CHEYENNE - Constrained government budgets are the key to the nation's long-term economic vitality, said Sen. Cale Case of Lander, an economist who is running for the Republican nomination for the U.S. House.

Case, 45, who has served six years in the House and six years in the Senate, will be in a three-way contest in the August Republican primary with Cheyenne lawyer Bruce Asay, and five-term incumbent U.S. Rep. Barbara Cubin.

During an interview Wednesday afternoon in Cheyenne, Case said he isn't in the business of criticizing Cubin because that's not what his campaign is about.

He said he intends to run a low-budget, grass roots campaign that will use the Internet like the campaign of former Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean. He said his Web site should be up and running next week. So far, he said, he has abut 12 volunteers for his campaign.

Because of Cubin's strength, Case said he will have a hard time raising money.

"Frankly, when you're such an underdog, it's hard to encourage people to come out for you," he said. "But Wyoming is full of brave people and I've heard from a few of them and expect to hear from more."

Republican Party officials, he said, have been neutral and have treated him well.

He said he intends to campaign statewide and will put in a lot of highway time.

"I'm not afraid to talk about issues. I'm not into tearing anybody down. I'm into getting out and meeting people and asking them for their vote," he said.

Noting this is a critical time for America, Case said he is running because he wants to insure the nation remains "committed to our basic values."

He said he believes government exists solely to "provide only those limited necessary services that the people cannot do for themselves."

Many Washington activities have stretched beyond the boundaries of the U.S. Constitution, he said.

An opponent of reactionary legislation, Case said he doesn't like the Patriot Act and since he never has been part of the "herd" in the Legislature, he hoped he would have had the gumption to vote against it, had he been in Congress.

As for Iraq, Case said it's too late to say whether the invasion was a mistake.

"We're there and I don't think we can turn and run," Case said, citing Spain's decision to pull its troops from Iraq by June if the U.S. doesn't turn over control to the United Nations.

He said it seems at this point, the U.S. must do the job in Iraq itself and hope that other nations will pitch in rather than back out.

Nevertheless, he said the nation cannot afford to wage war and, at the same time, expand government entitlements, like the new costly Medicare legislation with its prescription benefit plan.

Case said that if elected to the U.S. House, he wants to be an advocate and someone who can spread good will among colleagues and others.

Although he has the reputation in the Senate of being independent, Case said he has been a team player when the Republican Party needed him.

His voting record, he said, will demonstrate that he is a fiscal conservative.

Case holds a bachelor's, master's and a doctorate degree in resource economics from the University of Wyoming.

He is an economic consultant and also has a small business. He and his wife, Shirley, have three children.