Wyoming Governor Appoints GOP State Senator to Replace Late Sen. Craig Thomas
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Gov. Dave Freudenthal appointed state Sen. John Barrasso on Friday to temporarily fill the U.S. Senate seat held by the late Sen. Craig Thomas.
Barrasso is a Republican like Thomas, meaning the appointment will have no affect on the U.S. Senate's party breakdown.
Barrasso, an orthopedic surgeon from Casper, will serve until the beginning of 2009. A special election in November 2008 will decide who will finish Thomas' term in 2012.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Barrasso's appointment is effective immediately.
Thomas died June 4 while being treated for leukemia.
Freudenthal, a Democrat, chose Barrasso over Cheyenne attorney Tom Sansonetti and former state Treasurer Cynthia Lummis. The Wyoming Republican Central Committee had nominated the three after 31 people applied for the job.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"There are many factors that went into this decision, and it was the sum of these factors that led me to this choice," Freudenthal said in a statement. "While I don't intend to indulge the speculation on why I made this decision, I will say that I hope I made the right choice."