School Psychologist to Run for House Seat 46

Jackie Grimes is running for the House District 46 seat because she says she wants to make a positive impact on the education system in Albany County and Wyoming.

Grimes, a school psychologist with Albany County School District No. 1, said that while she has never run for office before, but hopes to use her experience with Wyoming’s school system to make sure all Wyoming students get a quality education.

“As an educator myself and also having children, I have significant concerns about the atmosphere for public education in our state as well as higher education and the perceptions of its usefulness,” Grimes said.  “And making sure that we continue to adequately fund education so that everyone who lives and grows up in Wyoming has a place to receive a good quality education.”

Diversifying the local economy is another area Grimes, a Democrat, wants to address. Grimes said the two largest areas of industry in Albany County, the University of Wyoming and the medical field, are nonprofit. She said that while these are wonderful institutions, they don’t provide much additional support or resources to the county.

“It can also be really difficult for families to establish jobs here that allow them to stay here and raise a family here,” she said. “So making sure that we are being conscientious of the needs of the people of Wyoming and making sure there are jobs here so that people are able to stay and live a raise a family and have a good, healthy happy life.”

Another concern Grimes has includes affordable healthcare. Grimes said Wyoming has only one health insurance provider, which Grimes says leads to higher rates and premiums that residents have to pay in comparison to similar states. This makes it more difficult for Albany County residents, which is a poorer county in Wyoming, to have affordable healthcare.

Grimes says that she will make sure to represent her district, because as a mother who also works full-time in Albany County, the decisions she makes will impact her just as much as everyone else.

“I won’t just make decisions and disappear, all those decisions impact me just as much as they do anybody else here,” Grimes said. “So I will really be in a position to be a representative of the people because I am also one of those people.”

Grimes campaign kickoff is scheduled for next Thursday, May 24 at O’Dwyers Public House from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Grimes said it will be a bingo night with lots of family- friendly activities to enjoy while discussing community issue.

Grimes encourages those interested in contacting her to reach out to her at her website, www.electjackiegrimes.org, which has all her contact information, or her Facebook page, Elect Jackie Grimes: Representative, Wyoming HD 46-D.