Pete Gosar


Peter Thomas Gosar is an American politician. Gosar was the Democratic nominee for Governor of Wyoming in 2014 but lost to Republican Matt Mead. Gosar also served as chair of the Wyoming Democratic Party.

Early life

Gosar was born in Rock Springs, Wyoming to Antone John Gosar and Bernadette M. Gosar, the seventh of ten children, and is of Basque and Slovenian descent. He grew up in Pinedale, Wyoming and is the younger brother of Paul Gosar, a Republican U.S. Representative from Arizona.

Education

Gosar attended the University of Wyoming from 1986 until 1990, where he played linebacker on the Wyoming Cowboys football team. He also holds an associate degree in aviation technology from San Juan College, which he obtained in 1999.

Career

Gosar was a teacher with the Pinedale Public Schools.
Gosar first ran in the 2010 gubernatorial election, but lost the Democratic primary to Leslie Petersen. He again ran for governor in 2014, where he won the Democratic primary unopposed but lost the general election in a landslide to republican incumbent Matt Mead.
Gosar served as a member of the Wyoming Board of Education from 2011 until 2017. He was Chairman of the Board from 2015 succeeding Ron Micheli. His term as Chairman and his tenure on the Board of Education ended February 18, 2017. He was succeeded as Chairman by Walt Wilcox.
He was also at one point the Chairman of the Democratic Party of Wyoming until stepping down to run for governor.
Gosar is a pilot and owns an aviation company in Laramie, Wyoming.

Personal life

Gosar is unmarried.

Political positions

Gosar is often contrasted with his brother, who is a staunch conservative. While Paul supports criminalizing abortion, Pete believes it should be legal. He is a supporter of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.