Republican Wyoming Sen. Cynthia Lummis announced Friday afternoon she will not seek reelection in 2026 after a single term in office.
Lummis, who was first elected to the Senate in 2020, cited the “difficult, exhausting session weeks” in her retirement announcement. She is a close ally of President Donald Trump and a leading voice on energy and cryptocurrency issues.
“It’s an incredible honor to represent Wyoming in the U.S. Senate, and throughout my time here, Wyoming has been my one-and-only priority,” Lummis said in a statement.
“Deciding not to run for re-election does represent a change of heart for me, but in the difficult, exhausting session weeks this fall I’ve come to accept that I do not have six more years in me,” Lummis continued. “I am a devout legislator, but I feel like a sprinter in a marathon. The energy required doesn’t match up.”
Lummis’ decision to forgo a second term will pave the way for an open Senate race in the safe red state. Trump endorsed her reelection bid in March. Republican Wyoming Rep. Harriet Hageman is seen as a top contender in the August GOP primary.
“Lummis leaves big shoes to fill, but I’m confident Wyoming will send a conservative Trump ally to the U.S. Senate in November,” National Republican Senatorial Committee chairman Tim Scott said in a statement.
Lummis’ surprise announcement came after the upper chamber adjourned for the Christmas recess. The Senate had a particularly busy schedule this year with lawmakers casting more votes in 2025 than during any year since at least the Reagan administration, according to the Senate Republican Communications Center.
Lummis, a high-profile crypto champion, played an instrumental role in passing landmark stablecoin legislation known as the GENIUS Act in June. Trump argued the law will allow the United States the world’s leader on cryptocurrency.
Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso of Wyoming offered his praise for Lummis, describing the first woman to represent Wyoming in the Senate as a “trailblazer.”
“Cynthia Lummis is a perfect senator for Wyoming. From Miss Frontier Days to the Wyoming Legislature to the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate – Cynthia has never stopped fighting for the people of Wyoming,” Barrasso wrote. “We’re going to miss her infectious energy and iconic laugh in the halls of the U.S. Senate.”
Lummis previously served four terms in the House beginning in 2009. before succeeding the late Republican Wyoming Sen. Mike Enzi in the upper chamber.
Lummis is the fifth Senate Republican to announce their retirement this year. Sens. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Joni Ernst of Iowa, Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Tommy Tuberville of Alabama are not seeking reelection in 2026. Tuberville is the frontrunner to serve as Alabama’s next governor.
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