All Eyes On Schaffer

Says state Republican Chairman Dick Wadhams.

Former Rep. Bob Schaffer is noncommittal to this point:

"There's an optimal time to arrive at a decision for me, and when I get there, I'll decide," Schaffer said in an interview.

Given the necessary organization and fundraising for a successful run at the Senate seat, this will be sooner, rather than later.

Former Rep. Bob Beauprez offered these observations on a Schaffer run:

He's not sure whether former Rep. Bob Schaffer is ready to join Scott McInnis in the race for the Republican Senate nomination, but did observe how well-received Schaffer was at the state GOP central committee meeting in Castle Rock earlier this month.

Schaffer lost the Senate primary to Pete Coors in 2004, but has surprisingly rebounded within his party, noted Beauprez.

But will Schaffer try again in 2008? "The environment out there is maybe not as inviting as some conservatives would like it to be," Beauprez said delicately.

All potential GOP candidates are weighing the election losses of 2004 and 2006--the state's Democratic trend will undoubtedly play a huge role not only in deciding the eventual GOP candidate, but also the amount of fundraising that candidate will receive.

With so much at stake nationally, Colorado's toss-up seat will garner a great deal of attention and money, and should the polls start leaning toward a Udall win, the funds will dry up, regardless of who the candidate is. If the GOP's candidate can keep it close in the polls going into next fall, perhaps riding on a new surge of interest/support in the Republican party during a presidential campaign year, expect a costly and heated battle. The question now is which of the potential candidates can muster an effective campaign--holding their own against the media-anointed favorite Rep. Mark Udall.

ProgressNow has already prepared a welcome for Schaffer--BackwardsBob.org.

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ToTheRight offers the first post-McInnis assessment--Schaffer Si, Suthers No

For what it is worth, Rep. Mark Udall offered his opinion on former Rep. Scott McInnis' withdrawal:

"I am personally disappointed that Scott McInnis has taken himself out of the race for the U.S. Senate in 2008. I regard him as a friend and only a week or so ago we met and traded jokes about our respective futures," Udall said in a statement released Wednesday afternoon. "Scott has been a strong advocate for the West Slope, and I believe he would have been a formidable candidate for the United States Senate."