WASHINGTON D.C. — “I believe I can have the biggest impact for the people of Wyoming by remaining in leadership in the House of Representatives," she said in a statement.

Rep. Liz Cheney announced Thursday she will not run for Senate in Wyoming, passing on a competitive GOP primary in favor of remaining in the House and GOP leadership.

Cheney had been seen as a top potential candidate in the race to replace GOP Sen. Mike Enzi, who announced last year that he would retire and not seek reelection. Former Rep. Cynthia Lummis is already running and Cheney’s decision likely leaves Lummis a path to becoming the nominee in the safe Republican seat.

Cheney, 53, had been wrestling with her political future for months and told reporters she would make a final decision over the holidays when she was back home with her family. Even though Cheney would have been a back-bencher in the upper chamber, a high-profile Senate seat would have put her in the national spotlight — potentially catapulting her to a national ticket or Cabinet post.

Cheney, one of 13 women in the House, has climbed the leadership ladder and is the only woman in leadership.

In just her second term, she was elected to serve as GOP Conference chairwoman — and her colleagues have buzzed that she can be speaker one day.

Cheney’sannouncement in a closed-door meeting with House GOP colleagues was met with a standing ovation. She also made it clear she wants House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) to be the next GOP speaker.

Cheney’s decision to remain the House sets aside the projected race for the U.
S. Senate seat being vacated by Senator Mike Enzi as he decided not to seek reelection. Former state and federal lawmaker, Cynthia Lummis has been campaigning for this seat for months. Cheney ran in 2016 for the seat in the House Lummis had held when Lummis retired. This followed an unsuccessful attempt and short try at trying to upend Enzi before dropping out of the last race for the seat Enzi held.