Sen. Cynthia Lummis is walking away from Washington after one term, and yeah, that is a big deal for anyone who cares about crypto, tech, AI, or just anything tied to Wyoming’s odd power in the Senate.
In a statement released by her office on Friday, Cynthia said she will retire when her term ends in early 2027. She tied the choice to the heavy workload during the shutdown fight and said the long grind no longer matches her energy level.
Cynthia said, “Deciding not to run for re-election does represent a change of heart for me,” and added that the intense session this fall made her accept that she does not “have six more years” in her.
She also said she felt like a “sprinter in a marathon,” and the energy for another full term “doesn’t match up.”
Lummis came to the Senate in 2020 after years in the House. She sits on the Banking Committee, and many in the crypto world know her for pushing a light federal hand on digital assets.
She once sat with the House Freedom Caucus and stuck with a tight fiscal line in the Senate, always pressing for cuts to federal spending. She was also one of the GOP senators whose phone records were taken during special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation of the Jan. 6 attack by Trump supporters. Her seat remains a safe one for Republicans, so the party will not be sweating the odds in 2026.
Cynthia Lummis is crypto’s biggest ever ally in US Congress
During her time in office, Cynthia pushed several major tech bills. She worked on crypto rules and took a lead role in early discussions on artificial intelligence oversight.
This year she introduced a bill that would protect AI companies from certain liability cases as long as they met specific disclosure rules.
Cynthia also shared her concerns when President Trump met privately with investors involved in his $TRUMP meme token project. She wanted more clarity around that meeting and joined other GOP senators in bringing it up inside the party.
Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., said, “Cynthia is a straight shooter and a trailblazer,” and pointed to her energy inside the Senate. Alex Latcham, a senior figure at the Senate Leadership Fund, also weighed in and said she “will be missed.”
Barrasso thanked her for her work for Wyoming and said her record as a conservative is solid. He linked her time in office to digital currency progress and energy policy, saying she helped push the United States into a leadership role in those areas.
Who will take over from Lummis?
With Cynthia leaving her seat open, Wyoming Republicans are already lining up. The state leans deep red. Trump won it by over 45 points in 2024, and Cynthia won her own 2020 race by over 46 points. Whoever wins the GOP primary will almost certainly win the general.
Two sources allegedly told NBC News that Rep. Harriet Hageman is likely to run. Hageman is 63 and knocked out former Rep. Liz Cheney in the 2022 primary. Her advisor, Tim Murtaugh, said Hageman will “have an announcement next week,” hinting that she is ready to move toward the Senate.
Hageman also spoke about Cynthia’s time in office, saying:
“Senator Lummis has been a trailblazer for Wyoming and has been key in educating other members of Congress, including other Republicans, about what life is like in our Western states.”
She added that Cynthia made sure lawmakers understood how decisions in Washington landed on people in the West. She also said, “There can be no question that the people of Wyoming are better off for having had Cynthia Lummis on their side.”
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