Colo. Rep. McInnis Won't Seek New Term

The Associated Press ^ | 9/7/03

[LdSentinal]

DENVER - U.S. Rep. Scott McInnis, a Republican who has represented a sprawling area across western and southern Colorado for 11 years, will not seek a seventh term, the head of the state Republican Party said Sunday.

"It's personal reasons," party chairman Ted Halaby said. Halaby said McInnis, who represents the 3rd Congressional District, told him of the decision on Saturday.

McInnis' spokesman, Blair Jones, declined to comment.

The Daily Sentinel of Grand Junction reported Sunday that McInnis sent an e-mail to friends and family telling them he wants to move on to new things and will not seek re-election.

McInnis' decision surprised leaders in both major parties.

"The 3rd Congressional District race just made a 180-degree turn," state Democratic board member Leslie Robinson said. Democrats who thought they had at least two years to think about running now have two months, she added.

The decision also could affect the 2006 campaign to replace Republican Gov. Bill Owens, who is barred from running again by term limits.

Halaby said McInnis was among those contemplating a run for governor.

[Bedford Forrest]

What the Heck is this about???? I like this guy. I put him in there with J.D. Hayworth, Rick Santorum, John Mica, the Reliables. Just dammit all.

[LdSentinal]

He could be retiring to focus his sight on the governership in '06 when Bill Owens will be forced to step down.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Conservative GOPer Congressional retirement *ping*

[Torie]

The district used to be marginal, with a GOP lean of sorts. I wonder what the redraw did to it.

[EternalVigilance]

Thanks for the ping.

[fieldmarshaldj]

"The district used to be marginal, with a GOP lean of sorts. I wonder what the redraw did to it."

I believe the GOP redistricters shored it up (the one currently in litagation for next year's election), but AuH2ORepublican would have more info on that. The seat was previously held by Ben Nighthorse Campbell when he was still a Dem.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Sure thing. ;-)

[JNB]

Looking at the 2004 national journal congressional almanac, the district under the lines used for the 2002 election gave Bush 54% of the vote. This would be a difficult district for the Democrats to grab.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Thanks for that. The question is what the lines for the '04 elections (assuming AG Salazar isn't able to halt their implementation) are. Is it more or less GOP ? Reagan won 63% in '84 and Bush, Sr. won 52% in '88 and it still managed to elect Campbell in '86 (who beat a Republican freshman elected in '84), so it's not entirely out of the question a 'Rat could win it. It's definitely going to set off a scramble. I wonder what McInnis's real reason for retiring was ?

[JNB]

Ben Campbell in 86 ran as a pro gun, pro land rights conservative Democrat, that kind of Democrat really doesnt exist in the West anymore, and far fewer people split their tickets now compared to 18 years ago. The Seat under the old lines in 2000 gave Bush 53% and the 2002 lines gave Bush 54%. The GOP of course can not take this seat for granted, but at the same time, this will be a difficult seat for them to target none the less, especially considering problems the national party has had with fundrasing.

[Impy]

It was shored up but I haven't seen any #s for it or for the new 7th.

This one is probably out of the rat's reach.

Wasn't McInnis the one that Pete Stark called a fruitcake?

[AuH2ORepublican]

"I believe the GOP redistricters shored it up (the one currently in litagation for next year's election)"

---

Yes, the 2003 redistricting (which RAT AG Salazar is taking to court) took out part of heavily Hispanic Pueblo County and some liberal ski counties and made the district more Republican. I haven't seen the final numbers, but if Bush got 54% under the old lines, I would guess he got 56% under the new lines. In any event, it is quite inhospitable turf for the RATs; this is not 1980s Colorado.

I'd much rather have McInnis as a Colorado Senator than the moderate Campbell. McInnis wanted to run in the primaries against Campbell in 1998 (just 2 or 3 years after Campbell switched to the GOP), but the NRC convinced him not to, since it didn't want a party-switcher to face a primary challenge. Given the fact that Campbell's recent fundraising hasn't exactly broken any records, could McInnis's decision be based on a hunch (or information) that Campbell won't seek reelection? I know Campbell said he was running again, but maybe he changed his mind. If so, it would be a very interesting Senate race between McInnis and whoever runs for the RATs (maybe Salazar, Udall or perhaps even Gary Hart).

[AuH2ORepublican]

"Wasn't McInnis the one that Pete Stark called a fruitcake?"

---

Yes, but I'm sure this wasn't a "Mark Foley retirement," if you know what I mean. McInnis is married with children and has never been suspected of being anything but straight.

[Dan from Michigan]

It sounds like a district we SHOULD win.(Someone like Nick Smith's MI-7 seat, although a little more GOP), but a strong dem could win it.

The main question is this. Do the RAT's have a farm club there? What worries me about MI-7 is that they have a very strong candidate if he chooses to run.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Here's a list of potential candidates for the seat from the Denver Post:

State Sen. Ken Chlouber of Leadville (who ran in the 1st last November getting an abysmal 29%), state Rep. Gayle Berry of Grand Junction, Pueblo County Sheriff Dan Corsentino, state Division of Wildlife director Russ George and state Rep. Matt Smith of Grand Junction.

Other possible GOP candidates are state Sen. Jack Taylor of Steamboat Springs; state Sen. Ron Teck of Grand Junction; former state Sen. Gigi Dennis, now state director for the U.S. Office of Rural Development; House Speaker Lola Spradley of Beulah; and state natural resources director Greg Walcher.

Potential Democratic candidates include businessman and former lieutenant governor candidate Bernie Buescher, state Sen. Jim Isgar of Hesperus and former state Sen. Bill Thiebaut of Pueblo. State Attorney General Ken Salazar hails from the San Luis Valley portion of the 3rd District but is considered more likely to run for governor in 2006.

[Dan from Michigan]

Isn't the first district Denver? If so, 29% is almost understandable. DeGette is entrenched as John Conyers. If it's in Udall's than it's beyond abysmal.

Ken Salazar is the one that worries me. He's a gun grabbing piece of crap, but he is the best the dems have.

[fieldmarshaldj]

"Isn't the first district Denver? If so, 29% is almost understandable. DeGette is entrenched as John Conyers."

Yup, Denver. But this district is nowhere near as bad as Conyers or Kilpatrick's, some Republicans (like fmr. Lt. Gov. Joe Rogers) managed to get 40% of the vote in the '90s. Chlouber's % was about as bad as the nobody candidates that faced DeGette after '98.

"If it's in Udall's than it's beyond abysmal."

Yup.

"Ken Salazar is the one that worries me. He's a gun grabbing piece of crap, but he is the best the dems have."

Salazar wants the Governorship, period. He's not going to win vital GOP votes, however, going on this jig to reinstate the old Congressional lines drawn by a judge.

[Clintonfatigued]

The district represented by Scott McInnis leans Republican in most elections. Chances are, he will be replaced by a similar-minded person, probably someone in the state legislature.

[Kuksool]

In an open CO Senate race, either Diana DeGette or Mark Udall would be the RAT nominee. Salazar is more interested in being Governor. As for the GOP nominee, I'd rather have Tom Tancredo run. We need someone who is willing to boldly address the problem of illegal immigration.