March 20, 2007 05:43 PM UTC

McInnis "Concerned," Looking to Undermine Suthers

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• by: Colorado Pols

The Grand Junction Sentinel follows up on their story from Sunday:

Former Republican Congressman Scott McInnis is worried about the repercussions of Attorney General John Suthers running for the U.S. Senate in 2008, a campaign staff member confirmed Monday.

Susan Smith, spokeswoman for the former Grand Junction Congressman and 2008 Senate hopeful, said McInnis is worried about the consequences of Suthers leaving his position as the state’s top law enforcement officer either to run for office or after his election.

Both scenarios would clear the way for Gov. Bill Ritter to make a Democratic appointment to the vacated seat.

“(McInnis) did express concern about jeopardizing the attorney general’s seat when he read (the) article about John,” Smith said. “But if that’s part of the process and that’s what we do, that’s what we do. But he does feel like it’s not advantageous to the party for obvious reasons.”

Suthers said Friday he has been courted to run for the seat Sen. Wayne Allard, R-Colo., is vacating at the end of his present term.

“I’ve had conversations with people on several levels,” Suthers said. “The (National) Republican Senatorial Committee is obviously very interested in winning this race, making sure that the best possible candidate is in the race.”

Just as Republican Gov. Bill Owens appointed Suthers in 2005 to replace outgoing Democratic Attorney General Ken Salazar after Salazar won election to the Senate, Ritter would almost certainly appoint a Democrat.

Smith said while it has been McInnis’ goal to avoid a divisive primary, she is confident he can succeed. She said Suthers’ comments about no candidates “gaining a great deal of momentum,” simply were not true…

The Washington Post also mentions Suthers’ interest in the race this morning.

Our view: Suthers doesn’t have a chance, but that’s not what McInnis is worried about. McInnis has tried mightily to frame the 2008 Senate race as his unquestionable birthright, and he is failing. Public expressions of heavy-handed “concern” like this one are only doing further damage to his prospects, signaling nervousness instead of confidence.

With liberals single-mindedly targeting “McLobbyist” McInnis and numerous potential Republican challengers making it known that they won’t be cowed by McInnis’ forcibly-asserted “aura of inevitability,” the stage is now set for the one thing he wants least–a spirited Republican primary.

Against Bob Schaffer.