Gary Trauner

American politician and businessman

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).

Trauner was born and raised in Scarsdale, New York and was raised in a Reform Jewish family. 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. He previously served as Vice President of the Teton Trust money management company and founded a dog food company. Trauner lives in Wilson, Wyoming with his wife Terry, who is Catholic. He is the father of two sons. 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. Trauner was the Chair of the Aspens Pines Water and Sewer District and his term ended in November 2018. 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. 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. Additionally, Trauner also serves as Chair of the Charture Institute, a Jackson based conservation think tank founded in 2002.

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. In the second quarter he raised more money than Cubin and had more cash on hand at the time. By May 2006, a poll had put Trauner within the margin of error. In mid August, Congressional Quarterly changed their rating of this race from "Republican Favored" to the more competitive "Leans Republican". 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. He lost in 2008 with 43% of the vote to Cynthia Lummis' 53%.

Trauner won the Democratic primary unopposed to run against incumbent United States Senator John Barrasso in the 2018 election. His goals included "getting big money out of politics," and had pledged not to accept corporate campaign funding from any political action committee. For this reason he was endorsed by End Citizens United. 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." He considers "opportunity and inequality" to be the biggest issues facing the nation, and has advocated for the diversification of Wyoming's economy. In the November election, he lost in a landslide, 67 30.1.