Senate 2008 Guru: Following the Races

Keeping a close eye on developments in the 2008 U.S. Senate races

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Allard Aftermath and Sununu's Continued Hedge on Iraq

Happy Tuesday:

  • Colorado: Between the Denver Post and the Rocky Mountain News, we know the following regarding Colorado's potential candidates for Senate in 2008:

    Democrats:
    U.S. Rep. Mark Udall: "repeatedly said he is running for the seat but has not officially filed"
    Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper: "said Monday that he would 'absolutely not' run if Udall was in. But otherwise, he didn't want to 'close out options.'"

    Republicans:
    Incumbent Senator Wayne Allard: retiring - "said he intends to resume his veterinary practice when he leaves office"
    Former U.S. Rep. Scott McInnis: "said that if Allard decided not to seek re-election, there was 'no question I will run.'"
    Former Gov. Bill Owens: "I'm not going to be a candidate for Senate."
    U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo: "On the list of those who have ruled out running for Allard's seat is U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo, said the Littleton Republican's spokesman Carlos Espinosa."
    Owens & Tancredo: "On Monday, two men who were once considered possible contenders for Allard's seat, former Gov. Bill Owens and Rep. Tom Tancredo, of Littleton, both said McInnis was at the top of their list of would-be candidates."
    Former U.S. Rep. Bob Schaffer: "said Monday that he has been 'inundated with calls' encouraging him to run and that he 'had not ruled it out.'"
    State Attorney General John Suthers: "considering a run as well and will decide in the 'coming weeks,' said his spokesman Nate Strauch"
    Former U.S. Rep. Bob Beauprez: "also has not ruled out a run, said his spokesman Allen Fuller"
    Conservative radio talk-show host Dan Caplis: "said he needed to discuss it with his family and planned to travel around the state and talk to voters over the next few weeks"
    Secretary of State Mike Coffman: mentioned as a possible candidate
    Former Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway: "has no intention of running, a spokeswoman said"

    So it seems to shake down like this: for the Democrats, it's Udall, all the way. For the Republicans, McInnis is hustling to line up institutional support and crowd out any other candidates (and seems to have Owens and Tancredo watching his back). Over the next several weeks, Schaffer, Suthers, and Beauprez will determine if they would have enough institutional support, organizational/field support, and financial support for a run. Suthers is the only one of the three currently holding office, i.e. he has too much to risk on a run. Schaffer and Beauprez will probably run if they think they have the support to maintain a campaign. I do hope that Caplis joins the race. He is not beholden to the state GOP institution and can pull his party further to the right in a primary - and further out of touch with mainstream Colorado that is already trending blue - damaging the eventual GOP nominee. Anyway, go Udall!

  • New Hampshire: Republican John Sununu continues to respond to questions with answers in the conditional future tense as he tries to carve out a politically-acceptable, blatantly-disingenuous position on Iraq. Right-wing enough for the President, but moderate-sounding enough to placate his electorate, which will hopefully see through his obvious political posturing.

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