Mike Enzi

Michael Bradley Enzi ( EN-zee; February 1, 1944 – July 26, 2021) was an American politician who served in the United States Senate from Wyoming as a member of the Republican Party from 1997 to 2021. Prior to his tenure in the United States Senate, he served as mayor of Gillette, Wyoming, in the Wyoming House of Representatives from Campbell County, and the Wyoming Senate from the 24th district. He was the third-longest-serving senator from Wyoming. Enzi was born in Bremerton, Washington, and raised in Thermopolis and Sheridan, Wyoming. He was educated at Sheridan High School, George Washington University, and the University of Denver. He served in the Air National Guard, and held positions in the American Legion Boys State, DeMolay International, and United States Junior Chamber. He entered politics after being convinced by Alan Simpson to run for mayor of Gillette and defeating incumbent mayor Cliff Davis in 1974. He was elected to the state house in the 1986 election and served until his appointment to the state senate in 1991. In the 1996 U.S. Senate election Enzi defeated future senator John Barrasso and other candidates in the Republican primary and Democratic nominee Kathy Karpan in the general election. He was ideologically conservative, but was also one of the most bipartisan Republicans in the U.S. Senate. Enzi served as chair or ranking member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, and Budget committees. He declined to seek reelection in the 2020 election and was succeeded by Cynthia Lummis. He died in 2021 following injuries resulting from a bicycling accident.