WASHINGTON (AP) — Blackwater Worldwide founder Erik Prince is considering a Republican primary challenge to Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, a senior member of the Senate Republican leadership team.

Blackwater Chief Executive Erik Prince testifies before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on security contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan, October 2, 2007. REUTERS/Larry Downing

WASHINGTON (AP) — Blackwater Worldwide founder Erik Prince is considering a Republican primary challenge to Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, a senior member of the Senate Republican leadership team.

A person familiar with Prince's thinking says he was in Wyoming this weekend to discuss a possible Senate campaign with family members.

Prince has been encouraged to run by Steve Bannon, a former top strategist to President Donald Trump. That's according to the person who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe private deliberations.

Prince's potential candidacy was first reported by The New York Times.

Also founder of Frontier Resource Group, a private equity firm, Prince is brother of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. Security contractor Blackwater came under scrutiny after its guards were involved in the shooting deaths of 14 civilians in Baghdad in 2007.