Governor Gordon and all of Wyoming mourn the loss of former United States Senator Al Simpson, who passed away Friday, March 14 in Cody.

The Governor has ordered both the U.S and Wyoming flags to be lowered immediately to half-staff. They will remain at half-staff until sundown at the day of interment. Once that date has been established, the Governor's office will send out another notification to advise when the flags will be returned to full-staff.

A native of Cody, Simpson was elected to the United States Senate in 1978. He served as both Minority and Majority Whip until his retirement in 1997. He previously served in the Wyoming House of Representatives from 1965 until 1977. In 2022 Simpson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his years of public service and statesmanship.

The Governor has issued the following statement:

Al Simpson was an amazing friend, an incredible statesman, a thoughtful courageous politician, and a wonderful human being who brought humor, wisdom, and razor-sharp insight to any situation. Wyoming has lost a true light.

Al embodied the best of Wyoming – what America used to be. Throughout his life, Al was an independent thinker who wasn’t afraid to reach across the aisle (or, as Al would say, “grab folks in the pew behind him by the short hairs”) and work collaboratively to solve problems. He was never afraid to say what was on his mind, but he believed to his core that humor mixed with civility was best in politics and in life.

His service in the Wyoming Legislature and the U.S. Senate always reflected his goal of making our state and our country a better place to live. For that we also owe a debt of gratitude to Ann. Together they were unstoppable. Al and Ann’s generosity and philanthropic work benefitted so many people and institutions throughout our state, and his legacy is reflected at the University of Wyoming, the Buffalo Bill Center for the West in Cody, and so much more.

Jennie and I cherished his friendship, his unique humility, his encouragement, savage wit and sage advice. Al’s warm disposition and sense of humor were still evident when I visited with him two weeks ago. It is hard to imagine that was our last visit.

Our hearts are broken. All our condolences go out to Ann, Pete, and the entire Simpson family. We should all take a moment to think about a remarkable life as we remember one of the greats of our lifetime.