Mike Enzi

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 longest-serving senator from Wyoming since Francis E. Warren.

Enzi was born in Bremerton, Washington, raised in Thermopolis, Wyoming, and 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 with his election as mayor of Gillette after being convinced by Alan Simpson to run and defeating incumbent Mayor Cliff Davis.

Michael Bradley Enzi (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.

Michael Bradley Enzi was born on February 1, 1944, in Bremerton, Washington, to Elmer J. Enzi and Dorothy Bradley.

Enzi was elected to serve as a city councilor in the American Legion Boys State in 1961.

He was raised in Thermopolis, Wyoming, and graduated from Sheridan High School in 1962.

He was selected serve as a junior councilor in the Wyoming DeMolay International organization in 1963.

He graduated from George Washington University with a degree in accounting in 1966 and from the University of Denver with a Master of Business Administration in retail marketing in 1968.

He served in the Wyoming Army National Guard from 1967 to 1973.

On June 7, 1969, he married Diana Buckley, with whom he had three children, and moved to Gillette, Wyoming.

Enzi was criticized by multiple people, including Wyoming Veterans of Foreign Wars Commander Bill Saunders, for attempting to equate his service in the Wyoming Army National Guard with that of those who served in the Vietnam War although Enzi stated that his comments were misinterpreted.

In 1970, Enzi was appointed to serve as vice-chair of the nine-member Public Health Nursing Advisory Committee in Gillette.

He was elected to serve as president of the Wyoming United States Junior Chamber in 1973.

He served as chair of the First Wyoming Bank-Gillette.

Enzi defeated Mayor Cliff Davis in Gillette's 1974 mayoral election after having been convinced to run by Alan Simpson and won reelection without opposition in 1978.

He filled two vacant city council seats in one month in 1976, following the resignation of Ed Geringer and Jack Babcock with Jack Edmunds replacing Geringer and Robert White replacing Babcock.

Gillette's Planning and Zoning Commission was created during Enzi's tenure, and he appointed six of the seven positions on the board upon its creation.

A water pipeline was built during Enzi's tenure as mayor and prior to its construction water was rationed in Gillette.

During the 1978 United States House of Representatives elections he supported Treasurer Ed Witzenburger for the Republican nomination.

He was appointed to serve on the National League of Cities' community development committee.

Enzi served as vice-president and president of the Wyoming Association of Municipalities.

Enzi was speculated as a possible candidate to replace John Ostlund in the Wyoming Senate in the 1978 election as Ostlund was running in the gubernatorial election, but he instead announced that he would run for reelection as mayor on July 17.

He announced on July 7, 1982, that he would not run for reelection.

Enzi's term as president of the Wyoming Association of Municipalities was meant to end in June 1983, but he left office in January so John Nickle was appointed to serve the remainder of his term.

He was elected to the state house in the 1986 election and served until his appointment to the state senate in 1991.

Enzi ran for one of three seats in the Wyoming House of Representatives from Campbell County in the 1986 election as a Republican and was elected alongside incumbent Republican representatives Dick Wallis and John Hines.

All three representatives won reelection in the 1988 election against Democratic nominee Rebecca Claar.

All three representatives were reelected in the 1990 election against Democratic nominees Claar, Dave Stueck, and Chuck Tolar.

Senator Kelly Mader resigned on December 9, 1991, due to him having moved his family to Denver, Colorado, and starting a business there and Enzi was selected to replace Mader on December 13, while David Shippy was selected to replace Enzi in the state house.

He faced no opposition in the Republican primary or general election in 1992.

During his tenure in the state house he served on the Education, Corporations and Elections, and Mines and Minerals committees.

He served on the Joint Appropriations committee and served as the chair of the Revenue committee in the state senate.

Enzi was elected to the United States Senate in the 1996 election after defeating future senator John Barrasso in the Republican primary and Secretary of State Kathy Karpan in the general election.

During his tenure in the Senate he served as chair of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, and Budget committees.

He lost his position as chair of the Revenue committee and was replaced by Grant Larson in 1996, as senate rules prohibited statewide candidates from serving as chairs of committee.

He served in the Senate until Cynthia Lummis succeeded him in the 2020 election after his retirement.

He died in 2021 following injuries resulting from a bicycling accident.