The Wyoming Republican Party is scheduled today to recommend three candidates to replace the late Sen. Craig Thomas (R). Those names will be forwarded to Gov. Dave Freudenthal (D), who will select a new Senator in the next few days from among the three finalists.

In a public session set to begin this morning, the 71-member central committee of the state GOP will hear from 30 individuals who hope to replace Thomas. Once the field has been pared to eight, a more involved examination of the candidates will ensue.

According to the procedure established by the Wyoming Republican Party, each of the eight candidates will be permitted to have a third party deliver a nominating speech, after which time the candidates will offer their own remarks and engage in a question-and-answer session with central committee members.

The three finalists selected via successive rounds of secret-ballot voting will be forwarded to the governor. State law requires him to choose Thomas’ replacement from among them, and to do it within five days of receiving the list from the state GOP.

The person Freudenthal selects will serve through November 2008 and must stand for election then if he or she wants to serve the remainder of Thomas’ term, which runs through 2012.
— David M. Drucker