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Conservative surgeon appointed Wyoming Senator
Zikiel
Member Posts: 1,138
Conservative is a word for it, this guy might as well wear a sign reading "I am a tooolll" (no, not the good kind of Tool) Like we really needed another 'anti-abortion, anti-gay marriage, teach our children prayer' senator. Discuss.
Conservative Wyo. Surgeon Named Senator
Friday, June 22, 2007 2:29 PM EDT
The Associated Press
By BOB MOEN
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Republican John Barrasso, a surgeon and conservative Wyoming legislator, was named as the country's newest U.S. senator Friday to replace the late Craig Thomas.
The temporary appointment, announced by Wyoming's governor, is immediate but won't change the Senate's party breakdown since Thomas was also a Republican. He died June 4 while being treated for leukemia.
Barrasso, 54, will serve in Thomas' place until the beginning of 2009. He said on his application that he also intends to then run in a November 2008 special election to serve out the remainder of Thomas' term, which ends in 2013.
Barrasso also left no doubt that he will be a conservative voice in Washington.
"I believe in limited government, lower taxes, less spending, traditional family values, local control and a strong national defense," the orthopedic surgeon and state senator from Casper wrote in his application.
He said he has "voted for prayer in schools, against gay marriage and have sponsored legislation to protect the sanctity of life."
Barrasso did not immediately return a telephone message from The Associated Press seeking comment Friday.
State Republican Party officials had given Gov. Dave Freudenthal a slate of three nominees from which he had to choose the temporary replacement for Thomas. Freudenthal, a Democrat, chose Barrasso over Cheyenne attorney Tom Sansonetti and former state Treasurer Cynthia Lummis.
"There are many factors that went into this decision, and it was the sum of these factors that led me to this choice," the governor said. "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."
Barrasso, a state senator since 2003, rose quickly in the Legislature and became chairman of the Senate Transportation, Highway and Military Affairs Committee.
He ran for the U.S. Senate in the 1990s, but lost the 1996 Republican primary to Mike Enzi, now the state's senior senator.
University of Wyoming political science professor James King said the state won't see much change in its political representation in Congress, though Barrasso's medical background will bring some practical knowledge to issues like heath care reform.
Rep. Barbara Cubin, also from Casper, said she looked forward to working with Barrasso in Washington.
"John has served Natrona County well in the state Senate and will take that excellent work ethic to the floor of the U.S. Senate," Cubin said.
Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said he spoke with Barrasso by telephone shortly after the announcement and hopes to have him in the Senate as early as Monday.
"His energy, combined with the excellent staff that served Sen. Thomas so well over many years, will allow him to get started right away in what will be a busy legislative year," McConnell said.
Comments
What's your point?
a person is a tool if they have legitimate differences concerning social issues?
I'm anti-abortion. Don't really care about gay-marriage at all, and don't think prayer in school is a problem.
Oh noes i'm a tool! well at least 2/3's of a tool!
I hope some day we can all put aside our racisms and prejudices and just laugh at people