Dan Zwonitzer, born on October 30, 1979, is a Republican Party member of the Wyoming House of Representatives from District 43. His district comprises south-central Laramie County and includes the southeastern portion of the capital city of Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Political Stance
Zwonitzer is a Moderate Republican, known for his support for gay rights in a traditionally conservative state. Since taking office in 2005, he has successfully orchestrated efforts to defeat at least six anti-LGBTQ bills introduced in the Wyoming Legislature, many of which would have set limits on same-sex marriages. His advocacy has made him a powerful political voice on behalf of gay Wyomingites.
Personal Background
Zwonitzer is a native and fifth-generation resident of Cheyenne. He graduated from Cheyenne East High School and attended Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., where he received degrees in Government and Classical History. After college, he returned to Cheyenne and worked for the Wyoming Department of Agriculture and as a natural resources policy analyst in the office of Democratic Governor Dave Freudenthal. Additionally, Zwonitzer is a third-generation auctioneer in Cheyenne and a full-time instructor at Laramie County Community College. He has two children, Ezekiel and Nick.
Openly Identifying as Gay
As of 2019, Zwonitzer openly identifies himself as gay and lists his spouse, Justin, on his official state legislative biography page. His courage in being open about his sexual orientation while serving in a traditionally conservative state has been commendable.
Legislative Career
Zwonitzer was elected to the state House in 2004 after incumbent Edward R. Prosser lost the party nomination in the Republican primary. Since then, he has been reelected multiple times and is now the senior elected official in Laramie County. He has served for eight terms and is second in seniority out of the 60-member Wyoming House of Representatives. Notably, Dan and his father, David Zwonitzer, were the first father-and-son team in Wyoming history to simultaneously serve in the state legislature.
