CHEYENNE - The U.S. Senate confirmed the nomination of Kelly Rankin as U.S. attorney for Wyoming Friday.

The vote came only a day after the Senate Judiciary Committee recommended Rankin to the full Senate.

Wyoming's senior senator, Mike Enzi, who submitted the names of Rankin and two other candidates for the appointment to the White House a year ago, welcomed the Senate action.

"Kelly Rankin has proven he is the man for the job. He has been serving as U.S. attorney for Wyoming since the beginning of May, and I am pleased the Senate confirmed him today," Enzi said in a release.

Rankin said Friday he is "deeply honored" at the Senate approval and looks forward to continuing to work with the professional men and women in the U.S. attorney's office.

Rankin and his family moved to Cheyenne from Casper after he was appointed U.S. attorney on May 3 by U.S. District Judge William Downes of Casper. The appointment was necessary because the allowable term of interim U.S. Attorney John Green expired.

A career prosecutor, Rankin, 40, is a native of Sheridan and received both his bachelor's and law degrees from the University of Wyoming.

After working as a prosecutor at the county level, Rankin became assistant U.S. attorney in 2003.

Only seven attorneys applied for the chief federal prosecutor's position last year, possibly because the political appointment could be short lived with the change of the administration next January.