversifying and growing the state’s economy; incentivizing sustainable tourism and conservation; working with the private sector to address rising costs of living, like housing; and striving to include diverse voices in decision making.

“Wyoming’s economy has long been yoked to the oil and gas industry,” Duerr admits. “We have to diversify the economy to attract new business and create opportunities for our young people who want to live here. Teton County, as the gateway to two national parks, must lead the way to show the state how we can protect the beautiful wild lands and magnificent wildlife that make Wyoming so special, and also, create economic opportunities that provide a good quality of life.”