WASHINGTON – Lynne Cheney, the wife of Vice President Dick Cheney, is one of the names being suggested as the person to replace Wyoming Sen. Craig Thomas, who died Monday night.
The second lady, who has a long Washington-centric résumé, may be too much of an insider, say skeptics, but according to The Politico newspaper, she is on a media short list that includes state Sen. John Barrasso; state Rep. Colin Simpson, son of former Sen. Alan Simpson; and U.S. Attorney Matt Mead.
Click here to read The Politico article on Lynne Cheney.
Susan Thomas, the late senator's wife, has apparently already voiced disinterest in finishing her husband's term. Former Justice Department official Tom Sansonetti has also been named.
According to Wyoming state law, Gov. Dave Freudenthal, a Democrat, chooses Thomas' successor from a list of three names supplied by the state Republican Party. Thomas was re-elected in 2006, but the person named to replace him would face a special in 2008. Wyoming's junior senator, Republican Mike Enzi, is also up for re-election next year.
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