By Jasmine Hall

Jackson Hole News&Guide

Via Wyoming News Exchange

 

JACKSON — Another member of the conservative, influential and wealthy Friess family in Teton County has decided to enter Equality State politics.

On Thursday, Steve Friess, son of philanthropist Lynn Friess and former gubernatorial candidate Foster Friess, announced his campaign for Wyoming’s sole U.S. House seat. He is the tenth Wyomingite so far to join the packed race, alongside eight other Republicans and one libertarian.

The seat is currently held by Rep. Harriet Hageman, who is running for election to the U.S. Senate.

Friess, 60, describes himself as a “businessman, conservative activist and political outsider.” He moved to Wyoming from the East Coast nearly three decades ago and said he was baptized in the Shoshone River. Friess is married to Polly Friess, with whom he co-founded the Jackson Hole Classical Academy. Together, they have four children.

“Too many career politicians talk about solving problems but never do,” Friess said in the release. “They make big promises and then sell us out to the lobbyists and special interests. I’m a businessman, not a politician.”

“I can’t be bought, and I’m running for Congress to fight for our conservative values, support President (Donald) Trump in his battle for the heart and soul of America and continue representing our state with the impactful leadership Congresswoman Hageman has,” he added.

His campaign team declined an interview request, saying it would let a video and press release distributed Thursday “stand for today.” Staff members said they welcomed “connecting later.”

Steve Friess doesn’t consider himself a “stranger to the conservative movement,” citing his own and his family’s connections to Republican politics.

Friess’ father, Foster, received Trump’s backing in 2018 when he ran for governor, losing to Gov. Mark Gordon in the Republican primary. The wealthy investor and philanthropist died in 2021 after donating hundreds of millions to Republican candidates and charities, “sometimes with flair,” according to The New York Times.

Trump hasn’t yet issued an endorsement in the House race.

Steve Friess’ mother, Lynn, is also a prominent conservative. In 2023, the Independent Women’s Forum, a conservative nonprofit based in Washington, D.C., honored her for her philanthropic work and initiative in establishing the Active Women Engaging group, which aims to get Teton County women involved in politics. A few months before the 2024 election, Lynn Friess also co-hosted a Teton Village fundraiser for Trump, which the then-candidate attended.

Foster and Lynn Friess championed the Tea Party and helped launch Turning Point USA, funding the political group after Foster and Steve met Charlie Kirk in 2011.

“Foster’s disdain for big government overreach and his generous support for Christian conservative organizations left an indelible mark on Steve, teaching him that success comes with a duty to give back to community, state and country,” Friess’ website says.

In his campaign video, Friess said he “didn’t come from money.”

“My dad served in the army. And then he started a small business. In high school, I bussed tables and sold knives door to door,” Friess said. “I joined the family business, which eventually took off, and I played a part in its success.”

Steve Friess was also an early supporter of Turning Point.

Gabe Saint, the University of Wyoming’s Turning Point USA chapter president, said due to being a 501(c)3 nonprofit, his organization is not able to endorse or support partisan candidates for political office.

“As individuals, however, most of us including myself are supporting Chuck Gray,” Saint said in a statement Thursday. “Chuck has supported our chapter for years in our fight to bring Wyoming values to UW. Chuck supported us when we brought Riley Gaines and Charlie Kirk to campus and has been a frequent encouragement to us to stay in the good fight.”

Secretary of State Gray is running for the House for a second time.

In response to Saint’s statement, Gray said he is the best candidate in the House race because of his record in Wyoming government. Friess’s campaign declined to comment on the statement.

Friess said he has backed “Tea Party Patriots” in “their fight against runaway spending” and True the Vote’s “election integrity.”

He also championed his school choice advocacy. Friess and his wife co-founded Jackson Hole Classical Academy, which recently moved into its 75,000-square-foot campus on South Park Loop Road. Before opening, the Friess family moved the school’s location a few times and tussled with Teton County about land-use regulations before going to the Wyoming Legislature for help.

The Legislature passed a bill in 2019 that exempted private schools from county zoning regulations — and the need to seek legislative approval before opening.

Friess said that if he’s elected to Congress, he will secure the southern border, oppose all tax increases, champion energy development, end “federal mismanagement” of public lands and oppose “the radical left’s extreme abortion agenda,” among other things.

He also said he supports term limits for Congress, a ban on members trading stocks in office and lobbying afterwards, and withholding congressional pay if Congress fails to pass a budget.

“I’m not running to climb the political ladder or get rich. I’m running to help President Trump achieve his goals and to protect our Wyoming way of life during this critical time in our history,” Friess said. “After that, I’m coming home.”