While many Wyoming lawmakers are calling it quits, Representative James Byrd says, "Now is not the time to leave the Legislature."

The Cheyenne Democrat announced today that he's seeking his fifth term representing House District 44.

"We need to take a hard look at how we support and encourage new business development in the state along with developing next generation markets for our existing energy and minerals portfolio," said Byrd.

Byrd says it's easy to govern a state when the bank accounts are full and he's not going to bail out now that times are getting tough.

"Now that that cash flow is drying up it really requires some diligence and some thinking to manage state budgets," said Byrd. "We just can't do a slash and burn because we're trying to hit some magic number that makes the budget balance, it's not ever that simple."

"When your charged with making things work and there is a human cost to making things work and not work, you don't have a whole lot of margin for error," added Byrd. "Some of my constituent legislators may not be ready to take on that level of the task."

Byrd is currently the only candidate to have announced for the seat.

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