JOAN BARRON | Star Tribune - Posted: Sunday, March 28, 2010 12:00 am

Petersen has been trying to build a bench. The Democrats have some bright young prospects who have run for state office before, like Chris Rothfuss of Laramie and Ted Ladd and Gary Trauner, both of Jackson, along with some lesser known potential candidates.

By JEREMY PELZER - Star-Tribune capital bureau | Posted: Thursday, March 18, 2010 1:00 am

CHEYENNE -- Whatever state Sen. Mike Massie’s political future is, it won’t include a fifth term in the Wyoming Senate.

Massie, a tall, bearded 16-year Senate veteran, said Wednesday that he won’t be running for re-election this fall. However, the Laramie Democrat said he’ll decide by the end of the month whether to run for statewide office, such as state superintendent of public instruction or governor.

"Sixteen years (in the Senate) is sufficient," Massie said. "I don't want to be hanging around longer than I should be. And it's time, after 16 years of 60-hour work weeks, to hand the ball off to somebody else."

Already, at least two Democrats are vying to succeed Massie: Laramie Mayor Jodi Guerin and 2008 Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Chris Rothfuss.

By EJ Conzola II - Star-Tribune staff writer | Posted: Sunday, March 14, 2010 12:00 am

Politics should not be a zero sum game, in which one side has to lose if the other is to win, a former and possibly future candidate for elected office told Natrona County Democrats on Saturday.

The nation's elected leadership needs to "focus on problems, instead of the opposition," former U.S. Senate candidate Chris Rothfuss said in his keynote speech to the Natrona County Democratic Convention.

Members of both political parties should approach contentious issues by looking at what will be best for the American people, said Rothfuss, who lost his 2008 senate race to Republican Mike Enzi.