R. J. Kost seeks return to State Senate

A Big Horn County native son is throwing his hat back into the ring for the Wyoming State Senate, he announced Monday.

Former Senator R. J. Kost of Powell is seeking the Republican nomination for Senate District 19, which he served from 2019 through 2022 after being elected in 2018. He then lost a three-way race to current District 19 Senator Dan Laursen of Powell in 2022, with former Sen. Ray Peterson of Cowley also in the race four years ago.

In a formal announcement he issued Monday, Kost stressed his deep ties to Big Horn County and the Big Horn Basin. Born in Greybull, he grew up on a farm near Otto and graduated from Basin High School in 1971. Except for college in Billings and teaching for seven years in Dubois, he has lived in the northern Big Horn Basin his entire life.

He pledged a collaborative, research-driven approach to representing the citizens of District 19, which generally includes the Greybull, Lovell and Powell areas. He said the Big Horn Basin has played a central role in shaping his values and commitment to public service.

“The Big Horn Basin has contributed to who I am and how I live my life,” Kost said. “I’ve dedicated myself to serving on boards, volunteering and representing the Basin at the state level to give back to the communities that have given so much to me.”

In a follow-up interview, Kost said he was driven to run for the Senate again due to his concern regarding the direction of the Wyoming Legislature and how the state is being governed, adding, “I think it’s important that, if I have a concern, I’d better step up and try to be part of a solution rather than part of the problem.”

Kost said the legislature has turned away from the collaborative approach to governing that once existed.

“What I’m really pointing out is (having a) respectful legislature, honoring both sides of different situations, so that it can clearly be discussed in a civil manner, understanding that there’s not only one way to go, but there can be more than one way to go,” he said, “and being open minded about what that brings for us with the important thing being, ‘How’s it best for the people I represent? How’s it best for the Big Horn Basin and how’s it best for the state?’

“So my number one priority is the district I represent, followed by the Big Horn Basin, because we’re all in this together up here, and then, of course, the state. The other thing that I really feel is not healthy is that there’s only one answer, and we’re not going to listen to anything else.”

Kost said faith and family are the foundations of his life, followed by a commitment to integrity, honesty, character and devotion to the people of his district and the Basin.

He said he supports local control and believes government should stay out of personal lives.

In describing his approach to leadership, Kost said being conservative means working with both rural and urban legislators to solve problems, researching issues thoroughly, listening to his constituents, considering opposing viewpoints and then voting on what is best for District 19 and Wyoming.

In a sparsely populated area like the Basin, collaboration is essential, he said, noting, “We need to work with similar rural districts and urban districts so they understand the challenges we face in the Big Horn Basin. Working together doesn’t mean giving up conservative principles. It means getting results.”

Having been raised on a farm and later serving as a municipal judge in Dubois as a young man, Senate leadership assigned him to the Agriculture and Judiciary committees during his first term, and though he would have loved to serve on the Education Committee as a teacher, he later worked on the recalibration subcommittee for education, which is a hot button issue in Cheyenne right now. During that process he formed the opinion that it is better to work with and listen to educators in Wyoming who understand the Wyoming educational system rather than consultants from large metropolitan areas.

“I believe in our people in the state of Wyoming, and I think we could have done better,” he said.

Background

After his graduation from Basin High School in 1971, Kost earned a degree in mathematics and engineering from Rocky Mountain College in Billings in 1975, while also taking enough educational classes to teach. He said he ended up with a double major in math/engineering and health/physical education.

He took his first teaching job in Dubois, teaching math and coaching football, girls basketball, middle school wrestling and track. He taught in Dubois for seven years, then was hired at Powell High School in 1982, teaching math and coaching football and wrestling until 1996, when he quit coaching to follow his daughter Jennifer’s sports and activities. He became district curriculum coordinator in 2006 and continued in that role until retiring in 2018.

R. J. and Caroline Kost have two children – Jennifer of Cheyenne and son Christopher of Casper – and two grandsons.

He was elected to the Northwest College Board of Trustees and the Powell Valley Healthcare Board. He has also served on numerous boards including the Powell Economic Partnership board, the Northwest College Foundation board and the Powell Schools Federal Credit Union board.

Asked about his strengths as a senator, Kost replied, “I really feel like I was successful at being able to work with other senators, helping them understand the challenges and all that we have in a large area but small population county like Big Horn,” and he said he learned from veteran senators like Hank Coe of Cody and Eli Bebout of Riverton.

“I got to learn a lot about the way you should act as a legislator, and I also was able to contribute in some of our discussions, amendments and different bills,” he said. “It just worked out that I felt very comfortable with all of those guys.”

He also expressed great respect for current Senator Ed Cooper, R-Ten Sleep, who represents the south portion of Big Horn County.

Kost said he believes he will retain his seniority in the Senate if elected and not be considered a freshman senator.

“Running for Senate District 19 is not about me,” Kost said. “It’s about what I can do for the people I represent. I represent all of the people in my district first, the Big Horn Basin second and the state of Wyoming. And when I say all, I mean all.”

Kost urged all citizens to vote in the Primary Election on August 18.