TOM MORTON Star-Tribune staff writer | Posted: Sunday, June 17, 2007 12:00 am
"What would Craig do?"
Some Wyoming Republicans say they hope the 71 members of the GOP's state central committee will keep that phrase in mind on Tuesday when they choose three possible successors to the late U.S. Sen. Craig Thomas. One of those will be appointed to the seat by Democrat Gov. Dave Freudenthal.
Wyoming citizens re-elected Thomas by an overwhelming vote of 134,969 to 57,640 - 70 percent to 30 percent - over Democratic challenger Dale Groutage in the November general election.
"In political dog years, that election was yesterday, and I don't think it can be ignored," said Thomas's former chief of staff, Liz Brimmer.
The 71 committee members represent 0.00526 percent of those who voted for Thomas.
"People were clear what they wanted," Brimmer said. "There's a big difference between an intraparty vote and a vote of the people in November."
State voters also are not as ideologically bound as the central committee, said Brimmer, who now runs a consulting business in Jackson.
"Does the central committee respect the vote in November? Should the will of the people be respected?"
Wyoming GOP Chairman Fred Parady pledged the replacement process "open, it's comprehensive, and it will be fair," at a news conference in Casper on Monday. "And our purpose is to select the best possible three names to represent Wyoming in the United States Senate."
Brimmer doesn't doubt that.
But the 71 central committee members - three from each of the 23 counties, the national committeeman and national committeewoman - have an opportunity to continue Thomas's legislative agenda, from energy and agriculture to rural health care and preserving specific open spaces, reflect his personal style, and on a practical level commit to keep his staff.
"Craig would want the will of the people to be respected," she said.
Brimmer also asked whether the central committee will ask the candidates to pledge to keep Thomas's staff members who have years of experience. "Craig would be so pained to know if they (staff members) can't pay the rent next month," she said.
Jim King, professor of political science at the University of Wyoming, agreed with Brimmer that the central committee could act in a partisan manner.
For example, the central committee could proffer two candidates unacceptable to Freudenthal, leaving the governor to choose the one person the committee wants, King said.
On the other hand, the committee could put aside gamesmanship to select the three best candidates to represent Wyoming and honor Thomas's legacy, he said.
However, King disagreed with Brimmer that the central committee does not have the time to get to know the candidates in these few days as well as a primary process does in a few months.
Many of the candidates already have proven track records in state and party leadership, he said. "We're not dealing with an unknown."
Most of the candidates will share the same core beliefs as Thomas, and the range of opinions on issues will not be that diverse, King said.
But the central committee will not be naming Thomas clones, he said.
Whoever gets the job will work as his or her own senator, just as vice presidents who become presidents have become their own men and not imitators of their predecessors, he said.
"There are new issues, but you have the core values," King said.
Views from the committee
Several committee members said they're looking at Thomas's legacy as well as the future.
Bruce Brown, who ran unsuccessfully in the 2006 primary for state auditor, remembered when he was in college and tended bar at Thomas's King's Inn in Torrington.
Thomas would come in to chat with him the same way 30 years ago as when he was Wyoming's senior senator, Brown said. "He didn't change from day one."
Most of the 30 applicants have awesome leadership skills and reflect the values and issues important to Thomas such as rural health care, he said.
"He was a champion for small hospitals," Brown said.
He also advocated for matters important to northeast Wyoming such as natural resources, timber and agriculture, he said.
For Brown, the decisions on Tuesday come down to leadership and ability to work with others, with an eye toward Thomas's legacy and an eye toward the future, he said.
"It's a new day and a new page in Wyoming history," Brown said.
Committee member Dave Lankford of Sublette County said he'll also keep Thomas in mind.
"I'm definitely interested in the issues that Senator Thomas was for, as far as environment and agriculture," he said.
Committee member Bill Cubin of Natrona County said likewise.
"A lot of people want our next senator to pick up where Thomas left off and run with it," he said.
Committee member Jonathan Downing of Laramie County is cognizant of his responsibility, the time crunch and the process to name Thomas's successor.
"The time compression does affect everything," Downing said. "You need to make every effort to get to know the issues."
Even though the selection process is done by the central committee and not the entire party or electorate, Downing believes the openness by publishing the applications of the candidates and the forum at Casper College at 1 p.m. today in fact does engage the public.
"The important part is to do due diligence," he said.
Although he's received dozens of phone calls from candidates and their supporters, the issue of staff retention has not arisen, said Downing, who served on Sen. Mike Enzi's staff.
"Personally, it would be wise to keep some of the staff," he said. "My expectation is (the candidates) will do what they need to do manage the office and represent the state."
Capital bureau reporter Jared Miller contributed to this report.
Reach Tom Morton at (307) 266-0592, or at Tom.Morton@casperstartribune.net.