Wyoming GOP Picks 3 for Senate Seat

By Elsa Heidorn

Casper, WY – A 71-member Republican committee has chosen the three possible candidates to replace the late Senator Craig Thomas. G-O-P chairman Fred Parady says he's happy with the result. "The three names I will put forward in the letter to Governor Freudenthal are Tom Sansonetti, John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis," Parady said. With that announcement, Fred Parady concluded an eight-day process that whittled about 30 candidates down to three. Tom Sansonetti got the most votes. He's a former interior department official and was a former chief of staff for Craig Thomas when he served in the House of Representatives. He told the committee that he knows what Wyoming voters value: "Limited federal government, respect for federalism and states' rights in the 10th amendment. I believe in the appointment of federal judges that do not legislate from the bench," Sansonetti said. Cynthia Lummis is a former state Treasurer and former legislator and John Barrasso is a surgeon and current state senator. Now Governor Dave Freudenthal must pick one of the three by June 25th.