Sen. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming reportedly announced Friday that she will not seek reelection next year, setting the stage for an open-seat Republican primary in one of the most reliably conservative states in the country. The decision ensures that Wyoming voters, rather than an incumbent, will determine who carries the GOP banner forward in the U.S. Senate.
Lummis made her announcement after the Senate adjourned for the holiday break, confirming that her tenure in the upper chamber will conclude after a single six-year term. In a statement, she said the grueling pace of the Senate, particularly during the most recent legislative stretch, led her to reassess her ability to commit to another full term.
“Deciding not to run for re-election does represent a change of heart for me,” Lummis said. “But in the difficult, exhausting session weeks this fall I’ve come to accept that I do not have six more years in me.” She described herself as deeply committed to legislating but acknowledged the mismatch between the demands of the job and her personal energy. “I am a devout legislator, but I feel like a sprinter in a marathon. The energy required doesn’t match up,” she said.
Despite stepping aside, Lummis emphasized that she remains fully engaged and aligned with President Donald Trump and the Republican agenda. She highlighted her working relationship with the president and said she plans to focus her remaining time in office on advancing legislation and helping maintain GOP control of the Senate.
“I am honored to have earned the support of President Trump and to have the opportunity to work side by side with him to fight for the people of Wyoming,” Lummis said. “I look forward to continuing this partnership and throwing all my energy into bringing important legislation to his desk in 2026 and into retaining commonsense Republican control of the U.S. Senate.”
Lummis brings a long résumé of public service to her decision. Before joining the Senate, she served four terms in the House of Representatives, then took a break from federal office before running to succeed the late Sen. Mike Enzi, continuing Wyoming’s long-standing tradition of Republican representation.
Her departure is expected to have ripple effects well beyond Wyoming, particularly in policy circles focused on digital assets and cryptocurrency. Lummis has been one of Capitol Hill’s most prominent voices on the issue and currently serves as chair of the Senate Banking Subcommittee on Digital Assets. President Trump underscored that role when he endorsed her in March, saying she was “working closely with me to make America the [cryptocurrency] Capital of the World.”
Lummis becomes the fifth Senate Republican to announce plans to leave office next year, joining Sens. Joni Ernst of Iowa, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, and Tommy Tuberville of Alabama. The growing list of departures is expected to trigger several competitive GOP primaries as Republicans look to defend their majority.
In Wyoming, attention is already turning to potential successors. Rep. Harriet Hageman is widely viewed as a top-tier contender to seek the seat, and her entry would likely make her a leading figure in what is expected to be a closely watched Republican primary.
The primary election is scheduled for mid-August. With no Democrat having held a U.S. Senate seat in Wyoming since 1977, the Republican primary is poised to be the decisive contest, determining who will represent the state in Washington for years to come.
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