CHEYENNE - The television ad shows Mark Gordon, bundled up and wearing a cowboy hat, on horseback and herding cattle on a wintry day.

"A successful small business owner, Mark will fight to make the Bush tax cuts permanent, simplify the tax code and encourage investment in Wyoming," a man's voice says.

Already this is no ordinary race for the Republican nomination for Wyoming's seat in the U.S. House. Gordon's ads began airing in March - very early for Wyoming - while Gordon and Cynthia Lummis have raised substantial sums. Also, Rep. Barbara Cubin isn't seeking re-election, making this the first Wyoming House race in 14 years without an incumbent.

So far, the three active Republican candidates - Gordon, a Buffalo-area rancher; Lummis, a former state treasurer; and retired Navy officer Bill Winney - have devoted much of their campaigning to the party faithful. They've logged thousands of miles around the state to speak at local Republican events.

Their interest in wooing the party core early on doesn't surprise Jim King, a University of Wyoming political science professor.

"At this point, what you want to do is get as many of the local Republicans behind you so that spreads the word," King said in a phone interview Monday.

But King said Gordon has "upped the ante" by running TV ads so early.

"He's trying to get out early and position himself as the candidate to protect the Wyoming way of life," King said. "I think also, because he's not been involved in public life, he does need to be out there earlier to get his name out and draw attention to himself."

Lummis has noticed. She said Gordon's ads mean she can't take for granted her name recognition from eight years as chief of Wyoming's state investments.

"I am not on television every day, so name recognition can change quickly," she said. "Names can be forgotten quickly and new names can become household names quickly, with enough media."

Lummis said she doesn't expect to raise as much money as Gordon, who through the end of March had lent himself nearly $300,000 and raised $412,000 total. Gordon's campaign filings show that he's prepared to spend up to $950,000 of his own money through the general election.

"I do not have that kind of personal financial resources at my disposal," Lummis said. "Consequently, I will be outspent - I know that already. But I will not be out-campaigned."

Lummis said she plans to succeed through door-to-door campaigning.

Her fundraising hasn't gone badly, though. She'd raised $171,000, including $67,000 from herself, and had $141,000 on hand at the end of March. Gordon had less money on hand, $86,000, or only about a fifth of what he'd raised through himself and others.

Gordon said the TV ads are part of a broader strategy to introduce himself to Wyoming early in the campaign.

"My view was it was important to introduce myself to as broad a cross-section of the people as I could. Some people would be watching TV, and others would be at these Lincoln Day dinners, and others would be reading the paper," Gordon said.

"So we just tried to do everything we could. This is a first shot at partisan office. I'm not a career politician, having been burnishing my resume for all of these years."

He said he has put 14,000 miles on his GMC Yukon while campaigning across the state.

Winney said he, too, has been driving around the state, hitting the radio interview circuit, speaking at senior centers and reaching out to Republicans at Lincoln Day dinners.

"That's where you start. This is a Republican primary. You want to make sure that those people have taken a look at you, and then you just keep working on it," Winney said.

State Rep. Dan Zwonitzer, R-Cheyenne, dropped out last week so he could focus on his Wyoming House campaign. A Green River physician and Ron Paul supporter, Michael Holland, recently entered the race but said he wasn't sure how much he will campaign.

The winner of the Republican race likely will face Gary Trauner, a Democrat with both name recognition and significant funding. Trauner remains unopposed for the Democratic nomination and can afford to hold back for now.

But King said what happens in the Republican race could affect the race this fall.

"Whoever comes out of the Republican primary will have spent a lot of money. There will then be the question of catching up and getting back into financial parity with Trauner," he said.

King said he expects both national parties to funnel money into the general election race.