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CO-Sen: Beauprez Won't Challenge Bennet

by: James L.

Mon Aug 24, 2009 at 11:58 PM EDT


Politico:

Former GOP congressman Bob Beauprez announced tonight that he will not be running against Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo).

"Having been presented with the potential to serve in the United States Senate, Claudia and I considered it very carefully. However after significant reflection, I will not be a candidate for the Senate in 2010," Beauprez said in a statement.

A recent PPP poll had Beauprez beating Bennet by three points, but his favorability numbers were way underwater (30-40) -- evidence of a lingering hangover that voters are having with the Beauprez brand after an embarrassing gubernatorial campaign in 2006. But it's also evidence that Bennet will have to campaign hard (a new concept for him) even if the GOP selects a ham sandwich as its nominee.

ColoradoPols takes the news as a good sign that former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton (who served for a term under Bill Owens) is in. Norton's husband said last week that she'll make a decision on the race "in 30 days".

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James L. :: CO-Sen: Beauprez Won't Challenge Bennet
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CO-Sen: Beauprez Won't Challenge Bennet | 35 comments
Jane Norton
So . . . what kind of contender are we looking at here? Does anyone know anything about her? Her Wikipedia page is quite sparse (not even a picture)

26, Male, Democrat, TX-26
I remember reading a while back
That she is pro-choice. So perhaps shes a moderate. But I might have just read something wrong. That can happen ;)
[ Parent ]
With Beauprez Out
It seems with the relatively unknown profiles of the two remaining GOP contenders, and Bennett's new-ness to Coloradans, this could come down to a close race like Gary Hart had in 1980 or Tim Wirth did in 1986.

Bennett may only win by some 10,000 plus votes, so he definitely has to play up to his party's recent strengths in the Denver suburbs and down the central parts of the state.

Bennet
has to be the luckiest SOB out there; he keeps dodging bullets inexplicably (or, rather, people with a good shot choose not to fire).
why are Democrats settling for Bennet?
It seems like we could do a lot better in Colorado.

Regarding your point, in politics it's sometimes better to be lucky than good.

[ Parent ]
Its always a tricky
Proposition to primary a sitting senator, especially one that has such clear support from the state's sitting governor. I'm not saying Romanoff, or someone else, shouldn't do it or that I don't want them to do it. But, I can understand why they'd be hesitant.
[ Parent ]
Its always a tricky
Proposition to primary a sitting senator, especially one that has such clear support from the state's sitting governor. I'm not saying Romanoff, or someone else, shouldn't do it or that I don't want them to do it. But, I can understand why they'd be hesitant.
[ Parent ]
Because in general
Democrats are sheep and cowards.

Republicans are crawling over an incumbent in Idaho, but our decent bench just sits there and shuts up.

Appointments suck. Sucky appointments suck more.

[ Parent ]
Utah not Idaho...
nm
[ Parent ]
What decent bench?
Do you want their sole Democratic Representative to give up his seat and lose big in the Senatorial election? Face it: A Democrat isn't going to win a Senate seat in Utah nowadays.

"I'm not a member of any organized political party, I'm a Democrat!"
--  Will Rogers  
[ Parent ]
I am pretty sure
that he meant the bench in CO not challenging Bennet...

33, living in Germany  
[ Parent ]
CO
Everytime I read something about Bennet I want to find Ritter and punch him or something.  What the hell was he thinking picking this guy with such a strong bench?

29/D/Male/NY-01
That Statement
Is about the most honest and blunt thing I've heard regarding this issue. Good job. Let's hope Romanoff isn't just trash talking about challenging Bennett in a Primary.
[ Parent ]
Agreed. Hickenlooper and Romanoff would have both been safer and possibly more progressive choices.

[ Parent ]
How Would They Be MORE Progressive than Bennett?
I thought Bennett was already pretty progressive.
[ Parent ]
Tends to be a little wishy washy
On things like EFCA.
[ Parent ]
Although
EFCA is the only example that comes to mind.  Granted, screwing over labor as a Democrat is a pretty big no-no considering our labor positions is one of the defining things about the Democratic platform.
[ Parent ]
Screwing over labor...
is one of Bill Ritter's favorite past-times.
[ Parent ]
Although it's worth noting...
Unions just aren't all that popular or powerful in a state like Colorado. I've heard that Mark Udall has been really wobbly on EFCA as of late.

Politics and Other Random Topics

24, Male, Democrat, NM-01, Chairman of the Atheist Caucus, and Majority Leader of the "Going to Hell" caucus!

[ Parent ]
No.
He's fairly conservative, probably comparable to Salazar.
[ Parent ]
So a completely safe Democratic seat with Salazar
was traded for a tossup-at-best seat with Bennet and no improvement in voting record has been achieved. At least there is the satisfaction that Salazar is at Interior, because apparently he was the only person in America who could do that job.
[ Parent ]
What has he voted against this year?

[ Parent ]
Progressive environmental measures
For example, to not use reconciliation on cap and trade.  He's a likely vote against, IMO.  

Remember that so far Senate Dems haven't really defected on big ticket items (the stimulus, SCHIP, Lily Ledbetter, etc.), even the conservatives.

[ Parent ]
Not fair
While Bennet may be an ineffective, incompetent, finger-to-the-wind ditherer, he's usually followed the Democratic majority along...eventually.  As seen from Colorado, I think his voting record has been well to Salazar's left.  That said, I'd vote for Andrew Romanoff in a New York minute and my respect for Salazar has gone WAY up since he became Interior Secretary.

30, male, Democratic, CO-01
[ Parent ]
Maybe he was thinking
that Bennet would make a better Senator than those others mentioned?

A cat can have kittens in an oven but that doesn't make them biscuits.
[ Parent ]
BWAHAHAHAHA
This is Swing State Project, man!  Everything is about the horserace.  Don't bore us with your thoughts of a politician actually trying to serve the public interest!

34, WM, Democrat, FL-11
[ Parent ]
What did Ritter do
before he was governor of Colorado. It sounds like he has no political experience and just got elected in a complete democratic wave.
District Attorney in Denver n/t


34, WM, Democrat, FL-11
[ Parent ]
i know this has nothing to do with the
colorado senate race but i didnt want to post a 2 sentence diary just to ask a question.

i'm working on a diary about redistricting and reaportionemnt and i've been looking for a document that i have seen before which shows the priority number for each seat after computing the population data using the huntington-hill method for 2000, it's an offical document, the one they used for reaportionment in 2000/2001, there used to be a link to it on the wikipedia page about reaportionment but it isn't there any more, i cant seem to find it on the census.gov website either, if anyonce can help me find it i'd be really greatful.

thanks!  

Did Bennet and Ritter have a pre-existing relationship
because the only way I can see Bennet being chosen is through some conflict of interest.
Doesn't have to be a conflict of interest
They could simply be friends, not somehow corruptly financially connected. I thought of that.

"I'm not a member of any organized political party, I'm a Democrat!"
--  Will Rogers  
[ Parent ]
Maybe the outgoing senator should
choose his replacement. We seem to be having a lot of problems with governors making that decision this year
Ex. (Ritter, Blago, and Patterson)
[ Parent ]
Worse idea
Governors are still at least somewhat accountable to constituents.
[ Parent ]
And what happens if the Senator dies?
Or is incapacitated?  Or resigned in disgrace due to corruption?

I like the Texas solution.  Gov appoints an interim Sen, then a quick special election.

[ Parent ]
Now all Texas has to do is swear off secession
;)

Politics and Other Random Topics

24, Male, Democrat, NM-01, Chairman of the Atheist Caucus, and Majority Leader of the "Going to Hell" caucus!

[ Parent ]
CO-Sen: Beauprez Won't Challenge Bennet | 35 comments

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