Campbell Exit Sparks a Scramble
Roll Call Staff
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Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell’s (R-Colo.) retirement announcement on Tuesday has set off a mad scramble among would-be candidates as they position themselves for the open-seat contest.
“Everyone’s in a state of shock politically out here in Colorado — Democrats and Republicans,” said Sean Tonner, Campbell’s campaign manager.
For now, most of the attention is focused on the Republican side, where sitting Gov. Bill Owens is seen as the strongest potential candidate.
But the Democratic side could also get interesting, with Rep. Mark Udall reconsidering a potential bid. Wealthy philanthropist Rutt Bridges joined the race this week.
Udall would not comment on his future intentions Wednesday. Since Campbell cited health reasons as a major reason for his exit, Udall said he is “first and foremost concerned about Ben’s health” for now.
Owens, who was first elected to the governorship in 1998, was easily re-elected in 2002 and is already being mentioned as a potential contender for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination.
One Republican familiar with the state’s politics said that Owens is “strongly considering” a bid, but added that the governor must carefully weigh his potential interest in the nation’s top office before leaping.
“I could build a case that staying as governor helps that more than running and winning a U.S. Senate seat,” said the GOP strategist.
Owens, who used the same political team for his 2002 re-election that Campbell was using this year, issued a statement praising the Senator’s service but saying nothing about his own political future.
“He only found out this morning,” Owens’ spokeswoman, Kristin Hubble, said Wednesday. “His first thought is with the Senator’s health. He hasn’t thought through the ramifications of this at all.”
If the governor does not run, Rep. Tom Tancredo (R) may jump in, with a spokesman noting that he is “very interested” in the race.
GOP Reps. Scott McInnis and Bob Beauprez said Wednesday that they would give Owens the right of first refusal in the race but would think about a bid if he decided against running.
Campbell’s retirement comes after months of speculation about his political future that had grown to a fever pitch in recent weeks after the resignation of his chief of staff and multiple health problems.
In a statement released by his office, Campbell said that “after spending another night in the hospital I realize that my deteriorating health may hamper my ability to serve.”
Campbell, the lone American Indian in the Senate, was diagnosed with prostate cancer last year and visited the hospital twice in the past week with chest pains.
He had long been rumored as a retirement possibility due to his sluggish fundraising numbers. Those whispers grew louder late last month following the resignation of Campbell’s longtime chief of staff, Ginnie Kontnik, amid allegations that she demanded a kickback from an underling with the Senator’s tacit approval.
His retirement comes nine years to the day that he switched from the Democratic to the Republican Party.
The newly open seat comes just days after Democrats seemed to have settled on Bridges as their candidate culminating more than a year of searching in vain for a serious contender.
In his statement on Campbell’s retirement, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairman Jon Corzine (N.J.) praised Bridges, adding: “Today’s developments only increase our chances of winning in Colorado.”
Bridges has pledged to spend between $5 million and $10 million of his own money on the race and may benefit from the silent support of some establishment Democrats attracted to his ability to finance the race.
“Regardless of what Udall decides to do or anybody else, Rutt Bridges is in this for the duration,” said Susan Bachar, his campaign spokeswoman.
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