Better because of former Sen. Mike Enzi

W
yoming lost one of its titans this week with the passing of former U.S. Senator Mike Enzi.  Senator Enzi was an example of the best of Wyoming.  He served his community, his state, and his nation with a humble attitude and a hard work ethic.  He was a throwback to a different time in the U.S. Senate, when the focus was on the deliberative body and finding solutions, rather than the grandstanding and deadlock was see so often today.  Mike Enzi was the rare politician that met our (often unrealistic) expectations of how we hope our politicians act.  We were lucky to have him.
What made Senator Enzi such a special figure was that he did not do his job for the glory.  He was a man who, despite being in an incredibly public job surrounded by national figures, put his head down and went to work every day.  He was not flashy, and he was not the sort to seek out the limelight.  That is not to say he was not a presence.  It was hard not to notice when he entered a room, but in my various interactions with him over the years, I never once got the sense that he was convinced of his own self-importance.  He was just Mike Enzi from Gillette, and he was here to serve.
His humble demeanor was likely a cause of one of his most commendable traits.  Senator Enzi was known for having friendships with Senators of both political parties.  He was particularly known for his friendship with Senator Ted Kennedy, as odd of a pairing as ever existed.  These friendships spoke to his recognition that politics is important, but so is human connection.  Those of different political persuasions are not evil and demonizing them accomplishes nothing.  Because of his ability to forge friendships across the political divide, Senator Enzi was a far more effective legislator than many of his more bombastic colleagues.  
Senator Enzi’s focus as a public figure was on results.  He was not interested in tearing down his enemy or scoring points with the pundits.  Rather, he was a rare creature in that he was known as a “quiet” senator.  He did his job with a focus on making America and Wyoming a better place, and he did so well.  Being results oriented did not mean he was unprincipled.  He was consistently rated a very conservative member of the Senate and stuck to those principles when advancing legislation.  However, he famously championed the 80/20 rule – if you can agree on 80%, the other 20% will work itself out.  We would be in a better place if more of our leaders recognized that the good should not be the enemy of the great.
Even beyond his public accomplishments, Mike Enzi was a good person.  Although I only ever knew him in passing, he was always kind to me and those around me.  After I graduated law school, my wife and I moved to Cheyenne and soon got involved with the Republican Party.  My wife grew up in Tennessee and this was her first time living in Wyoming.  We met Senator Enzi at some event or another and my wife still tells people how impressed she was that Senator Enzi would remember her and make sure to greet her whenever we crossed paths years later.  
One small instance stuck with me that illustrated Senator Enzi’s everyman nature.  Also shortly after we moved to Cheyenne, I was picking up groceries at Wal-Mart on a Friday evening.  As I passed the coffee aisle, I saw a familiar figure.  There, all alone, was Wyoming’s senior U.S. Senator, picking out his own groceries, just like the rest of us.  I doubt that many other U.S. Senators still do their own shopping, but I never saw Senator Enzi get caught in the trappings of his position. 
There are very few men that I consider my hero.  Plenty are admirable in various ways, but too many have flaws that keep me from venerating them.  Mike Enzi is one of my heroes.  They way he served his community, kept his principles, and did so with a kind heart and humble spirit made him a very special man.  Too many of our leaders get caught up by the sense of importance and the public acclaim that comes with their position.  If more of them followed Mike Enzi’s example, our world and our society would be a much better place.  One of the great things about Wyoming is this is still a place where we can elect people like Mike Enzi.  In most places, someone who would be a “quiet” Senator will never get the chance to serve in that office.  In Wyoming, they still can.  I hope that never changes. Godspeed, Senator Enzi.