March 10, 2004
THE FIRST 2008 PRIMARY (via kevin whited):
COLORADO STIRRINGS (The Prowler, 3/09/04, American Spectator)
According to National Republican Senatorial Committee staffers, President Bush placed a call to U.S. Rep. Scott McInnis of Colorado, encouraging him to run for the Senate seat currently held by retiring Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell.Gov. Bill Owens was thought to be the first choice of the White House, but as a sitting governor with national political aspirations and a fresh marital separation to clean up, Owens is now telling associates he would prefer not to step into the Senate race.
McInnis, who regardless was retiring from the House, wasn't planning on a Senate try in part because Campbell, until his surprise announcement last week, had sad he was running. Now McInnis, with $1.3 million in the bank, is the Republican Party's best chance of holding the critical seat.
It would seem of primary importance for Governor Owens to prove his party leader bona fides by making sure the Party holds this seat. Posted by Orrin Judd at March 10, 2004 1:24 PM
Rep Udall is in for the Dems and will be a strong challenger. Somewhere saw an article that the national Dems had united behind another candidate with no political experience but who can self finance (millionaire). Perhaps a tough Dem primary will help the GOP but in any event the GOP will have to work to hold this seat especially after the other CO GOP senator barely won in 2002.
Posted by: AWW at March 10, 2004 1:41 PMExcept that Bush will be carrying the state easily and that and Owens help should be enough.
Posted by: oj at March 10, 2004 1:56 PMAWW:
The senator in 2002, Allard, was running in the urban, northeastern district which includes Denver and Boulder, the liberal bastions. Campbell's district is the southern and western, rural parts of the State. What happened in one is not necessarily indicative of what will happen in the other.
Posted by: jd watson at March 10, 2004 2:22 PMGo Tancredo
Posted by: Scof at March 10, 2004 2:31 PMOJ - Agree but right now the size of Bush's coattails appears small
JD - I figured a Senator is a statewide race so the particular district they represent may not be a deciding factor. That said I do remember Allard was considered a weak 1st term incumbent going into 2002.
JD - I have no idea what you're writing about. Allard won the STATEWIDE race for Senator.
AWW - Allard won by 5% (more than 73,000 votes). Although closer than many would have liked, it was more than "barely" won.
http://66.45.24.242/campaign2002/race1.htm
Posted by: "Edward" at March 10, 2004 3:06 PMBut remember, Owens is all the talk about GOP '08, and if he steps into the Senate, well, that's that.
God forbid Kerry proves us wrong.... he won't.... but ya just don't go from the House or Senate to POTUS. I like what I see of Owens, and I don't think he "owes" the party a Senate run. But, as maybe OJ is saying, if he stays where he is and manages to help another Repub win, he'll be golden.... Colorado, of course.
Posted by: Andrew X at March 10, 2004 5:28 PMAndrew:
Yes, he doesn't have to run himself, but he needs to make sure whoever does wins.
Posted by: oj at March 10, 2004 5:45 PMEdward - Yes I guess 5% isn't barely. I do remember Allard's seat was considered a likely Dem pickup by almost every pundit and that race, along with the GOP pickup of the Georgia seat, were the two most wrongly called races of the 2002 Senate races.
Posted by: AWW at March 10, 2004 9:49 PMForgot to note that stories are saying Owens is backing Beauprez while the White House is backing McInnis. We'll see if the GOP self-destructs on this one.
Posted by: AWW at March 10, 2004 9:56 PMThe GOP are doing this all wrong, they should have talked Campell into running in spite of health, then step down a month or two into his term, then Owens could appoint a successor. That is how their opponents would handle the situation.
Seriously though, Colorado's too red a state for a GOP candidate endorsed by Owens not to have as easy a time of it as Owens himself would.
Posted by: MarkD at March 10, 2004 9:56 PM