Wherever you go, there's Floyd Esquibel

I can't go anywhere in Laramie County without running into Rep. Floyd Esquibel. He's a regular at all the usual Democratic Party meetings and receptions and picnics. In his 12 years as the representative from House District 44, he's served on almost every key committee. So, his face is in the news every other day during the annual session talking about health care and school funding and Real I.D. He's on Governor Freudenthal's Mental Health Advisory Board and the board of the Wyoming Health Council. Not surprisingly, he's a staunch health-care advocate, noting with alarm that 20 percent of the state's population is without health insurance.

I see Floyd often at the public library. He's a dedicated reader -- and also serves on the Laramie County Library board. He's downtown during the summer's Frontier Days parades. I run into him at the city's Super Day celebration and Juneteenth and Cinco de Mayo. He's a big arts supporter, and he and his wife attend the symphony and local theatre productions.

Floyd has just announced that he's running for the state Senate seat in District 8. I'd vote for him in the August primary if I was in his district. But I'm not. Still, if there's an issue that I need info on, he's the one to see. An approachable legislator, which is not a rarity in this state, but also an active participant in the community. So, I'm not imagining the fact that Floyd is everywhere I go -- he really is.