Wyoming Republicans Select Harriet Hageman for U.S. Senate Nomination

Wyoming Republicans have chosen Rep. Harriet Hageman, R-Wy., as their nominee for the U.S. Senate. This decision was made in the race to replace retiring Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis.

Sen. Lummis, who was elected to the Senate in 2020, has announced she will not seek a second term. Her decision has opened the seat in one of the most Republican-dominated states in the nation.

Hageman prevailed in a competitive five-way Republican primary that included former Kirby Mayor Sam Mead, Jill Edwards, John Holtz, and former business owner Jimmy Skovgard.

Rep. Harriet Hageman, R-Wyo., speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland, US, on Thursday, March 2, 2023.

Hageman entered the race with statewide recognition and a strong financial backing. She is aiming for a move to the U.S. Senate.

Former President Donald Trump endorsed Hageman, following his prior support for her successful bid to unseat former Rep. Liz Cheney in Wyoming’s Republican House primary in 2022.

Hageman first gained national attention with her victory over Cheney. Cheney had become one of Trump’s most prominent Republican critics, particularly after her involvement with the House Committee investigating the January 6 Capitol riots.

Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., arrives to speak after losing to her opponent Harriet Hageman in the Republican primary election, during an event held at the Mead Ranch on Tuesday, Aug 16, 2022.

Hageman will now compete against the Democratic nominee in the November 3 general election. However, given Wyoming’s strong Republican alignment, the chances of a political shift are minimal.

Wyoming is consistently ranked as strongly Republican by political analysts. The Cook Political Report considers the state’s at-large House seat solidly Republican with a R+23 rating, the highest in the current Senate race cycle.

Republicans hold all statewide elected positions in Wyoming, underscoring the state’s conservative dominance.

In a rare political event, Wyoming faces open races for governor, U.S. Senate, and U.S. House in the same election cycle, marking the first such occurrence in 32 years.