Gary Trauner (D), who came extremely close to knocking off Rep. Barbara Cubin (R) last year, announced Monday that he is running again for the Equality State’s at-large House seat.

Trauner held Cubin below 50 percent of the vote in 2006, losing by just one half of 1 percent. The businessman is seen as a serious threat to take the lone House seat of solidly Republican Wyoming this time around.

Cubin, who regularly pops up on the list of Republicans considering retirement, has declined to reveal her 2008 plans. She has missed dozens of votes this year while recovering from a broken foot and attending to her husband, who has been hospitalized.

Several Republicans are considering running for this seat next year, and not all are basing their plans on whether Cubin retires. Among them are state Rep. Collin Simpson, son of former Sen. Alan Simpson (R), and former U.S. Attorney Matt Mead.

Many Republican operatives privately concede that their chances of holding the seat would be better if Cubin decided to retire.

— David M. Drucker