CHEYENNE - Republican U.S. House candidate Cynthia Lummis says the nation should develop all types of energy sources - including nuclear power, offshore drilling and drilling in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge - to bring down the cost of fuel.

Lummis chatted with drivers Friday as they pumped gas at a Sinclair station next to the Frontier Refinery. Gas was $3.60 a gallon, cheaper than the state and national averages of $3.71 and $3.81, respectively, but about $1 higher than a year ago.

"If you were me, a candidate running for Congress, would you support drilling offshore and in Alaska, or are you more inclined to want to restrict the use of oil and gas?" Lummis asked a Cheyenne man, John Romero, as he filled up an Oldsmobile sedan.

"We really need to focus on ethyl fuel. I know a lot of South American countries, now, they're going to that," Romero answered, referring to ethanol. "There really has to be a concerted effort on both sides of the aisle to make that happen."

Romero, founder and chairman of the Wyoming State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, said that energy conservation - especially for homes - also needs emphasis.

Rachel Asbridge, a Cheyenne fast-food worker, was fueling up as her two young sons sat in the back of her Oldsmobile coupe. After visiting with Lummis, Asbridge said gas prices affect her driving habits.

"Basically I only drive to my kids' daycare, my work and home," she said.

She said Lummis promised to help reduce gas prices and likely would get her vote.

"These people know that we have energy that can be produced here at home and they want to see us do it," Lummis said of the drivers she met. "They don't want to be dependent on foreign oil. They want the jobs here. They want better jobs for our families. And that's what the energy and economy issue is about in this election."

Further development of oil, gas, coal and uranium are Lummis's top priorities for bringing down fuel prices in the short term. Lummis said that includes promoting the use of natural gas in vehicles and finding ways to burn coal more cleanly to generate electricity.

Over the longer term, Lummis said she wants to encourage energy from alternative sources.

"That includes wind, solar and automobiles that have either higher gas mileage or zero emission vehicles that run on fuel cells or electricity," she said.

She suggested tax incentives to encourage people to buy fuel efficient vehicles.

"We need it all," Lummis said. "We can't just focus on one component of this. Yes, we need to drill offshore. Yes, we need to drill in Alaska. Yes, we need to produce more uranium and expand our nuclear capabilities to produce more electricity."

Lummis is a former state lawmaker and two-term state treasurer. Her Democratic opponent is Gary Trauner, a businessman from Wilson.

Lummis said Democrats also propose allowing offshore drilling, but only with the approval of affected coastal states - and without giving those states a share of drilling revenue. She said such an approach is unlikely to encourage offshore drilling.

"To me, that is giving half a loaf to the American people and then grabbing it out of their hands simultaneously," Lummis said. "I say that that is not an all-of-the-above approach."

She suggested that Trauner supported that offshore drilling plan because he is a Democrat. Trauner, though, said Friday that's "baloney" and he hasn't endorsed a specific offshore drilling plan.

He said he supports offshore drilling on three conditions: That all oil produced in the United States be used in the United States; that companies holding federal leases at least look for oil or gas on that land within a certain amount of time, or forfeit the lease; and that a national energy plan on the scale of the Apollo moon program has been put into effect.

"It's got to be done in conjunction with a comprehensive plan to achieve real sustainable energy independence from a variety of sources," Trauner said.