Sen. Craig Thomas Archives

Sen. Craig Thomas

Sen. Craig Thomas, R-Wyo., died Monday at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., where he was undergoing treatment for leukemia. His family announced the death in a statement.
Thomas, 74, was diagnosed with leukemia in November, a day after easily winning re-election to a third term.

Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal, a Democrat, will name a replacement, who would serve until a successor can be chosen in a November 2008 special election. But under Wyoming law, he must choose from a list of three candidates put forward by the Republican State Central Committee because Thomas was a Republican.

Thomas was a member of the Finance Committee as well as the Energy and Natural Resources, Environment and Public Works, and Indian Affairs panels.

Like most Western lawmakers, he was a fiscal conservative who strongly supported oil and gas exploration on public lands, protecting private-property rights and farmers’ issues.

The senator’s wife, Susan, was at his side at the hospital Monday, along with their sons, Patrick and Greg, and daughter, Lexie.