A few years ago, I asked Liberty Caucus founder Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich., which member of the House might have a more libertarian record than many realize.
He didn’t hesitate: Rep. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., who served in the House from 2009 to 2016.
When it was reported recently that Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., would not seek a fifth term, many speculated which Wyoming politician might gun for his seat, with all eyes on Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo.
Cheney challenged Enzi in his Republican primary in 2014, portraying herself as the outsider and him as Washington “establishment,” which was stupid because she’s a Cheney. Nobody bought that.
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., endorsed Enzi in that primary, making it somewhat of a proxy war between the libertarian and neoconservative factions within the Republican Party.
Thankfully, Cheney did not become a senator that year, but she did become a congresswoman two years later when she won the House seat vacated by Cynthia Lummis in 2016.
Lummis couldn’t have asked for a worse successor. While Liz Cheney predictably continues to be every bit her father’s daughter, proudly carrying his pro-war and anti-civil liberties torch, Lummis once cast votes that would stop the 2001 Authorization Use of Military Force from being a blank check for war, supported amendments restricting U.S. aid to Pakistan and Syria, and joined libertarian hero Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., in wanting to protect American citizens crossing the border from warrantless searches.
Needless to say, these are not votes Cheney would have cast.
Lummis did not have a liberty voting record as stringent as members of Congress like Amash or Massie (with the exception of former Rep. Mark Sanford, R-S.C., few if any Republicans did), but she was often an ally on key libertarian issues when most Republicans simply weren’t. Amash mentioned her to me for a reason.
In 2016, Lummis became the national co-chairman of Rand Paul’s presidential campaign. “She and I move in some of the same circles, I would say, as far as the libertarian movement,” Paul said at the time. “These are representatives and senators who believe in the Constitution, limited government, balanced budgets. We’ve probably known each other since I came up here.”
This is not surprising, considering that Lummis was not only a member of Amash’s Liberty Caucus but also is a member of the House Freedom Caucus, where she never minded challenging Republican leadership. She reportedly has a good relationship with current Trump chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and, not surprisingly, was being considered at the beginning of the year for Interior secretary.
Lummis already has a strong statewide election record, considering that Wyoming only has one congressional district. Roll Call notes: “Lummis was a state representative, state senator and state treasurer before being elected to Congress in 2008. She won a four-way primary for the open seat with 46 percent over now-Gov. Mark Gordon and two others. She defeated Democrat Gary Trauner (who might run in 2020) by 10 points in the general election. Lummis explored but declined to run for governor last cycle.”
Though most current Washington discussion about who might fill Enzi’s vacant seat has centered on Cheney (most House Republicans expect her to run), Lummis has been mentioned along with prominent names.
Needless to say, we don’t need another neocon-tinged warhawk in the Senate. Sens. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Tom Cotton, R-Ark., are doing just fine, unfortunately, and their fellow Republicans more often agree with them than not.
But Rand Paul could use some help. After Paul, the most reliable Senate libertarian is Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, who together do what they can to corral other Republicans into following the Constitution, cutting spending, and limiting government. It’s never easy.
Paul has done a good job aligning with President Trump on issues where they agree, particularly regarding some of the president’s “America First” foreign policy positions. At the same time, Paul has also voted against Trump more than any other Republican.
Similarly, Lummis was generally a Trump ally but still retained her independence, while Cheney has lashed out at the president, particularly on foreign policy issues where Trump finds himself in agreement with Paul and presumably Lummis.
It would be refreshing to have another senator who could work with Trump on some of the foreign policy and other issues where libertarians and the president agree instinctively, especially considering that the overwhelming majority of Republicans disagree, with Cheney epitomizing these longstanding Washington sentiments.
In 2020, Wyoming will elect a new senator. Rest assured, everyone in Washington will be backing the daughter of the former vice president. That doesn’t mean she’s an automatic anointment.
Cynthia Lummis should seriously consider running for Senate. It’s not hard to imagine Enzi giving her his endorsement. Most importantly, maybe Wyomingites want to give liberty a chance?
Rand Paul could use the help.
Jack Hunter (@jackhunter74) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner’s Beltway Confidential blog. He is the former political editor of Rare.us and co-authored the 2011 book The Tea Party Goes to Washington with Sen. Rand Paul.
