A Trauner-Enzi Race in Wyoming in 2008?

Rustydude, a diarist on dailykos, had a Feb. 7 brainstorm about pitting newcomer Gary Trauner against incumbent Mike Enzi in the 2008 Wyoming Senate race. His post starts this way:

With [Mike] Enzi, the Republican Senator from Wyoming, ignoring the close result of the election in November in Trauner's race against representative Barbara Cubin and continuing to rubberstamp the Bush agenda by voting for escalation, the DNC should encourage Trauner to go for the big prize in 2008. And, to start right now....

He advises the Democratic National Committee to encourage Gary to campaign non-stop between now and November 2008 – and to put its money behind the effort.

Gary garnered a lot of national attention when he came within 1,000 votes of beating Cubin. He knocked on an estimated 12,000 doors during his 2006 campaign and Rustydude estimates he’d need to knock on another 120,000 for 2008. That’s a lot of doors, many in rural areas which take time to get to – and when Gary arrives, he might encounter a shotgun pointed at his face or a junkyard dog snapping at his heels. More likely would be a newly-arrived tax-dodging O.C. Republican in his 50,000-square-foot manse spouting off about high taxes and welfare cheats.

Gary campaigned in Cheyenne several times. He was part of the Laramie County Democrats' crew during the summer canvas, and afterwards dropped by to eat a burger at my house. He had no trouble with my dog, as she's trained to only go after Republicans and proselytizing fundies. Gary's a down-to-earth guy who would have been a great House member -- and may yet get to D.C.

Some Democrats in Wyoming wonder why Gary wouldn't take another shot at Cubin in 2008. But rumors are circulating that the Wyoming Republican Party might put its foot down and say no to Cubin. If she does run, Gary will probably be in hot pursuit. If she doesn't, well, he might not run or he might go after Enzi instead. A new Republican Party candidate running for the U.S. House would have many advantages in this state where Repub voters have a 2-1 advantage. In 2008 as in 2006, it may be a good thing to be an unknown with no pesky Iraq votes on your resume.