Levi Asay is in “the business of listening,” and the Cody audiologist is hoping to bring those skills to the state House of Representatives.

“... My job is to hear you,” Asay quipped to a crowd in Powell last month, “and that’s what I intend to do — is to listen to you, to be accessible, to take your thoughts into consideration.”

In a recent interview, Asay said the role of a representative “is just that.”

“It’s not about advancing any particular platform, caucus, group, any other outside interest,” he said, “and it should be focused on being an accurate mouthpiece or reflection of the needs and desires of the people that are in [House] District 50.”

Asay is a Powell native and a fifth-generation Wyomingite. Though he’s a political newcomer, the 46-year-old Republican said he’s felt led to run for a public office for “quite a while.” 

He worked in the oil field and as an electrician before obtaining his doctor of audiology and returning to Park County to take over Big Horn Basin Hearing.

“I think that gives me a really amazing perspective as far as what Wyoming has been, where we should be headed,” Asay said, noting that he’s run multiple businesses.

He said he generally wants to maintain the values he grew up with while continuing to build the state.

Legislative priorities

Based on his conversations with the district’s voters — who live between eastern Cody, Ralston, Heart Mountain and Clark — Asay said his priorities in the Legislature would include providing “permanent and responsible” property tax relief and readdressing K-12 public school funding through the so-called recalibration process. He also said lawmakers need to make some decisions about data centers and nuclear energy — and he wants the state to continue to help promote Wyoming’s low-sulfur, lower-carbon footprint coal.

“I feel like the role of the government should be to support [business], … not just provide handouts,” Asay said.

For example, he said the state could help boost the electric grid to export more power or repair and upgrade canal systems so the ag industry has reliable access to water.

“I think we need to be very wise in managing our reservoirs and water systems so that we can take care of Wyoming first, but then also be good neighbors,” he said.

Asay generally described himself as a pro-life, pro-Second Amendment, fiscally responsible, conservative Republican who wants government control to be as local as possible.

“I’d like for the government to be really the right size for whatever the needs are,” he said. “I don’t think that means more.”

Rebutting ‘misinformation’

He’s taken criticism from the anonymous “Real Republicans of Park County” Facebook group for being a “liberal,” and criticism from others who have equated his endorsements from the Park County Republican Party and the Park County Patriots to an endorsement from the “Freedom Caucus.”

“It’s frustrating that there is so much misinformation,” Asay said.

The candidate said he was pleased to receive the party’s endorsement and is grateful to everyone supporting his campaign.

However, “I’m not Freedom Caucus-aligned. I’m not endorsed by the Freedom Caucus. I don’t intend to join the Freedom Caucus,” Asay said. “My focus is on Wyoming and representing the people of House District 50 as effectively and as accurately as I possibly can.”

He also said he’d like to try to get the entire Legislature working together as a team.

Asay encouraged people to not get their information from Facebook and to instead visit candidate websites and do their own research.

Overall, Asay said his hope is “to move Wyoming forward to continue what I feel like has been some really excellent management and good stewardship.”

“There are … new issues that will arise in the upcoming sessions, but I’m excited to get to work on [them],” he said, “and feel like I’ve got good experience and a good head to have some really valuable input.”

Asay faces Cody attorney David Hill in the Aug. 18 Republican primary. Libertarian Carrie Satterwhite of Ralston will face the winner in the Nov. 3 general election.