Senator Allard will not seek reelection

[GardeningGal]

DENVER (AP) - Colorado Republican Sen. Wayne Allard said Monday he will not run for re-election in 2008 but will honor a pledge he made in 1996 to serve only two terms.


"Today, I'm announcing that I will honor my term limits pledge to the people of Colorado," he said.

The decision sets up a wide-open race. Allard's seat was once considered safe for the GOP, but Colorado voters have shown a penchant lately for replacing Republicans with Democrats.

Democrats see the race as a chance to pick up another vote in Congress after wresting two House seats and a Senate seat from Republicans the past two years. Republicans hope to stanch a long series of losses, including both houses of the state Legislature and the governor's office.

http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=63194

[MaineDem]

1. Susan Collins should keep the same promise she made

But she's already said she was going to break that promise and run again.

Colorado is in good shape to elect another Democratic Senator.

[rodeodance]

7. i am no fan of Sue. and i hope the voters smack her for breaking

the promise

[KingFlorez]

2. This should be an easy pickup

Mark Udall should have no problem winning this seat

[paulk]

8. not an easy pickup, by any means

The only two Democrats to win statewide election here since Ben Nighthorse Campbell did (right before he switched parties), were Ken Salazar and Bill Ritter, both moderate to centrist (or even conservative, in the case of Salazar), Democrats. Udall is moderate to liberal, and he'll have the stone of being a "Boulder liberal" hung around his neck by the Republicans. And the "Boulder" thing won't play well out in the hinterlands, believe me. Although I do think Udall's pedigree may help to offset that.

The 2008 election will be a very good test of how "blue" Colorado really is, and I expect it to be a close, hardfought race.

[Kolesar]

9. I would fund Udall myself

although the only out of state candidate I funded last year was Ned Lamont.

[tridim]

3. Two suggested GOP candidates: Bob Beaupreaz and Pete Coors

Run idiots, RUN!

[donco6]

12. Both losers.

Yes, they would be excellent GOP candidates. Proven losers.

[Judi Lynn]

4. Great news! He won't be missed, either. Thanks, GardeningGal. n/t

[gratuitous]

5. Allard can honor his term limits pledge . . .

Or the people of Colorado seem poised to have done it for him. A little surprising that a Republican so clearly descries the "mene mene tekel upharsin" and figures to get out while the getting is good. But I guess they're not all dummies. Which is why the smarter ones are stepping down and the dumber ones are clinging to their seats for all they're worth.

The GOP: Dumb and getting dumber.

[Hawkeye-X]

6. Not a moment sooner, Mallard

Hope you go back to eating horse shit for a living.

I'd get Mike Miles or Ted Strickland to run...

Heck, I might even go with Ken Gordon if he is up for it.

Udall is ok by me too! (edit)

Hawkeye-X

[donco6]

13. I like all those.

Doubt Strickland would do it - haven't heard anything from him since Allard won. Miles is a possibility - he has quite a grassroots following. Gordon just got beat out (sadly) by Coffman for Sec of State. Not sure he's up for another fight. I think Udall would be a good choice, and would be a good bet his district would elect another Dem Representative.

[UrbScotty]

10. Another potential pickup! (nt)

[jamesinca]

11. This would be two pickups

We get a Colorado seat and we are no longer held hostage by Joe Lieberman.

[kentuck]

14. Sen. Allard (R- CO) announces he will not seek re-election.

http://www.gazette.com/display.php?id=1328844

<snip>
DENVER - Sen. Wayne Allard announced Monday that he will not seek a third term next year, ending months of speculation and triggering a frenzied rush to replace him.

Allard, speaking in the rotunda of the Capitol where he began his political career as a state senator in 1983, said that although a large number of Republicans asked him to run again, he never wavered on the two-termlimit vow he made in 1996.

<snip>
Former Western Slope Congressman Scott McInnis of Glenwood Springs has all but confirmed that he will run for the open seat. Other Republicans who said Monday that they will take a look at it are former congressmen Bob Beauprez and Bob Schaffer, Attorney General John Suthers and recently retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Bentley Rayburn.

<snip>
Rep. Mark Udall, the Eldorado Springs Democrat, has said he will run. He said Monday that he will make a formal announcement later, adding: “Today is Senator Allard’s day.”

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

15. Udall replacing Allard would be great. Maybe he would remind Salazar what a real

Democratic representative looks like. MKJ

[Name removed]

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