U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis, widely regarded as one of the strongest allies to the cryptocurrency industry in Congress, announced on Friday that she will not pursue re-election.
The first-term senator plans to step down once her six-year term concludes in January 2027, opening up a Republican seat in deeply conservative Wyoming while depriving the digital assets sector of a key supporter. Lummis has served as the founding chair of the inaugural subcommittee focused on cryptocurrency issues within the U.S. Senate Banking Committee, where she has championed pro-crypto laws as a core focus.
Currently, she remains a primary figure in discussions for the cryptocurrency market structure legislation, which is set to resume negotiations among lawmakers following the holiday recess. She will continue participating in what could be a decisive effort toward the industry's primary legislative objective in 2026.
"Choosing not to seek re-election marks a shift in my plans, but during the grueling and draining session weeks this fall, I've realized that I lack the stamina for another six years," Lummis stated in her announcement, issued as the Senate departed Washington for the break. She compared herself to a sprinter competing in a marathon. "The demands simply don't align with my energy levels," she added.
Time and again, Lummis has proposed legislation aimed at fostering regulatory clarity and governmental adoption of cryptocurrency. These initiatives have encompassed comprehensive market framework bills, tax reforms for crypto, and measures to create a national bitcoin reserve.
Although the 2026 congressional midterm elections will be a fiercely contested arena where control of both chambers hangs in the balance, Wyoming hasn't elected a Democrat to the Senate since the 1970s. In her 2020 bid, Lummis secured nearly 73% of the votes.
"I am grateful for President Trump's endorsement and the chance to collaborate with him in advocating for Wyoming's residents," Lummis noted in her statement. She pledged to "channel all my efforts into advancing critical bills to his desk in 2026 and preserving pragmatic Republican leadership in the U.S. Senate."
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