CHEYENNE - U.S. House candidate Cynthia Lummis wants to debate her Republican opponents in all 23 Wyoming counties before the Aug. 19 primary election.

The former state treasurer issued the challenge Wednesday during an open house at her state campaign headquarters in Casper.

"We want to heighten awareness of Republican issues and Republican races," Lummis said later in an interview.

"All the attention lately has been on the Democratic presidential race, and we want to shift the emphasis, at least here in Wyoming, to another very competitive race, which is the Republican U.S. House race," she added.

The debates would allow the candidates to talk about their views directly with voters "instead of through slick TV ads," she said.

The election is important because it will bring about change, given that the incumbent, U.S. Rep. Barbara Cubin, is not seeking re-election, Lummis said.

She said she offers the type of change that she did as state treasurer, which was to fundamentally change the state's investment portfolio so that now interest income from state investments is the primary source of income to the state's General Fund.

Lummis acknowledged that 23 debates in 23 counties is an ambitious undertaking and would require a great deal of coordination among the campaigns.

"Since Wyoming has only one voice in Congress, we need to have the strongest voice possible and provide the opportunity for the candidates to be tested by the voters," Lummis said.

Three Republicans have filed for the U.S. House seat in addition to Lummis - Mark Gordon, a Sheridan County rancher; Bill Winney of Bondurant in Sublette County, a retired Navy captain; and Michael Holland, a Green River physician.

Gordon said Wednesday afternoon that what Wyoming needs now is "more quality in the political discussion, not gimmicks about quantity."

"I look forward to debating all my opponents in this race in an appropriate time and manner and in an open and honest forum and will do so when those parameters are established," Gordon said through his press secretary, Renny MacKay.

Gordon said he instructed his campaign manager, Bill Novotny, to contact the other campaign managers in the U.S. House race at the end of the filing period to make arrangements about debates.

The filing period closes May 30.

Winney pointed out Wednesday afternoon that 23 debates works out to two debates per week from now until the primary on Aug. 19.

"I'm sure she has accepted a number of events already, as I have," Winney said. "I'd like to see the proposed schedule so we can see how to do it. But in the end I would enjoy the chance to debate her."

Attempts to reach Holland Wednesday afternoon were unsuccessful.

Holland, a pathologist at Sweetwater County Memorial Hospital in Rock Springs, said earlier that he wanted to debate the other three Republican candidates.

Other candidates who have filed for the U.S. House include Democrat Gary Trauner of Teton County and Libertarian W. David Herbert of Cody.

The four Republican U.S. House candidates and Trauner have agreed to attend the ninth annual CBM Fair Energy Exposition at the Cam-Plex in Gillette on June 5, according to a news release from expo organizers. The format will allow each candidate to ask one other candidate a question. The candidates also will take questions from the audience, and each will have five minutes for opening and wrap-up statements.

Contact Joan Barron at joan.barron@trib.com or by phone at 307-632-1244.