Wyoming Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis announced Friday afternoon that she will not seek re-election in 2026 after serving one term in office.
Lummis, who was first elected to the Senate in 2020, cited “difficult, grueling weeks in session” in her resignation letter. She is a close ally of President Donald Trump and a leading voice in energy And cryptocurrency problems.
“I am incredibly honored to represent Wyoming in the U.S. Senate, and Wyoming has been my sole priority throughout my time here,” Lummis said in a statement. (RELATED: Republican Senator Tries to Block Foreign Adversaries from Interfering in American Politics)
“The decision not to run for re-election does represent a change of heart for me, but during the difficult, grueling weeks of the session this fall, I came to the conclusion that I do not have six more years left,” Lummis continued. “I'm a zealous legislator, but I feel like a sprinter in a marathon. The energy required doesn't match.”
Lummis' decision to forego a second term would pave the way for an open Senate race in a safe red state. Trump supported her re-election bid in March. Wyoming Republican Rep. Harriet Hageman is considered a top contender in the August GOP primary.
“Lummis has a big job ahead of him, but I am confident that Wyoming will send a conservative Trump ally to the U.S. Senate in November,” National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Tim Scott said in a statement.
WASHINGTON, DC – JULY 26: Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming) speaks during a panel discussion on the economy during the America First Agenda Summit at the Marriott Marquis on July 26, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
Lummis' surprise announcement came after the upper house adjourned for the Christmas recess. The Senate has had a particularly busy schedule this year, with lawmakers casting more votes in 2025 than in any year since at least the Reagan administration. according to to the Senate Republican Communications Center.
Lummis, a renowned crypto champion, was instrumental in passing the landmark stablecoin legislation known as GENIUS Act in June. Trump argued The law will allow the United States to become the world leader in cryptocurrencies.
Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso of Wyoming, the Senate's second-ranking Republican, praised Lummis, calling the first woman to represent Wyoming in the Senate a “trailblazer.”
“Cynthia Lummis is the ideal Wyoming senator. From the days of Miss Frontier to the Wyoming Legislature, the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, Cynthia has never stopped fighting for the people of Wyoming,” Barrasso wrote. “We will miss her infectious energy and iconic laugh in the halls of the U.S. Senate.”
Lummis previously served four terms in the House of Representatives, starting in 2009, before succeeding the late Wyoming Republican Sen. Mike Enzi in the upper chamber.
Lummis is the fifth Senate Republican to announce his retirement this year. Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Joni Ernst from Iowa, Tom Tillis of North Carolina and Tommy Tuberville of Alabama are not seeking re-election in 2026. Tuberville is the favorite to become Alabama's next governor.
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