Senator Craig Thomas, RIP
Craig Thomas, Wyoming's quiet Senator, lost his battle with cancer yesterday at age 74. Re-elected in a rare bright spot for Republicans in last year's midterm meltdown, Thomas had hoped to recover for his full term, but his leukemia turned out to be too advanced:
Wyoming Sen. Craig Thomas, a three-term conservative Republican who stayed clear of the Washington limelight and political catfights, died yesterday. He was 74.The senator's family issued a statement saying he died Monday evening at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda. He had been receiving chemotherapy for acute myeloid leukemia.
Just before the 2006 election, Thomas was hospitalized with pneumonia and had to cancel his last campaign stops. He nonetheless won with 70 percent of the vote, monitoring the election from his hospital bed. ...
"Wyoming had no greater advocate, taxpayers had no greater watchdog, and rural America had no greater defender than Craig Thomas," Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) said last night. "The Senate is a lesser place without Craig here, but the state of Wyoming and our nation are much better places because he was here."
He may have stayed out of the limelight and the partisan battles on Capitol Hill, but he was an effective member of the Senate for his state. His passion was public land use, helping to maintain parks like Yellowstone. Interestingly, Thomas first entered Congress as a replacement for Dick Cheney in 1989, when Cheney became Secretary of Defense in Bush 41's Cabinet.
For those keeping score, Wyoming has a Democratic governor, and in most states, that would mean that the balance in the Senate would change. In Wyoming, though, the law apparently requires that the party holding the seat nominate replacement candidates, among whom the governor selects one. The seat will remain in Republican hands as a result.
Our prayers go out to the former Marine who served his country faithfully, and to the family that supported him. Godspeed, Senator Thomas, and thank you.
Posted by Ed Morrissey on June 5, 2007 5:51 AM | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (1)
Comments (8)
Posted by onlineanalyst | June 5, 2007 6:28 AM
How very sad for Senator Thomas's family, the state of Wyoming, and our very nation. All have lost a fine person and statesman.
When I read this news earlier at "The Corner", my heart plummeted. Prayers are the order of the day for all of us bereaved.
Posted by reliapundit | June 5, 2007 7:11 AM
my condolences to the Thomas family.
as i suggested, and as klo at nro has agreed:
senator cheney has a nice ring to it.
LYNN CHENEY, that is.
Posted by SJI | June 5, 2007 7:59 AM
senator cheney has a nice ring to it.
LYNN CHENEY, that is.
--Posted by: reliapundit at June 5, 2007 7:11 AM ,
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Weird.
Here I was thinking that the Republicaneanderthal Party was opposed to those who violate traditional family values by having a godless heathen lesbian of a daughter bearing a child.
I suppose hypocrisy knows no bounds when it comes to power, eh?
Posted by MarkW | June 5, 2007 8:14 AM
It's interesting how liberals assume that their distorted view of others actually constitutes reality.
Posted by wytammic | June 5, 2007 9:49 AM
Thanks for honoring the life of our great Senator with this post. He will be missed. God bless and comfort his family during their time of sorrow
Posted by SJI | June 5, 2007 11:42 AM
My view of the Republicaneanderthals is distorted? And here I was thinking that years of conservatives using the homosexual community as a political punching bag indicated they might not be so supportive of the gay/lesbian lifestyle.
Well, if that' not the case: I'm glad to read that you have joined with reliapundit in protecting "family values" through the promotion of the homosexual agenda by championing Lynn Cheney for Senate.
Nice of you to join the civilized world, knuckledragger.
Posted by Honky | June 5, 2007 12:37 PM
This story seems to be getting far less attention than Sen. Johnson's stroke did. Is that only because of the potential Democratic loss of the Senate that existed then?
Posted by SJI | June 8, 2007 12:27 AM
Of course I fully support the tin horn dictator loving Socialists that are the Dim-O-Crass party.
At least we're not afraid to admit our bizarre sexual practices and pedophilia.