The Wyoming Republican Party has set the ground rules for selecting a replacement to the late Sen. Craig Thomas (R-Wyo.), with the process to culminate with voting by the state GOP central committee on June 19.

The Wyoming GOP is allowing any registered Republican in the state who qualifies to serve as a Senator to submit an application for consideration. Applications are due by 5 p.m. Mountain time on Thursday, with a candidate forum being planned for Sunday.

“We’re going to be open, comprehensive, and fair,” Wyoming GOP Chairman Fred Parady said, during a news conference Monday in Casper, Wyo.

The June 19 meeting will be open to the press, and any candidate who qualifies for the process will be allowed to offer remarks, with the time allowed dependent upon the size of the applicant pool.

In the even of a large field, the central committee members — who will vote for their top three choices on secret ballots — will pare down the pool of candidates to eight, at which time an extended period of third-party nominating speeches, remarks by candidates, and a question-and-answer session with voting committee members, will ensue.

The names of the top three candidates to emerge from this process will be forwarded to Gov. Dave Freudenthal (D), who is charged by state law with selecting Thomas’ replacement from among these choices. Freudenthal is required to make his decision within five days of receiving the three names.

— David M. Drucker