August 09, 2013 12:11 PM UTC

Big Line Updates: Buck Changes Senate, AG Lines

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• by: Colorado Pols

We've updated The Big Line to reflect Ken Buck's entry into the U.S. Senate race.

Buck is the early favorite to capture the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate, but we still have Sen. Mark Udall as a heavy favorite to win re-election. The biggest impact of Buck's candidacy is on the Republican side, where Owen Hill and Amy Stephens have some decisions to make. This is an entirely different race for Hill, who a week ago had little to lose politically so long as he didn't make a fool of himself in a race no-one would expect him to win (we don't consider Randy Baumgardner a serious obstacle for, well, anyone). Does Hill keep running and risk a drubbing in a Primary? Probably not.

As for Stephens, if she was serious about running for Senate she probably waited too long. We first reported back in June that Stephens was being recruited by some to run in 2014, but she really need to jump into the race before Buck in order to coalesce the support she would need to win a Primary. It's quite possible that Stephens could have done enough to keep Buck from running if she had moved quicker. If she still intends to run, the clock is ticking fast — she can't let Buck get even a few weeks' head start in fundraising.

Buck's decision should also finally end Bob Beauprez's sad flirtation with running for Senate. Beauprez really, really, really wanted to run for Senate, and Republicans really, really, really had no interest in supporting him.

Things are also clarified a bit on the GOP side for Attorney General, where Cynthia Coffman and Mark Waller are now free to battle it out for the Republican nomination.