Salazar’s exit brings new life to national, Colorado GOP

Sen. Ken Salazar’s departure for a Cabinet appointment would make him the fourth Democratic senator to leave for an executive position, but the first to leave behind a battleground state.

Amid news that Salazar will be the next Interior secretary, his seat instantly became the most imperiled Democratic Senate seat in the country. It also gives struggling Colorado Republicans another chance after losing an open seat last month — their third-straight cycle losing the top statewide race.

{mosads}State GOP Chairman Dick Wadhams is looking at the Senate race and Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter’s reelection race as a great opportunity for Republicans to get back on track in 2010.

“I never thought that Salazar was invincible, but he was a strong incumbent who was raising money,” Wadhams said. “Take him out of the picture, with an appointed Democrat in the seat, and it makes it contestable.”

While Republicans have opportunities in open seats in Delaware, Illinois and New York, none present the opportunity available in Colorado, which, despite trending strongly Democratic in recent years, remains something of a swing state.

The Centennial State elected Democratic Sen.-elect Mark Udall to the open seat by 10 points this year, while President-elect Obama won the state by nine points.

As in the other three states, a Democratic governor will appoint Salazar’s replacement for the next two years. Because the senator was already up for reelection in this cycle, Ritter’s selection will be up for a full six-year term in 2010.

Salazar’s appointment is expected to become official before the end of the week. Obama has a press conference scheduled for Wednesday.

Ritter should be drawn toward someone who will seek the seat in two years, as opposed to a placeholder appointee, because the Senate race will be featured prominently alongside his own reelection contest.

Topping nearly everyone’s list of potential appointees and candidates is Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, a popular Democrat with bipartisan appeal.

But there are questions about his desire to be a legislator in Washington and about his family situation.

Hickenlooper, a former small-businessman who became mayor in 2003, is seen as more of an executive personality and a gubernatorial type. And several sources suggested the wife of the mayor would resist running for Senate.

“Hickenlooper has the inside track,” one source said. “He can raise the money, but his wife is already sick of politics.”

Hickenlooper offered little clue as to his interest Tuesday.

“There are lots of possibilities out there, and rather than spending time endlessly speculating, I choose to remain focused on running the city,” he said in a statement.

Other top potential appointees include Salazar’s older brother, Rep. John Salazar, as well as outgoing state House Speaker Andrew Romanoff. State Treasurer Cary Kennedy, two-time Senate nominee and former U.S. Attorney Tom Strickland, and Reps. Diana DeGette and Ed Perlmutter are also expected to be in the mix.

John Salazar lacks the popularity and renown of his younger brother, but he appeals to rural voters and would be another Hispanic candidate. Ken Salazar’s exit, along with Sen. Mel Martinez’s (R-Fla.) impending retirement, leaves just one Hispanic senator: Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.).

But similar to his brother, Rep. Salazar represents a district that would instantly become a top-targeted open seat if he were to vacate it. Republican state Senate Minority Leader Josh Penry would be a strong candidate to steal the seat in a special election.

{mospagebreak}Romanoff, who is term-limited in the state House, is also one of three finalists for the secretary of state vacancy left by Rep.-elect Mike Coffman (R).

Romanoff wouldn’t say Tuesday whether he preferred to be a senator or secretary of state.

“I’m looking for a way to make a contribution to my state, and I have told the governor in the past that I would be happy to serve in any capacity that he deems fit,” Romanoff said.

{mosads}Sources said Salazar will keep the seat until he is confirmed, which would give Ritter plenty of time to make a decision.

On the GOP side, former Rep. Scott McInnis, Attorney General John Suthers and former state Senate Majority Leader Mark Hillman appear to be near the head of the pack, though several others are being mentioned.

Former Sen. Bill Armstrong (R-Colo.), who two years ago declared that it was former Rep. Bob Schaffer’s (R) turn to run for Senate, said there is no clear GOP favorite at this point and that he expects a “spirited” primary.

“I think it’ll be a wide-open selection process this time,” Armstrong said. “I don’t think there’s anybody who’s just going to announce and, by doing so, will foreclose the opposition.”

Former Gov. Bill Owens (R) would likely clear the field if he decided to run, but he has thus far resisted entreaties and shown little interest in a return to elective office.

Suthers might be the strongest of the remaining candidates and is showing interest, according to a well-placed GOP source. He is not expected to seek another term as attorney general in 2010.

McInnis is clearly interested in the Senate, as he briefly ran for retiring GOP Sen. Wayne Allard’s seat last year before yielding to Schaffer. Schaffer won the Republican primary but lost to Udall in the general election.

Former Rep. Bob Beauprez had already been eyeing Sen. Salazar’s seat, but he is somewhat damaged after losing to Ritter by 17 points in the 2006 gubernatorial race. Someone close to Beauprez said he is watching to see whom Ritter chooses.

Other names being mentioned include outgoing Rep. Tom Tancredo (R), Hall of Fame Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway, and Coffman.

If the GOP does have a primary, it will have to avoid the fissures between the conservative and pragmatic wings of the party, which have plagued it in the past.

Independent pollster Floyd Ciruli said the state retains a Democratic advantage, but the stage is set for the GOP in 2010.

Ciruli said Republicans and Democrats “are both playing with unaffiliated voters, and there’s no Bush to run against, which obviously made ’08 an exceptionally good year.”

“Without that backdrop, Republicans are anxious to start fresh in ’10,” Ciruli said.