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Art Washut
Art Washut (Republican Party) is a member of the Wyoming House of Representatives, representing District 36. He assumed office on January 7, 2019. His current term ends on January 4, 2027.
Washut (Republican Party) ran for re-election to the Wyoming House of Representatives to represent District 36. He won in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Biography
Art Washut was born in Casper, Wyoming.[1] He earned an associate degree from Casper College in 1978, a bachelor’s degree from Chadron State College in 1978, and a master's degree in public administration from the University of Wyoming in 1994. His professional experience includes working as a police officer, police administrator, and college instructor. His organizational affiliations include the St. Anthony Manor board and the Wyoming Medical Center Foundation Heroes' Fund Committee.[1]
Committee assignments
Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes biannual updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at: editor@ballotpedia.org.
2023-2024
Washut was assigned to the following committees:
- Joint Judiciary Committee, Vice Chairman
- Joint Rules and Procedure Committee
- Wyoming Court Security Commission
2021-2022
Washut was assigned to the following committees:
2019-2020
Washut was assigned to the following committees:
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2024
See also: Wyoming House of Representatives elections, 2024
General election
General election for Wyoming House of Representatives District 36
Incumbent Art Washut won election in the general election for Wyoming House of Representatives District 36 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Art Washut (R) | 97.0 | 2,727 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 3.0 | 84 | ||
| Total votes: 2,811 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Wyoming House of Representatives District 36
Incumbent Art Washut advanced from the Republican primary for Wyoming House of Representatives District 36 on August 20, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Art Washut | 96.8 | 994 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 3.2 | 33 | ||
| Total votes: 1,027 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Washut in this election.
2022
See also: Wyoming House of Representatives elections, 2022
General election
General election for Wyoming House of Representatives District 36
Incumbent Art Washut won election in the general election for Wyoming House of Representatives District 36 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Art Washut (R) | 96.6 | 1,768 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 3.4 | 62 | ||
| Total votes: 1,830 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Wyoming House of Representatives District 36
Incumbent Art Washut defeated Debra Cheatham in the Republican primary for Wyoming House of Representatives District 36 on August 16, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Art Washut | 60.2 | 1,117 |
| Debra Cheatham | 39.2 | 727 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.5 | 10 | ||
| Total votes: 1,854 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2020
See also: Wyoming House of Representatives elections, 2020
General election
General election for Wyoming House of Representatives District 36
Incumbent Art Washut won election in the general election for Wyoming House of Representatives District 36 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Art Washut (R) | 96.5 | 3,041 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 3.5 | 109 | ||
| Total votes: 3,150 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Wyoming House of Representatives District 36
Incumbent Art Washut advanced from the Republican primary for Wyoming House of Representatives District 36 on August 18, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Art Washut | 98.2 | 1,045 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 1.8 | 19 | ||
| Total votes: 1,064 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2018
General election
General election for Wyoming House of Representatives District 36
Art Washut defeated incumbent Debbie Bovee in the general election for Wyoming House of Representatives District 36 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Art Washut (R) | 55.9 | 1,407 |
 | Debbie Bovee (D) | 44.0 | 1,106 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 2 | ||
| Total votes: 2,515 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Wyoming House of Representatives District 36
Incumbent Debbie Bovee advanced from the Democratic primary for Wyoming House of Representatives District 36 on August 21, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Debbie Bovee | 100.0 | 260 |
| Total votes: 260 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Wyoming House of Representatives District 36
Art Washut advanced from the Republican primary for Wyoming House of Representatives District 36 on August 21, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Art Washut | 100.0 | 1,043 |
| Total votes: 1,043 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Art Washut did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
2022
Art Washut completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Washut's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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- Effective - I have sponsored 5 bills all five are now law. In 2022 only 43% of the bills passed. Being 5 for 5 demonstrates my effectiveness
- Respected - After only 1 term, I was selected to be the vice chairman of the prestigious House Judiciary Committee.
- Conservative - My voting record and endorsements reflect this.
Property taxes - Retired folks are being taxed out of their homes due to sky-rocketing property assessments.
Pro-life - I have always run as a pro-life candidate and consistently voted as such.
Second Amendment - When seconds count, the police are only minutes away.
Keeping Wyoming Special - the last thing we want is for our state to become more like Colorado!
As a freshman back in 2019, I found my prior experience with the municipal budget did provide me a bit of an advantage over legislators who had not worked in government. I also believe that having worked in government I had an appreciation for public employees that not all legislators shared. In Wyoming over 24% of the workforce is employed at some level of government and that totals over 66,000 people! Many of the folks living in my district are active or former government employees and I do my best to represent them along with all the others in House District 36.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
2020
Art Washut did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
2018
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Art Washut completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Washut's responses.
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
The budget, substance abuse and preserving the culture and beauty of our state. The legislative process is not dependent on any one individual solving these complex issues. Rather it is a joint endeavor where ideas can surface, be debated, discarded, accepted or modified. Years ago Governor Hathaway and Republican legislators showed great vision and put the Permanent Wyoming Mineral Trust Fund before the voters. We must look ahead and identify the things we can do today that will pay huge dividends down the road. Adding new taxes is generally a bad idea, but if renewable energy is to off-set declines in coal, Wyoming will need more revenues from renewables. Substance abuse is a problem that causes great expense. Individuals and families, the criminal justice system, the health care system and the education system bear the brunt of substance abuse. We spend significant sums trying to cope with the problems. Above all each of us as citizens will have to stand together to change the culture that tolerates underage drinking, encourages binge drinking, and accepts illegal drug use. Experiments in other states will in time provide us with information we need to set sound policy with regards to marijuana. At this time however, there really is no debate, Wyoming should not legalize marijuana in any form. One of the great joys in life is watching a kid catch a fish. Enjoying Wyoming’s great outdoors is part of what makes this place so special. I am an advocate of multiple use of public lands while respecting private property rights.
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
As a Wyoming native I care deeply about this special place and want to preserve both its beauty and its traditional western culture. As a conservative family man I recognize that families are central to the socialization of children and that when families fail, the burden of socialization and its cost are forced completely on to schools, churches and the criminal justice system. Government must support families whenever possible and not act in ways that hinder families. As a retired police officer and administrator who now teaches criminal justice and political science, I am very aware of the critical importance of public safety and the criminal justice system. We spend an incredible amount of money on criminal justice and we need to constantly re-evaluate our efforts to assure the taxpayers that those dollars are being spent wisely and with the greatest effect. As a Christian I am proudly pro-life! As a pro-gun sportsman I recognize that firearms are important in Wyoming and our people have a right to keep and to bear them for self-defense and for sporting purposes. That right is guaranteed by our state constitution in very clear terms.
Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?
Human beings all have failings and that is part of our fallen nature. Ronald Reagan was my favorite president, his wit and humor were refreshing while his steadfast positions on important issues showed great confidence and conviction. Another person who inspired me was my father. Part of the "Greatest Generation" he endured a childhood marked by the depression and a young adult life under the cloud of world war. He had an incredible work ethic and an amazing way of interacting with people of all backgrounds. He was a humble meat cutter who never forgot those depression days. I recall going to a very poor black man's home where my dad processed some of his roosters to make them capons and better to eat. It was the first time I had ever been in a black man's home and it reflected the owner's poverty. My dad was completely comfortable there and enjoyed a cup of coffee with the fellow before getting to work. At the same time my dad could interact with wealthy businessmen, lawyers, doctors and the Governor of Wyoming with equal grace and confidence.
Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?
Two books actually will help people appreciate my political views. We Still Hold These Truths by Matthew Spalding and Scalia Dissents by Antonin Scalia. These two men have a great appreciation for our founding and for the wisdom contained in the U.S. Constitution.
What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?
For a legislator to be successful many things are required. Perhaps most important is a desire to do what is best for the people of the state and to respect the constitutional limitations placed upon elected officials. Legislators have the benefit of working in a collaborative environment. Lobbyists will share information, witnesses will testify about pending bills, and colleagues will make suggestions and arguments. Compromises are often necessary and as long as they are constitutional, principled and ethical, such compromises are appropriate. In our system with our limited authority, none of us will get 100% of what we want. Only dictators have such power. Legislators need to be able to read and comprehend a great volume of information and to then ask the right questions to bring about a shared understanding of the issues. Lastly legislators need to have the courage to vote their conscience even in the face of great pressure to do otherwise.
What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?
I spend significant time each semester looking at and teaching the U.S. and Wyoming Constitutions. While I don't claim to be a Constitutional expert, I am certainly well versed in these important documents and I honor their dictates and limitations on the authority of the elected officials in this state. As a former police officer I bring to the legislature a perspective not shared by many people in our state. Crime, poverty, substance abuse, juvenile delinquency and a myriad of other issues dominate the working world of those in policing and are frequently before the legislature. As a former administrator in municipal government I have experience with government budgets and appreciate the challenges of our cities and towns when the money is tight and the demand for services is high. I have been blessed with an amazing family full of teachers and rural folks who run small ranches. These wonderful people have been very open about their views and the challenges facing them.
What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?
Legislators must take their oath of office seriously. They need to listen carefully and read thoroughly and to communicate effectively. In addition they need to devote the time necessary to stay abreast of the issues and the curiosity to learn about things that are beyond their primary interests. Legislators also need a thick skin because many votes will not be popular with a segment of their constituents.
What legacy would you like to leave?
There is an old saying that Wyoming is what America was. I would like to leave the legislature knowing that I did my part in protecting the heritage and culture of this wonderful state.
What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?
I remember the day when President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. I was only six years old but I recall my mom kneeling in prayer in the kitchen while the radio by her sink broadcast the news. What that day came to signify for me was that a system of government where authority passes through ballots is far superior to one where differences are settled with bullets.
What was your very first job? How long did you have it?
I delivered newspapers for several years as a kid and in those days we had to go to the customer's home and collect the payment after we had delivered the papers. I got stiffed by several people who deliberately or inadvertently moved without paying so I ended up paying for their newspapers. I learned a lot about customer service and even fear as I walked home in the dark with a bag full of cash or encountered skunks as I came off of a customer's porch in the early hours.
What is your favorite holiday? Why?
Easter. The resurrection of Jesus is the most important event in all of human history.
What was the last song that got stuck in your head?
Dierks Bentley, "God bless this woman, Amen!"
Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?
Not always. As a citizen legislature there is value in having a variety of folks from different backgrounds participating in the legislative process.
What do you perceive to be your state’s greatest challenges over the next decade?
Preserving our state with its western heritage, rural lifestyles and traditional culture while the population of the state swells with folks from elsewhere. Lots of people come here to experience what Wyoming is and then end up changing it to be something different, more like what they had someplace else. In addition we see the effects of creeping centralism where more and more policies are set in Washington, D.C. and the idea of federalism is ignored. It will be very hard for Wyoming to remain Wyoming when states are forced to be identical.
What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and the state legislature?
Governors should be open and honest with the legislature about critical needs and their funding priorities. The legislators should not hesitate to communicate the areas where they believe the state needs to change and areas where they are unwilling to accommodate the governor. Hidden agendas and incomplete disclosures undermine trust and confidence. We need to know where one another stand, where we are flexible and where we are steadfast.
Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.
Of course, that is how things can be accomplished in the legislature. The Lone Ranger might make a fine governor, but legislators need to work collectively. Legislators should not compromise their strongly held principles, but on many issues there are ways to give a little and to persuade others to give a little in order to stop bad bills or to pass needed legislation.
If you are not a current legislator, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?
The committees I would be most interested in are the Judiciary Committee, the Labor,Health and Social Services Committee or the Agriculture, Public Lands and Water Resources Committee. I believe my criminal justice background would serve the people of Wyoming well if I were on the Judiciary Committee. The critical health issues caused or exacerbated by substance abuse would be areas where I would like to focus if I were on the Labor, Health and Social Services. The Agriculture, Public Lands and Water Resources Committee would be the one where I would have the biggest learning curve to overcome but areas of Wyoming life that I am deeply interested in.
If you are not currently a member of your party’s leadership in the legislature, would you be interested in joining the leadership? If so, in what role?
No, I am not desiring to become part of leadership.
Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?
Not just one, but the group of legislators including Senator Dick Jones who many years ago drafted the Permanent Wyoming Mineral Trust Fund amendment. The forethought that went into that is what I admire. Imagine what Wyoming would be like today if we did not have the revenue from the PWMTF to bolster our budget.
Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?
No I am old enough now that this will likely be the capstone for me.
Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?
I heard about retired folks who face increasing property taxes every time we have a boom, even though their income rarely benefits from the boom. I am thinking that some form of tax relief for such folks is needed. We do give a tax deduction to combat era and disabled veterans, something similar for our older home owners who are receiving social security makes sense. I am not sure a tax break can be passed in this economy, but it is an idea we should definitely consider.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Ballotpedia biographical submission form
The candidate completed Ballotpedia's biographical information submission form:
| “ | What is your political philosophy?
Conservative Is there anything you would like to add? Wyoming Native[2] |
” |
| —Art Washut[1] | ||
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Wyoming scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2024
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2024, click [show]. |
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In 2024, the Wyoming State Legislature was in session from February 12 to March 8.
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2023
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2023, click [show]. |
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In 2023, the Wyoming State Legislature was in session from January 10 to March 3.
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2022
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2022, click [show]. |
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In 2022, the Wyoming State Legislature was in session from February 14 to March 11.
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2021
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show]. |
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In 2021, the Wyoming State Legislature was in session from January 12 to April 7.
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2020
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show]. |
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In 2020, the Wyoming State Legislature was in session from February 10 to March 12.
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2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
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In 2019, the Wyoming State Legislature was in session from January 8 through February 28.
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2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
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In 2018, the Wyoming State Legislature was in session from February 12 to March 15.
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See also
2024 Elections
External links
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Candidate Wyoming House of Representatives District 36 |
Officeholder Wyoming House of Representatives District 36 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on July 20, 2022 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "bio" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Debbie Bovee (D) |
Wyoming House of Representatives District 36 2019-Present |
Succeeded by - |
