Teno Roncalio

Teno Domenico Roncalio (March 23, 1916 – March 30, 2003), born Celeste Domenico Roncaglio, was an American politician and writer who served in the United States House of Representatives.

To date, he is the last Democrat to have represented Wyoming in the House of Representatives.

Celeste Domenico Roncaglio was born on March 23, 1916, in Rock Springs, Wyoming, to Frank and Ernesta Roncalio, Italians who had immigrated to the United States in 1903.

His family later removed the G in their last name; he was known by the diminutive "Celestino", so was given the nickname "Tino" as a child, which later became Teno.

In 1933, he earned his barber's license and after high school he worked as a reporter for the Rock Springs Rocket-Miner.

He enlisted into the army following Pearl Harbor and during World War II he fought at the Battle of Gela and was later awarded a Silver Star for gallantry in the Normandy invasion on Omaha Beach.

In 1940, he started editing the Wyoming Collegiate features which were published by the Casper Tribune-Herald newspaper.

In 1945, he was discharged from the army with the rank of captain.

While in college, he was elected as president of the student body, joined the Young Democrats, and Senator Joseph C. O'Mahoney offered him a job in Washington, D.C. In 1947, he graduated from the University of Wyoming with a law degree.

During the 1950s and 1960s, Roncalio served in multiple positions within the Wyoming Democratic Party.

In 1950, he began working as editor of the Wyoming Labor Journal.

He served as the prosecuting attorney for Laramie County from 1950 to 1956.

He also served as a delegate to the 1956, 1960, 1964, and 1968 Democratic National Conventions.

In 1957, he was elected as chairman of the Wyoming Democratic Party.

Later that year Governor Milward Simpson proposed a civil rights bill that Roncalio had drafted after seeing a black couple being removed from a restaurant.

In 1958, it was speculated that he might be a possible Attorney General appointee, but on December 3, 1958, he stated that he did not want to be appointed to the office.

As Chairman of the Wyoming delegation to the 1960 Convention, he cast the fifteen votes which gave John F. Kennedy the minimum amount needed to win the Democratic presidential nomination.

Following Senator-elect Edwin Keith Thomson's death Kennedy asked Governor John J. Hickey to appoint Roncalio to fill the Senate vacancy, but he chose to instead appoint himself.

Kennedy later appointed him as chairman of the International Joint Commission on Water Rights between the United States and Canada in 1961 and served until 1964.

He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1964, and served until he unsuccessfully ran for the United States Senate in 1966.

On April 28, 1964, he announced that he would run for the Democratic nomination for Wyoming's at-large congressional seat and in the general election he narrowly defeated incumbent Representative William Henry Harrison with the coattail effect of President Lyndon B. Johnson's victory in Wyoming during the presidential election helping him.

Upon taking office he praised President Johnson for his state of the union speech and called it the "20th century restatement of the constitutional principles on which this nation is founded".

On June 15, 1966, he formally announced that he would run for the U.S. Senate instead of seeking reelection, but was defeated in the general election by Governor Clifford P. Hansen.

In 1967, he was asked to run for the House again in the 1968 election, but chose not to.

During the 1968 Democratic presidential primaries he supported Senator Robert F. Kennedy and was a member of his staff.

When Roncalio heard about Robert Kennedy's assassination he stated that "I can't think of anything appropriate newsworthy or decent to say".

After Kennedy's death he supported the anti-Humphrey movement at the national convention.

In April 1969, William A. Norris Jr., Wyoming's Democratic national committeeman, announced that he would resign and on May 5, 1969, Roncalio was selected to replace him by acclamation after Joe Stewart, the only other candidate, withdrew two days before.

In 1969, he stated that he would not run against incumbent Senator Gale W. McGee in the Democratic primary and stated that he would either run for governor or house.

Roncalio was elected to the House of Representatives in 1970, and served until he announced that he would not seek reelection in 1978.

On June 23, 1970, he announced that he would seek the Democratic nomination for Wyoming's at-large House seat.

In the primary he easily defeated state representative and future governor Edgar Herschler and in the general election narrowly defeated state Superintendent of Public Instruction Harry Roberts by 608 votes.

After losing the Senate election Roncalio filed multiple affidavits for land claims around the Snake River and it was publicly revealed in 1972 that his land claims were estimated to hold $7 billion worth of gold.

Although he did not endorse him, Roncalio stated that Senator Edmund Muskie was the most balanced candidate during the 1972 Democratic presidential primaries, but later voted for George McGovern at the national convention in Miami Beach, Florida.

Roncalio stated throughout 1971 that he would not run against Clifford P. Hansen for Senate again and on July 20, 1972, he filed to run for reelection and was reelected by a similar margin in the general election against Bill Kidd.

On June 28, 1974, he announced that he would seek another term and defeated state senator Thomas F. Stroock by over 12,000 votes.

Roncalio held positions in environmental committees during John F. Kennedy's administration and in the 1980s.

During his tenure in the House of Representatives, he supported multiple environmental bills and was a staunch opponent of American involvement in the Vietnam War.

After leaving the House of Representatives he remained active in politics and helped some of the remaining successful campaigns of the Wyoming Democratic Party before his death.

During the 89th session he served on the Interior and Veterans Affairs committees.