December 30, 2011 01:12 AM UTC

No Three-Way GOP Primary in HD-19

•  
• by: Colorado Pols

That’s the news from Tim Hoover of the Denver paper–retired Air Force Gen. Gar Graham, who had been recruited by former state Sen. Dave Schultheis to challenge House Majority Leader Amy Stephens, announced today that he is withdrawing from this race and endorsing Stephens’ incumbent HD-19 opponent Rep. Marsha Looper. Graham had reportedly been eyeing a run against Stephens since before reapportionment, but Stephens being drawn into a district versus another GOP incumbent left Gen. Graham a soldier without a mission.

This should be considered bad news for Rep. Stephens, who may have hoped to capitalize on multiple challengers in newly-redrawn HD-19 to split “Tea Party” opposition. Stephens was assured a primary from the right regardless of the outcome of reapportionment, though, after her on-again off-again (ending with on-again) support for Senate Bill 200–bipartisan health insurance exchange legislation passed this year, but denounced by the hard right as a concession to “Obamacare.” With Gen. Graham out of the picture, the “Anybody but Amy” camp now has an uncluttered path to victory–and an incumbent GOP legislator carrying the flag.