Mike Enzi
American politician (1944–2021)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Michael Bradley Enzi (/ˈɛnzi/ EN-zee; February 1, 1944 – July 26, 2021) was an American politician who served in the United States Senate from Wyoming as a member of the Republican Party from 1997 to 2021. Prior to his tenure in the United States Senate, he served as mayor of Gillette, Wyoming, in the Wyoming House of Representatives from Campbell County, and the Wyoming Senate from the 24th district. He was the third-longest-serving senator from Wyoming.
Mike Enzi | |
|---|---|
Official portrait, 2018 | |
| United States Senator from Wyoming | |
| In office January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Alan Simpson |
| Succeeded by | Cynthia Lummis |
| Member of the Wyoming Senate from the 24th district | |
| In office December 13, 1991 – January 3, 1997 | |
| Preceded by | Kelly Mader |
| Succeeded by | Richard Erb |
| Member of the Wyoming House of Representatives from the Campbell County district | |
| In office 1987–1991 | |
| Preceded by | Multi-member district |
| Succeeded by | David Shippy |
| Mayor of Gillette, Wyoming | |
| In office January 6, 1975 – January 1983 | |
| Preceded by | Cliff Davis |
| Succeeded by | Herb Carter |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Michael Bradley Enzi February 1, 1944 Bremerton, Washington, U.S. |
| Died | July 26, 2021 (aged 77) Loveland, Colorado, U.S. |
| Party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Diana Buckley (m. 1969) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | George Washington University (BS) University of Denver (MBA) |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | Air National Guard |
Years of service | 1967–1973 |
| Unit | Wyoming Air National Guard |
Enzi was born in Bremerton, Washington, and raised in Thermopolis and Sheridan, Wyoming. He was educated at Sheridan High School, George Washington University, and the University of Denver. He served in the Air National Guard, and held positions in the American Legion Boys State, DeMolay International, and United States Junior Chamber. He entered politics after being convinced by Alan Simpson to run for mayor of Gillette and defeating incumbent mayor Cliff Davis in 1974. He was elected to the state house in the 1986 election and served until his appointment to the state senate in 1991.
In the 1996 U.S. Senate election Enzi defeated future senator John Barrasso and other candidates in the Republican primary and Democratic nominee Kathy Karpan in the general election. He was ideologically conservative, but was also one of the most bipartisan Republicans in the U.S. Senate. Enzi served as chair or ranking member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, and Budget committees. He declined to seek reelection in the 2020 election and was succeeded by Cynthia Lummis. He died in 2021 following injuries resulting from a bicycling accident.
Early life and education
Michael Bradley Enzi was born in Bremerton, Washington, on February 1, 1944,[1] to Elmer J. Enzi and Dorothy Bradley. Elmer and Dorothy married on August 31, 1942, and moved to Thermopolis, Wyoming, after Elmer was discharged from the United States Navy. Elmer opened a shoe store in Thermopolis before moving to Sheridan, Wyoming, in 1952, where he opened another shoe store in 1958.[2][3] Enzi graduated from Sheridan High School in 1962, from George Washington University with a degree in accounting in 1966, and from the University of Denver with a Master of Business Administration in retail marketing in 1968.[4][5]
Enzi was elected as a city councilor in the American Legion Boys State in 1961,[6] and junior councilor in the Wyoming DeMolay International organization in 1963.[7] In 1970, Enzi was appointed to serve as vice-chair of the nine-member Public Health Nursing Advisory Committee in Gillette,[8] and elected president of the Wyoming United States Junior Chamber in 1973.[9]
The Selective Service System reported that Enzi was in good health in 1963, and in 1966. The Officer Candidate School rejected Enzi due to glycosuria in 1967.[10] From 1967 to 1973, Enzi served in the Wyoming Air National Guard.[1][11] In 1996, Enzi stated that he tried to enlist to serve in the Vietnam War, but was ruled medically ineligible and joined the Air National Guard instead. Wyoming Veterans of Foreign Wars Commander Bill Saunders and others questioned how he could serve in the National Guard if he was medically ineligible for active service.[11][10]
On June 7, 1969, Enzi married Diana Buckley, with whom he had three children, and moved to Gillette, Wyoming, a week later.[4] Buckley and Enzi opened NZ Shoes in Gillette, and opened two other locations in Sheridan and Miles City, Montana. He was an accounting manager, computer programmer, and safety trainer at Dunbar Well Service from 1985 to 1997.[12]
Career
Local politics
State representative Alan Simpson convinced Enzi to run for mayor of Gillette in 1974.[1] He defeated incumbent mayor Cliff Davis[13][14] and was reelected without opposition in 1978.[15] Stating that he was "not a career politician", Enzi declined to seek reelection on July 7, 1982.[16]
Ed Geringer and Jack Babcock resigned within a month of each other in April and May 1976, leaving two city council seats vacant. Geringer cited personal reasons for stepping down, while Babcock was moving out of the city. Enzi filled both vacancies with Jack Edmunds and Robert White respectively.[17] Gillette's Planning and Zoning Commission was created in 1979, and Enzi appointed six of the seven positions on the board upon its creation.[18] As mayor, Enzi approved the construction of a pipeline bringing water from Moorcroft, Wyoming; water was rationed in Gillette prior to the pipeline.[19]
Enzi was appointed to serve on the National League of Cities' community development committee.[20] He was vice-president and president of the Wyoming Association of Municipalities.[21] Enzi's term as president of the Wyoming Association of Municipalities was meant to end in June 1983, but John Nickle had to serve the remainder of his term after Enzi left his mayoral office in January 1983.[22]
Wyoming Legislature
John Ostlund, a member of the Wyoming Senate, ran for governor rather than seek reelection in 1978. The Casper Star-Tribune speculated that Enzi might run to succeed him, but Enzi instead announced that he would run for reelection as mayor on July 17.[23][24] Dick Wallis, John Hines, and Enzi were elected to the three seats in the Wyoming House of Representatives from Campbell County in the 1986 election without opposition as Republicans.[25][26][27] All three representatives won reelection in the 1988[28] and 1990 elections against Democratic opponents.[29][30]
Senator Kelly Mader resigned on December 9, 1991, after moving with his family to Denver, Colorado, where he started a business.[31] Enzi was selected to replace Mader on December 13, while rancher David Shippy was selected to replace Enzi in the state house.[32][33] Enzi faced no opposition in the Republican primary or general election in 1992.[34][35]
During Enzi's tenure in the state house, he served on the Education, Corporations and Elections, and Mines and Minerals committees.[36][37] He served on the Joint Appropriations committee and as the chair of the Revenue committee in the state senate.[38][39] He lost his position as chair of the Revenue committee and was replaced by Grant Larson in 1996, as senate rules prohibited statewide candidates from serving as chairs of committee.[40]
United States Senate
Elections
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Simpson, who was first elected to the United States Senate in 1978, announced on December 3, 1995, that he would not seek reelection in 1996.[41] Enzi announced his campaign for the Republican nomination on April 9, 1996,[42] and defeated eight other candidates in the primary;[43] one of those candidates was John Barrasso, who would later be appointed to the U.S. Senate in 2007. Enzi garnered support due to his opposition to abortion, while Barrasso, who had been expected to win the primary, supported abortion rights at the time.[44][45] Enzi defeated Democratic nominee Kathy Karpan in the general election.[46] During the campaign, Enzi raised $1,020,906 and spent $989,572.[47]
On March 22, 2002, Enzi announced that he would run for reelection in 2002.[48] Dick Bratton served as his campaign chair.[49] Enzi defeated Crosby Allen, a county commissioner from Fremont County, in the Republican primary[50][51] and Democratic nominee Joyce Corcoran, the mayor of Lander, Wyoming, in the general election.[52][53] During the 2002 election Enzi raised $1,443,925 and spent $1,130,628[54] compared to the $8,488 raised and $8,467 spent by Corcoran.[55] In the 2008 election he raised $2,369,093 and spent $2,129,834 in order to defeat Democratic nominee Chris Rothfuss, who raised $32,326 and spent $27,258.[56][57][58][59]
Liz Cheney, the daughter of Vice President Dick Cheney, initially opposed Enzi in the Republican primary during the 2014 election, but polling showed that Enzi would defeat her. Cheney dropped out of the race, citing family health concerns.[60][61] Enzi defeated Democratic nominee Charlie Hardy and independent candidate Curt Gottshall in the election[62][63] after raising $3,777,045 and spending $3,491,953 compared to the $91,678 and $76,631 raised and $88,284 and $76,431 spent by Hardy and Gottshall respectively.[64][65][66] On May 5, 2019, Enzi announced that he would not seek reelection in 2020,[67] and U.S. Representative Cynthia Lummis was elected to succeed him.[68] Enzi's tenure of 24 years made him the third-longest-serving senator from Wyoming behind Francis E. Warren's 37 years and Joseph C. O'Mahoney's 25 years.[69][70]
Tenure
In 1997, Enzi asked the parliamentarian if he could bring his laptop onto the floor of the U.S. Senate and was told to ask Sergeant at Arms Gregory S. Casey. Casey told Enzi that the rules only allowed "mechanical devices" that were deemed "necessary and proper", but that he could not determine what met that criteria without guidance from the U.S. Senate. The Rules and Administration committee requested Casey to write a report.[71] Casey conducted a three-month study and determined that the rules allowed members to use laptops on the floor, but not if they were connected to an outside network. John Warner, the chair of the Rules committee, sent the report to all 100 senators for consideration in September. Robert Byrd was opposed stating that the sound of typing would be irritating.[72] Robert Torricelli, Dianne Feinstein, and Kay Bailey Hutchison also opposed allowing laptops onto the floor.[71] On November 5, the committee voted against allowing Enzi to bring his laptop onto the floor. Rick Santorum was the only member to support the proposal.[73][74] As of 2018, personal electronic devices remained prohibited from the floor.[75]
Following Trent Lott's resignation, Enzi lobbied for Bill Frist to become Senate Majority Leader.[76][77] The Central Wyoming Council and the Boy Scouts of America nominated Enzi for the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award, which was given to him in 1999; Enzi was the first Wyomingite to receive the award.[78] The Air Force Association awarded the Stuart Symington award, given for outstanding civilian contribution in the field of national security and the organization's highest civilian award, to Enzi and U.S. Representative Cliff Stearns for co-founding the Congressional Air Force Caucus.[79] The Golden Gavel Award, which is given to those who preside over the U.S. Senate for 100 hours in a single session, was given to Enzi in 1997 and 2004.[80]
During the impeachment trial of President Bill Clinton, Enzi voted against calling Monica Lewinsky to testify.[81] He voted to convict Clinton on both articles of impeachment, but neither article received enough support to remove Clinton.[82][83] Enzi voted against convicting Donald Trump on both articles of impeachment in his first impeachment trial.[84] The nominations of John Roberts,[85] Samuel Alito,[86] Neil Gorsuch,[87] Brett Kavanaugh,[88] and Amy Coney Barrett[89] to the Supreme Court of the United States were supported by Enzi. He voted against Sonia Sotomayor[90] and Elena Kagan's nominations.[91]
Andrea Palladio's influence on American architecture was recognized by Congress due to a resolution sponsored by Enzi and Bill Pascrell.[92][93] A Congressional Gold Medal was awarded to Constantino Brumidi in 2012 due to legislation sponsored by Enzi and Pascrell.[94] The Powell Shooting Range Land Conveyance Act, which directed the Bureau of Land Management to convey 322 acres of federal land near Powell, Wyoming, to the Powell Recreation District, was sponsored by Enzi and signed into law in 2013.[95][96]
The conservative Heritage Action gave Enzi a lifetime score of 74%,[97] Conservative Political Action Conference gave him a lifetime score of 91.10%,[98] and the liberal Americans for Democratic Action gave him a score of 5% in 2020.[99]
GovTrack listed Enzi as the second-most conservative senator in 2014, but also rated him as the third-most-likely Republican to work with Democrats.[100] The Lugar Center gave him a lifetime bipartisan ranking of 147 out of 250 senators from 1993 to 2018.[101] Enzi adhered to an 80/20 rule for bipartisan compromise in which senators would focus on the 80% they agreed on and remove the 20% that they did not.[69][12]
Committees
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During Enzi's tenure in the U.S. Senate he served on the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and Labor and Human Resources committees.[102] Enzi became the chair of the Employment and Workplace Safety and Banking subcommittees following the defeat of several Republicans in the 1998 elections.[103] He succeeded Judd Gregg as chair of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee in 2004,[104][105] and Patty Murray as chair of the Budget committee in 2015.[106][107] He was the first accountant to chair the Budget committee.[106]
Jim Jeffords was replaced on the Finance committee by Craig L. Thomas after Jeffords left the Republicans to become an independent. Thomas, who was on the Foreign Relations committee, was replaced by Enzi.[108] Thomas's death and Lott's resignation in 2007 opened seats on the Finance committee that Enzi sought, but John Ensign and John E. Sununu were given the seats instead.[109][110] Sununu lost reelection in 2008 and Enzi was given a seat on the Finance committee in 2009.[111]
Death
On July 23, 2021, Enzi broke his neck and multiple ribs in a bicycling accident near his home in Gillette. He was flown to Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland, Colorado, where he died on July 26.[112][12]
Political positions
Abortion
Enzi was given a 0% rating from the abortion rights organization NARAL Pro-Choice America in its 1997 report.[113] Enzi supported legislation to prohibit the use of federal money to perform abortions.[114][115] In 2020, Enzi was among 39 senators and 168 representatives who signed an amicus brief calling for the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade.[116]
Campaign finance
Enzi was an opponent of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, stating that it violated the First Amendment rights of interest groups to contribute money. He voted to sustain a filibuster against it in 1997 and 1998,[117][118] and voted against it in 2002.[119] He returned $3,500 in campaign contributions given to him by Enron following their scandal,[120] but kept the $10,000 given to him by Ted Stevens following his corruption indictment.[121]
Coinage
Enzi led the effort to create the Sacagawea dollar to honor the Native American guide Sacagawea and replace the Susan B. Anthony dollar. Other members of the U.S. Senate wanted the coin to depict the Statue of Liberty, Clara Barton, Shirley Chisholm, Rosa Parks, Pocahontas, or another figure.[122] Enzi wrote a letter to Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin asking for the coin to be unveiled at Fort Washakie.[123] The Sacagawea coin was made the official state coin of Wyoming in 2005.[124] He supported the dollar coin[125] and wanted to eliminate the penny.[12]
Crime
Enzi supported the use of capital punishment.[126]
John Perry and Enzi cosponsored legislation in 1986, which would make the assault and battery of people above the age of 65 a high misdemeanor.[127]
The Drug Enforcement Administration ruled that it was illegal to use controlled substances for assisted suicide. Enzi requested Attorney General Janet Reno speak out against assisted suicide as he was "concerned that the proponents of assisted suicide could interpret her silence on the matter as an approval".[128]
Enzi supported the creation of an amendment prohibiting the desecration of the flag of the United States.[129] Enzi voted in favor of the flag desecration amendment in 2000 and 2006, but it failed to receive a two-thirds majority both times.[130][131]
Enzi voted against the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006.[132]
Legal scholar Brian C. Kalt wrote a journal article about a loophole in Idaho's section of the Yellowstone National Park in which no jury could be assembled for prosecution of crimes committed in that area. Enzi was notified of this issue as it was covered in C. J. Box's 2007 novel Free Fire.[133] Enzi sent a letter to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales in which he requested the United States Department of Justice to close the loophole.[134] However, the Department of Justice declined to make any changes and that it would prosecute any crimes committed in the area.[135]
Economics
Enzi opposed a ballot initiative in 1994, that would allow counties in Wyoming to legalize gambling and was director of Wyomingites for a Better Economy Today and Tomorrow, which opposed the initiative.[136] In 1997, Enzi introduced an amendment to legislation for the United States Department of the Interior's spending that would prohibit approving new Native American casinos without state approval; the Arapaho and Shoshone tribes criticized Enzi for proposing this without consulting them.[137] Ron Allen, the president of the National Congress of American Indians and chair of the Klallam tribe, criticized Enzi for attempting to limit the power of Native Americans to negotiate gambling contracts with the federal government.[138]
Enzi supported the International Monetary Fund's bailout of South Korea during the 1997 Asian financial crisis.[139]
Enzi was given a Taxpayer's Friend award by the National Taxpayers Union in their 1999 report.[140] Enzi opposed the estate tax and criticized Clinton for vetoing legislation in 2000 which would phase out the estate tax at the federal level over the course of ten years.[141]
Enzi voted against an amendment to raise the minimum wage by $1 over the course of two years in 1998,[142] and against raising the minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10 an hour in 2014.[143] In 2006, he proposed a two-staged minimum wage increase of $1.10 over the course of 18 months as an alternative to a minimum wage increase proposed by Ted Kennedy.[144]
Enzi was among 24 U.S. Senators who wrote a letter to Clinton in 1999, asking him to implement tariffs to protect lamb production in the United States.[145] He supported a 2002 ruling by the United States International Trade Commission which would allow tariffs on wheat imports from Canada.[146] Enzi was among 16 Republican senators who cosponsored legislation in 2018 which would suspend the 22% tariff on newsprint from Canada.[147]
Enzi supported the creation of a balanced budget amendment and stated that, without the amendment, the president could use "smoke and mirrors" to circumvent requirements for a balanced budget.[148] He voted against the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.[149] In 2011, he introduced legislation to change the creation of the United States federal budget from an annual basis to biennial.[150]
Environment
The Public Interest Research Group gave Enzi a 0% rating for votes on environmental legislation conducted between March 1997 and March 1998.[151] The League of Conservation Voters gave Enzi an 0% rating from 1997 to 2004, and in 2006, 2013, 2015, 2017, and 2020; his lifetime score from the organization was 5%.[152]
In 1994, the state senate voted 29 to 1, with Enzi as the sole vote against, in favor of placing a moratorium on the sale of state land.[153] The Bush administration proposed to sell up to 300,000 acres of national forests and grasslands in 2006 as a way to underwrite the reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000; Enzi opposed selling public lands in order to fund the reauthorization.[154] Enzi supported drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.[155]
In 2000, Enzi supported legislation by Senator Mike Crapo which would remove total maximum daily load from the Clean Water Act.[156]
Byrd and Enzi cosponsored a resolution, made in response to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, calling for Clinton to not sign global climate agreements if they harmed the interests of the United States or if they failed to include developing nations.[157] Enzi opposed the Kyoto Protocol.[158] In 2017, Enzi was one of the 22 Republican senators who called for Trump to withdraw from the Paris Agreement.[159]
Emission rules instituted by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2014 required Wyoming to reduce its carbon emissions by 19%.[160] Enzi supported legislation in 2015 which would allow governors to reject emission requirement plans by the EPA.[161] In 2017, Enzi supported proposals to reduce the EPA's staff by 3,000.[162]
Enzi supported repealing legislation that phased out incandescent light bulbs in favor of compact fluorescent lamps.[163]
Equality
The civil rights organization National Association for the Advancement of Colored People gave Enzi an F rating in 2002.[164] He opposed the creation of federal hate crime legislation and attempts by Clinton to expand federal hate crime legislation.[165] Enzi denounced the murder of Matthew Shepard, a gay man, and expressed sympathy for his family,[166] but voted against the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.[167]
Enzi supported legislation in the Wyoming state senate that would have denied recognition in Wyoming to same-sex marriages performed in other states.[168][169] He supported the Boy Scouts exclusion of gay scouts and leaders and supported legislation to end federal aid to schools which prohibited the Boy Scouts due to their refusal to admit gay members.[170] Santorum stated in response to Lawrence v. Texas that sodomy laws should be upheld as he believed that allowing sodomy would give people the right to incest, bigamy, and adultery; Enzi supported these comments.[171] In 2004, Enzi voted in favor of the Federal Marriage Amendment, which would prohibit gay marriage.[172]
Enzi cosponsored a resolution expressing support for Judge Roy Moore's attempts to have the Ten Commandments displayed in his courtroom.[173]
Foreign policy
Enzi opposed sending soldiers to Kosovo to participate in the Kosovo War and stated that "there was no exit plan built in".[174] Enzi voted to express Congressional approval for the prosecution of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the Yugoslav Wars.[175]
Enzi supported legislation to end the blockade on food and medicine sales and donations to Cuba in 1998, and later asked Bush to lift restrictions on selling American food and medicine to Cuba.[176][177] Enzi stated that the United States Congress should not become involved with Elián González, a Cuban who arrived in the United States after the boat carrying him and his mother shipwrecked.[178] In 2003, he and Senator Max Baucus called for travel restrictions to Cuba to be lifted.[179] An amendment in both the House and Senate versions of the 2004 appropriations bill for the Treasury and Transportation departments would prohibit funds being used to enforce the travel ban to Cuba, but this language was removed by a conference committee formed by Majority Leader Tom DeLay, who gave 10 of the 17 House seats to people who supported the ban; Enzi criticized this method as the legislation was "stripped by staffers" without a vote being taken.[180][181] In 2009, he and Senator Byron Dorgan introduced the Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act with other Democratic and Republican senators to allow Americans to travel to Cuba and supported other legislation to allow Americans to travel to Cuba.[182][183]
Enzi voted in favor of the Authorization for Use of Military Force of 2001 and the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002.[184][185] Enzi praised Bush's 2003 State of the Union Address stating that he had made solid arguments against Iraq's weapons of mass destruction program and supported the need to disarm Iraq.[186] Enzi stated that Saddam Hussein must be overthrown to disarm Iraq.[187] In 2003, he stated that he still believed that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction despite no weapons of mass destruction being discovered following the invasion of Iraq.[188] The withdrawal of United States troops from Iraq was opposed by Enzi.[189] Questioning what objectives would be achieved or interests served, Enzi opposed giving Barack Obama authorization to order military strikes against Ba'athist Syria.[190]
The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty was opposed by Enzi, who stated that the United States needed to test its nuclear weapons as one-third of the nuclear weapons were detected to have flaws from 1945 to 1992.[191][192] He supported either amending or leaving the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in order for the United States to improve its missile defense against nuclear weapons.[193] In 2015, Enzi was among the 47 Republican members of the U.S. Senate who signed a letter to the leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran stating that the nuclear deal between Iran and the United States could be undone by a future president.[194]
Enzi was the only senator to vote against the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act. The legislation eliminated American imports from Myanmar, placed restrictions on the visas of Myanmar's leaders, and required American opposition to international financial institutions giving loans to Myanmar.[195]
Enzi opposed returning the Balangiga bells, which were taken as war trophies during the Philippine–American War, to the Philippines.[196]
Gun rights
The NRA Political Victory Fund gave Enzi "A" ratings in 1996, and 2014.[197][198] Enzi initially supported the Violent and Repeat Juvenile Offender Act, which aimed to reduce crimes committed by juveniles, but withdrew his support stating that the legislation infringed on the Second Amendment.[199] Enzi voted against amendments to the Juvenile Justice Enforcement Act, which would require background checks for firearms sales at gun shows and flea markets, regulate the transfer of firearms through the internet, and ban the importation of high capacity ammunition magazines; he was one of two senators who voted against an amendment to prohibit juveniles from purchasing or possessing assault-style semi-automatic weapons without the consent of a parent.[200] Enzi introduced legislation in 2001, which would have required law enforcement to destroy the records created by the Federal Bureau of Investigation of people who passed a background check for a gun purchase.[201]
Healthcare
In 2000, Enzi asked Senator William Roth, the chair of the Finance committee, to implement geographic equity for Medicare spending in order to give money to rural healthcare.[202] Enzi voted in favor of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act.[203]
Enzi voted against the Affordable Care Act in 2009,[204] and in favor of repealing it in 2015.[205] On January 3, 2017, he, in his role as chair of the Budget committee, introduced S.Con.Res. 3 to authorize the use of reconciliation to repeal parts of the ACA; this and similar legislation in the U.S. House set the procedural rules for the American Health Care Act of 2017.[206]
Electoral history
| Year | Office | Party | Primary | General | Result | Ref. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | % | P. | Total | % | P. | ||||||
| 1986 | Wyoming House of Representatives (Campbell County multi-member district) | Republican | N/a | 5,901 | 30.96% | 3rd | Won | [27] | |||
| 1988 | Wyoming House of Representatives (Campbell County multi-member district) | Republican | N/a | 6,253 | 27.62% | 3rd | Won | [28] | |||
| 1990 | Wyoming House of Representatives (Campbell County multi-member district) | Republican | 4,414 | 32.37% | 3rd | Figures not available | Won | [29][30] | |||
| 1992 | Wyoming Senate (24th district) | Republican | 2,409 | 100.00% | 1st | Unopposed | Won | [34][35] | |||
| 1996 | United States Senate | Republican | 27,056 | 32.47% | 1st | 114,116 | 54.06% | 1st | Won | [43][46] | |
| 2002 | United States Senate | Republican | 78,612 | 85.87% | 1st | 133,710 | 72.95% | 1st | Won | [51][53] | |
| 2008 | United States Senate | Republican | 69,195 | 100.00% | 1st | 189,046 | 75.63% | 1st | Won | [58][59] | |
| 2014 | United States Senate | Republican | 77,965 | 81.82% | 1st | 121,554 | 72.19% | 1st | Won | [62][63] | |