JACKSON - Gary Trauner said he's feeling "a sense of relief" after losing to Republican Cynthia Lummis for Wyoming's U.S. House seat.

Trauner has two sons and said he's looking forward to spending time with his wife and kids.

"I'm all right. I'm fine," Trauner said Friday. "There's a sense of relief. I get my life back. I get to be with my wife and kids, and that is a good thing."

At the same time, Trauner said he remained concerned that Wyoming's voice won't be heard when Democratic President Barack Obama and Congress attempt to tackle the nation's problems.

"I think we've got some serious stuff to deal with," Trauner said. "I think we've got a better chance of dealing with them now than we did Nov. 3."

Wyoming's all-Republican congressional delegation will serve alongside an increased Democratic majority in both the House and Senate. Trauner suggested that the three Republicans will not be key players among the agenda-setting Democrats.

"What concerns me is, Wyoming is not going to get its voice in being part of the solutions," Trauner said.

Lummis said Monday she plans to build a bipartisan coalition of representatives who would try to find ways to make Congress work better.

"I'm already working with meeting new members of Congress in both parties to begin to address the manner in which Congress conducts business," she said. "Hopefully that will lead in to issues that we have in common."

She said she hadn't heard from Trauner since the election.

"He will call when he feels ready and I still believe that to be the case," she said.

Trauner raised more than $1.4 million for his campaign, substantially more than Lummis. He employed 20 staffers and advertised extensively. Yet he lost by a much wider margin, 53 percent to 42 margin, than he did against Rep. Barbara Cubin, R-Wyo., two years ago.

Cubin beat Trauner by only half a percentage point in 2006. Cubin is now retiring after seven terms.