The Colorado Statesman has some good gossip online about the 2014 Senate race (Sen. Mark Udall’s seat). There are a few particular items that we thought worthy of further analysis:
In no uncertain terms, state GOP boss Ryan Call wants to demolish the notion that he might be considering a run for Democrat Mark Udall’s U.S. Senate seat two years from now. That’s right: He’s not running, not even maybe.
We don’t think Ryan Call would be a particularly strong candidate for the GOP in 2014, but it’s interesting that his name came up enough to garner reporting from the Statesman. When you see or hear someone’s name being floated for a particular office, it’s almost always with at least implied consent from said person. This says a lot about Call’s future ambitions, but what really stands out is the relative weakness of the GOP bench; if Call’s name is being taken even slightly seriously, then Republicans have little hope of taking out Udall.
The Statesman writes that Rep. Mike Coffman’s name might be cooling off significantly as a 2014 Senate contender. As we have noted in this space many times, Coffman has been trying to put down his marker for the eventual Republican nomination for more than a year now. But if it’s not Coffman?
The most likely Republican candidate for Udall’s seat, top Republicans tell us, is a name familiar to friend and foe alike: former U.S. Rep. Bob Beauprez, who gave up a congressional seat six years ago to launch what most agree was a stumbling campaign for governor, which he lost to one-termer Democrat Bill Ritter.
That’s right, Beauprez, a former state party chairman and nearly constant fixture at major state Republican events in recent months, is weighing a run for the U.S. Senate what would be eight years after his last race.
We’re more than a little surprised to hear the name Beauprez being mentioned with any shred of truth. We’re talking about a guy whose 2006 campaign for governor is on the short list of worst statewide campaigns in Colorado history.
We still think that Coffman will eventually be the Republican nominee unless he crashes spectacularly this November. But even if it isn’t Coffman, we’d be absolutely floored to see Beauprez emerge as the GOP favorite.
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If Beauprez is the R nominee and again uses the ad in which he stands next to a horse’s rear end he just might get my vote – the horse I mean.
Doug would give us a clear choice between himself and Mark.
Doug2014.com
If only he would run, he would be a virtual lock to win.
– he’s an R
– bonafide conservative and we all know Colorado leans conservative.
– no Dan Maes weirdness (undercover Kansas cop, UW football)
– no voting record to defend
– no prosecution record to defend
– his dad was a Chicago cop (an honest cop, who didn’t participate in the execution of fred Hampton)
– he’s an outsider
– he never borrowed money from Freda Poundstone (as far as we know)
1. He has thousands of hours to tape and he has made some outrageous statements (ask Ken Buck how this worked for him).
2. He’s nothing but a social conservative and we know Coloradoans are not (see rejection of Personhood and partial birth abortion ban).
3. Um, he’s a big bad trial lawyer and he advertises on TV and Radio. Do I really need to say any more. Republicans hat them way worse than Democrats. Almost a disqualifying profession for Republicans.
he run than not. ANd, of course, I forgot the virtual certainty of a Tebow endorsement.
Of course, I’d rather Dan Maes run too. Dya think we could get Dan to run for the Senate? I mean , he could run for Guv again – that would be ok. But I’d feel better if he would feel the call to DC and run for the Senate. Frida Poundstone died- so I’m pretty sure she won’t be around to embarrass him this time.
Or maybe Tancredo could be convinced to run. HIs speaking gigs (see recent Pols link to CCC – not the KKK) seem pretty lucrative and low pressure, but perhaps he could feel the call too.
Why does this diary even exist?
Would it be because a recent PPP poll showed that Sen. Udall has a low 40s/high 30s approve/disapproval rating?
Why is the statesman even running that article when we have a Presidential election staring us in the face and we are purported to be a swing state?
Or does this diary exist because in addition to the schocking weakness of Udall, we have Sen Bennet holding tight to a zero favorability rating with his approve/disapproval polling be equal?
Of course the Seante seat occupied by Udall is a co-equal prize to that of the governors office in 2014. Guv Hickenlooper has polled very well in the past, but these recent drops by Udall and Bennet should scare the heck out of Guv John.
Bob Beauprez will challenge Udall ….. there is always a reason and purpose to the reporting at the Statesman. I’m sure Beauprez appreciates the advance work by ColoradoPols to highlight his likely 2014 run for the Senate.
I personally suspect Bob is making a Senate run and rightly staking out his territory early. His 1:1 discussion with me this spring sure signaled a strong interest in returning to Coloradans a strong and effective leader for them in DC.
He WANTED to run in 2010, too.
….and it’s driven by continuing democrat failures, an impressive approach by Beauprez, and the desire by Colorado voters for new DC leadership.
I gotta admit, Obama’s war on congress has really exposed congressional Dems.
Awesome! Did he mention who he had in mind? Any names specifically?
Both Ways Bob certainly does not meet that criteria so I’m assuming that you two, during your 1:1, tossed some names around, no?
And I will just give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you can provide me the links to Udall and Bennet’s recent polling because boy, I’d really like to take a peek at those.
Dazzle me, baby!
come on, ya just gotta trust ‘turd on the data
bolding is the new link in Libertads’ world, so if you bold something it is now unassailable, so THERE !
That would have been a 2:1 discussion.
was “Quit getting out of your car seat.”
hmmm, any 1:1 conversation would’ve resulted in ‘turd using his insider access for some deep dish GOP strategery and we surely would have read it here first.
‘turd woulda polished up any little nugget he heard and we know he can’t contain himself when he thinks he knows what others don’t (thatsa a real short list of items) so I’m pretty sure what we’re reading here is a LIE.
just schocking. So schocking that i’m in schock !
Why isn’t Bob Schaffer available ? Now that is a man that really believes in Amercia.
Is chairman of the Colorado state Board of Education. He is still a part of the scene. Don’t underestimate him: Shaffer is more viable than Beauprez to take on Udall in 2014.
But it doesn’t matter, because Mike Coffman isn’t going anywhere.
anywhere else they wouldn’t be even seriously considered in light of their last two disastrous campaigns, but who else do you have really ?
And yes, Coffman isn’t going anywhere.
The last time Mr. Schaffer ran for the U.S. House of Representatives he asserted some interesting comparisons between Democrats and Republicans on his campaign website. Here are a few of them:
And my all-time favorite:
Does anyone, Republican or Democrat, conservative or liberal, believe that an individual who is willing to put these kind of statements on the worldwide web has any business being a U.S. Senator? Does anyone believe it is the policy of the Democratic Party to burn down the forests in New Mexico? Mr. Schaffer believes that and more. I can’t imagine entrusting someone with these off-the-wall views with a seat in the United States Senate.
But it’s already hard enough to light matches with one hand without typing, too, and if I put the gun down this Cuban kid is going to get away.
Coffman won’t run unless he stumbles into something lucky enough to increase his popularity. Udall wins with those Louisiana exceptions and those aren’t happening
After Coffman whips Miklosi by 15 points, his obituary will be found highly exaggerated.
…Sen Greg Brophy?
His name has ben castigated as the guy who really wants to take on Udall as the ONLY TRUE CONSERVATIVE REPUB IN COLORADO!
Anyone?
Udall standing next to Brophy would make an awesome photo. Perhaps if Greg stood on a chair, they might see eye-to-eye on a few issues
will be his campaign manager?
Is located in a cryogenic laboratory, where they freeze unsuccessful, boring, or otherwise unmarketable candidates before thawing them out after the electorate has hopefully forgotten why nobody voted for them the last time.
See: Scott McInnis.
tell me that the COGOP establishment favors a Cory Gardner candidacy.
Dems are eating their own in some unseemly scenario. I can’t imagine R’s wanting to give up Cory’s seat when he could run in the future and probably win. He can’t beat Udall.
That seat stays safely in Republican hands. If Gardner is the best candidate to take on Udall, they’re not giving up much other than risking his political future. (That’s a big if, but no one knows the answer to that right now.) Coffman, on the other hand, would be giving up a seat that could easily swing to the Democrats, if he gave it up to run for the Senate.