Looks like the race for Wyoming's lone seat in the U.S. House of Representative will be the state's big election this year. There are no senatorial or gubernatorial elections in 2004.

Republican incumbent Rep. Barbara Cubin easily fended off four GOP challengers to earn a shot at a sixth term in November's general election. Businessman Ted Ladd won in a much tighter Democratic race.

The Republicans included Bruce Asay, a Cheyenne attorney and Wyoming National Guard general, and Cale Case, a state senator and economist from Lander. Both announced their campaigns early on and even toyed with one of them dropping out to boost the other's candidacy.

On the Democratic side, the primary race was a battle between Casper attorney John Henley and Ladd. They made the unusual move recently of putting out a joint press release that was critical of incumbent Cubin.

Since taking over in 2002 as the state's first Democratic Governor in eight years, Gov. Dave Freudenthal has been leading a state with one of the more prosperous economies in the nation.

Freudenthal upset Republican Eli Bebout in the race to succeed GOP Gov. Jim Geringer, who was barred from seeking a third term. He has called on the state to diversify its economy and end its reliance on the minerals industry for job growth.

In the 2002 elections, Republican Senator Mike Enzi beat Democrat Joyce Jansa Corcoran to retain GOP control of both Senate seats.

In the state's lone House race, incumbent Barbara Cubin defeated Democrat Ron Akin in a closer-than-expected race.