| Leland Christensen | |
| State Senate: | Wyoming |
| District: | 17th |
| Term Start: | January 11, 2011 |
| Term End: | January 7, 2019 |
| Predecessor: | Grant Larson |
| Successor: | Mike Gierau |
| Birth Date: | 30 April 1959 |
| Birth Place: | Alta, Wyoming, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Idaho Falls, Idaho, U.S. |
| Party: | Republican |
| Spouse: | Anita Christensen |
| Children: | 5 |
| Profession: | Politician, auctioneer |
Leland G. Christensen (April 30, 1959 – February 4, 2022) was an American politician who was a Republican member of the Wyoming Senate, representing the 17th district from 2011 until 2019.[1]
Christensen was born in Alta, Wyoming, and lived in Jackson, Wyoming. He worked as a law enforcement officer and an auctioneer. He served for fifteen years in the Wyoming National Guard and with the 19th Special Forces Group in the U.S. Army.[2] [3] [4]
He died from complications of COVID-19 in Idaho Falls, on February 4, 2022, at the age of 62, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in Idaho. At the time of his death, Christensen was receiving chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin lymphoma.[5]
After incumbent Republican Senator Grant Larson announced his retirement, Christensen - then a Teton County Commissioner - announced his candidacy. He defeated Sam Harrell in the Republican primary and defeated Democratic candidate Tom Frisbie in the general election, 52% to 48%.[6]
Christensen was re-elected to the State Senate unopposed in both the primary and general elections.
Christensen ran for the U.S. House seat held by Cynthia Lummis after Lummis announced her retirement,[7] but lost in the primary to Liz Cheney on August 16, 2016.[8]
He ran for state treasurer but lost in the primary to Curt Meier,[9] and did not seek reelection in the State Senate.[10]