Barrasso Is Wyoming's New Senator

Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal has appointed Dr. John Barrasso, a Republican State Senator from Casper, to fill the Senate seat vacated when Craig Thomas died earlier this month of leukemia.

Barrasso, 54, will begin serving immediately and is expected in Washington as soon as next week. Wyoming requires its governor to select someone from the departing senator's party so this appointment will not alter the Senate's balance of power -- and Barrasso sounds a lot like a conservative in the same mold as Thomas.

"I believe in limited government, lower taxes, less spending, traditional family values, local control and a strong national defense," he wrote in his application for the Senate seat. "In the State Senate, in addition to receiving an 'A' rating from the [National Rifle Association], I have voted for prayer in schools, against gay marriage and have sponsored legislation to protect the sanctity of life."

Sounds like the same, tired old song already.

Barrasso will only serve until the next general election in 2008, when he will have to run for the seat to which he has been appointed.