Wyoming Senator Craig Thomas, a three-term Republican who had been receiving chemotherapy for acute myeloid leukemia, died on Monday evening at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. He was 74.Thomas, a five-year veteran of the Wyoming Legislature, was hospitalized for pneumonia just before the 2006 election and had to cancel his final campaign stops. Still, he monitored the election from his hospital bed and won with 70 percent of the vote. Two days after the election, Thomas announced he had just been diagnosed with cancer.
After his first round of chemotherapy, Thomas returned to the Senate in December. He felt better than ever and returned to the hospital in May for his second round of treatment.
"Wyoming had no greater advocate, taxpayers had no greater watchdog and rural America had no greater defender than Craig Thomas," Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell says. "The Senate is a lesser place without Craig here, but the state of Wyoming and our nation are much better places because he was here."
Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal, a Democrat, will appoint a successor from one of three finalists chosen by the state GOP.
Thomas is survived by his wife, Susan, and four children.
1. For more information about chemotherapy, see:
http://www.chemotherapy.nl
Posted at 7:56PM on Jun 6th 2007 by shira