Allard had a self-imposed two term pledge.
Allard was a man of his word. Unlike others who say they will serve only a limited time, he actually meant it. Unfortunately it was bad for the party and the country. You think he could have won again? With the tide in CO and the rest of the country I think he might have gone down. His margin in ‘02 was fairly narrow in a good Republican year. I guess Domenici and Warner would have been favored, even at their advanced ages, but you never know. Two years ago I don’t think anyone thought Dole, Chambliss, or McConnell would be in close races.
If any of those old guys (including Stevens ) had been smart and retired in ‘02, or ‘96, there was a good chance they could have been succeeded by other Republicans. Instead they stayed way past their prime and had to quit in the worst year for the GOP. What a disaster.