Sen. Campbell (R) CO not running for reelection...

[dae]

DENVER - Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell, beset by health problems and an office scandal involving a longtime aide, announced Wednesday he will not seek a third term this fall.



"After a great deal of soul searching and reflection I have decided not to seek re-election," the Republican said in a statement. "I feel the time has come to pass that duty on to another and return to my ranch with my family that I love."



http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=536&e=4&u=/ap/20040303/ap_on_el_se/campbell_future

GOODBYE and GOODBYE!

[denverbill]

1. Whoa!!! That's HUGE news.

All along he's been saying he was running. This is a real shocker to me.

[The Zanti Regent]

40. One less traitor to worry about

Now if we could pick off Shelby!

[maggrwaggr]

2. Good. He was a turncoat and a traitor to the Democratic party

He got the Dems to vote him in, then he turned Republican.

May he rot in hell.

[otohara]

22. Buh Bye -

I voted for him back when he was a Dem.

[IndianaGreen]

30. Good riddance!

Don't let the door hit him in the ass on the way out.

[CO Liberal]

3. Good News and Bad News

Good news that we're gonna be rid of Ben Nightmare Campbell. Bad news because I was hoping to see him do the perp walk, led off in legirons.....

[Ediacara]

6. there may still be time!

[metisnation]

11. hole

put him in irons and give him 180 days in the hole on bread and water.

[librechik]

4. Yeehaa!

time for a change back to a Democrat--which is how we elected that SOB in the first place till he turned to the dark side (didn't take long in Washington for the pod people to get him)

[MissMarple]

5. Do you think Bridges scared him off?

I'm guessing the Republicans might have someone other than Campbell they think can beat a Democrat. And Tancredo's spot looks a bit shaky as well. The woman running against him was recently a Republican and now is freshly minted Democrat.

[Name removed]

28. Deleted message

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[DavidDvorkin]

7. Wow!

I'd do a little dance of joy if I weren't in my little cubicle at work.

Wonder whom the Republicans will pick to run for the seat?

[denverbill]

12. Speculation is it will be Bill Owens.

Another possibility is Scott McInnis, although he is speculated to be running for Gov since Owens is term-limited.

Owens would be tough, unless the marital infidelity charges dog him.

[Bandit]

17. "unless the marital infidelity charges dog him. "

These kind of charges don't dog republicans because they are soooo commonplace. Let a Democrat screw around though and the whole world gets to buzzin.

[CO Liberal]

27. And Speaking as a Good Democrat....

...it's up to us to make those charges dog him.

[mndemocrat_29]

32. Didn't they hurt Sen. Hutchison

Didn't he have some sort of scandal like that?

[DavidDvorkin]

26. Ugh. I detest Owens.

Not just because of his politics. When I see him on TV, I always feel the need to wash my hands afterwards.

[BigBigBear]

8. Good riddance

Turncoat....

[emc]

9. met him when democrat

I met this guy when he was first elected---I even voted for the turkey being his ranch was about a mile from my house and he was running a campaign locally (Durango)---I shook his hand one day just before he switched parties----what an asshole he turned out to be-----typical republican ----I'm just glad I left Colorado shortly after that-----I'm sorry it took so long for him to quit---

[curse10]

10. Good riddance!

Will Tom Strickland make another run for it?

[David__77]

13. Strickland should run again.

I think he can win. Or what about the attorney general? I think we should be able to win this seat. Hopefully the GOP will nominate Tancredo or something like that. Maybe someone from Focus ont he Family in Colorado Springs...

[Liberalboy]

14. Owens is needed in the Governor's Office and..

to help Bush win re-election. I think Mike Miles has a decent chance of winning this seat - my guess is that some other hardcore repuke will run, like Andrews in the state house.

[earthside]

15. Go Green

Since the Colorado Democrat Party establishment seems intent on disrespecting Mike Miles in favor of running a multimillionaire Republocrat ... There will be a Green candidate for Campbell's seat. And until the state's Democrats stop being DINOs, they're not going to win anything anyway.

[ochazuke]

16. How about Udall?

I think he said he wouldn't run before. How about now?

[Timefortruth]

18. Lovely.

The myopia of the Greens never ceases to amaze me. They remind me of spoiled stubborn children who prefer the destruction of the country to the success of anything less than their extreme.

The greens have been effective in the past with the determination that if it isn't their way then they will make sure everyone suffers as a result. They may be successful electing Republicans again, which is why the Republicans fund them. Not much anyone can do about it. There must be some jollies in it for them to have some power, even if it is a power to make things much, much worse.

[paulk]

20. "Go Green"

Bob Beauprez has a LCV score of 10, Mr. Chandler.

Way to go!

[earthside]

23. Pro-War Democrats

Until Howard Dean came along and showed the national Democrats how to have a spine, most establishment party insiders couldn't bring themselves to mumble opposition to Bush's warmongering policies.

Just like in 2002, the Democratic candidate for Congress in Colorado's 7th District "stood shoulder to shoulder with President Bush" on the Iraq war. Or how Beauprez and Feeley both were supports of Two Forks, Las Animas, the beltway, fought against the 'smart growth' state constitutional amendement in 2000, and backed every other anti-environment project. Didn't voters deserve to have a real choice between two Republocrats and a true anti-Bush, pro-peace, pro-environment candidate?

Now the elitist Democrats in Colorado are doing the same thing. Instead of supporting a good candidate like Mike Miles, the anti-environment, pro-development "leaders" of the party hustle up another multimillionaire candidate like Rutt Bridges that brags about how "moderate" he is and how many Republican friends he has.

So where is the choice? Is it just about the power? Just like the Bush gang? Or is the Colorado Democratic Party going to finally wake up, embrace the Dean attitude (like I think Kerry has) and start acting like liberals and progressives again?

Until then, it is necessary for the Green Party to keep the pressure on and offer a choice to the people of this state.

[paulk]

36. The vote in 2002 was about control of the Congress

especially with the Bush junta already in control of the executive and judicial branches. I held my nose and voted Strickland for the same reason. Mike Feeley may be on the moderate side, but he's world's better than a right wing fruitloop like Beauprez.

You offer choice?

Some representation is better than none at all, and none at all is the only real choice you offer voters.

[denverbill]

24. I agree about Miles, but not about going Green.

Mike would be an EXCELLENT Senator.

I do wonder, however, if Mike is setting his sights a bit high for a first-time office seeker.

[CO Liberal]

25. No Worse Tha Ah-Nold

And Mike has a lot more on the ball. I've met him personally, and I'd proudly cast my vote for him.

[salin]

19. yikes...

Campbell's office was rocked last month when it was alleged that a longtime aide had been taking kickbacks. The senator reported the matter to the Senate ethics committee.


At issue are allegations from former staffer Brian Thompson. He claims chief of staff Ginnie Kontnik gave him bonuses with an understanding that he would return $2,000 to her so she could pay a lawyer handling her divorce.


Campbell said he knew Thompson was receiving bonuses, but if money was given back to Kontnik, it happened without his knowledge. "I did not know about it," he said. "Absolutely not."

[bluestateguy]

21. good riddance

A turncoat of a senator who changed parties in 1995 when it was politically expedient. I never forgave him for that. Now he is getting his comeuppance.

[Judi Lynn]

29. Wow! Great news.

I've believed the Republicans have viewed Campbell as a real trophy Republican Congressman. They have seemed so proud to have him in their ranks.

Goodbye, write when you get work!

[CO Liberal]

31. He Still Has His CDL (Commercial Driver's License)

So he can always drive a truck.

[Judi Lynn]

33. Maybe he can help move Tancredo the heck outta there! n/t

[mndemocrat_29]

34. This will probably turn into a race between Udall and Owens

It will be quite the tossup. Hopefully the presidential election will help the Democrats (along with Owens link to the reredistricting).

[CO Liberal]

35. Mark Udall Wants to Stay In The House

I'd like to see Mike Miles get elected to the Senate, and Tancredo, Bouprez, and Musgrove sent packing.

And Scott McPinhead thrown in a jail cell. :-)

[paulk]

37. I sure hope Udall reconsiders

none of the four declared Dem. candidates have any political experience at all - how could they beat Owens, or even McPinhead?

This is the US Senate, not City Council. We need some name recognition. Are we going to be saddled with another Rollie Heath?

[mndemocrat_29]

39. I'm sure Udall would reconsider

Now that the seat is open.

[Lorien]

38. Heheh

Charlie Hill (Native American comedian)is going to have some fun with this!

"We Natives have a name for Bush*; we call him "Walking Eagle", because he's so full of shit he can't fly"! -Charlie Hill

[Judi Lynn]

41. Ben Nighthorse Campbell UPDATE!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

U.S. Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell quits re-election campaign, throws race into chaos

JUDITH KOHLER, Associated Press Writer
Thursday, March 4, 2004



(03-04) 01:48 PST DENVER (AP) --

Colorado's race for the U.S. Senate was thrown into disarray when Republican Ben Nighthorse Campbell announced he would not seek a third term this fall.

Campbell, 70, made the surprise announcement Wednesday, citing declining health. He was treated for prostate cancer last year.

His Washington office also faces allegations that a longtime aide had taken kickbacks.
(snip)

Campbell's decision will make it harder for Republicans to build on their 41-48 Senate majority and means they will have to spend more money on the Colorado race than planned.
(snip/...)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2004/03/04/national0448EST0469.DTL

Woo hooooo, I hope! :bounce:

[scarface2004]

42. i hope the cancer spreads......

he aint no senator!!!

[MissMarple]

43. Now that was uncalled for.

Sometimes if you wish for things like that, they come right back at you.