U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis, perhaps the cryptocurrency sector’s closest ally in Congress, said in a statement Friday that she does not intend to seek another term.
The first-term lawmaker plans to announce his withdrawal after his six-year term ends in January 2027, leaving a Republican seat open in deeply red Wyoming, but also removing a key ally in the digital asset industry. Lummis served as the founding chairman of the U.S. Banking Committee’s first subcommittee on crypto issues, and has promoted crypto-friendly legislation as a top priority.
She remains one of the key negotiators on the Cryptocurrency Market Structure Bill, which will bring members back to the negotiating table after the holidays. She will still remain in the effort in what could be the final push toward the industry’s top legislative goals in 2026.
“My decision not to run for re-election represents a change of heart for me, but after a difficult and exhausting few weeks in Congress this fall, I have come to accept that I have less than six years left,” Lummis said in a statement released as Congress abandoned Washington for recess. She identified herself as a sprinter running a marathon. “The energy needs are not aligned,” she says.
Lummis has repeatedly introduced bills aimed at easing the path toward regulatory acceptance and government acceptance of cryptocurrencies. These include broader market structure initiatives, proposals for a cryptocurrency tax, and legislation to establish a government Bitcoin stockpile.
The 2026 midterm elections will be a high-stakes political battleground with majorities in both chambers at stake, but Democrats last won a Senate seat in Wyoming in the 1970s. In Lummis’ 2020 campaign, she received nearly 73% of the vote.
“I am honored to have President Trump’s support and the opportunity to work with him to fight for the people of Wyoming,” Lummis said in a statement. She said she is “committed to getting important legislation to the president’s desk in 2026 and maintaining common-sense Republican control of the U.S. Senate.”
Cryptocurrency advocates are already lamenting her departure. Ji Kim, CEO of the Crypto Council for Innovation, called her “a leading advocate for digital assets in Washington.”
“Her deep understanding and beliefs have helped elevate digital asset policy and strengthen America’s innovation and leadership,” Kim said in a statement Friday.
Read more: Key US senator Lummis negotiates difficult points with White House on crypto bill
Updated (December 19, 2025, 22:04 UTC): Added comment from CCI CEO.
Discover more from Earlybirds Invest
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
