CHEYENNE, Wyo. –  Sen. John Barrasso easily defeated two minor opponents in Tuesday's Wyoming Republican primary.

Barrasso beat Thomas Bleming of Lusk, a self-described soldier of fortune, and Emmett Mavy of Alpine, a management consultant who previously ran unsuccessfully as a Democrat.

He is seeking his first full six-year term in the Senate and is likely to face Democrat Tim Chesnut of Laramie in the general election.

Democratic Gov. Dave Freudenthal appointed Barrasso in 2007 after the death of Sen. Craig Thomas. Barrasso won election in 2008 to serve the remainder of Thomas' term.

Barrasso has risen to become chairman of the Senate Republican Policy Committee, ranking him fourth among the Senate Republican leadership.