Wiens out of CO-6

State Senator Tom Wiens won't run for CO-6.

From his press release:

Colorado state Sen. Tom Wiens, R-Castle Rock, announced today that he will seek re-election to a second term in the Colorado State Senate and will not be a candidate for the sixth congressional seat being vacated by retiring Republican Congressman Tom Tancredo.

"I believe I can have a more positive impact on the future of Colorado by continuing to serve in the State Senate than by being a member of Congress," Wiens said. "This has become even more clear to me given the events of the last several days in which we have seen our Democrat governor practicing government by fiat, ignoring the best interests of the people and bypassing the entire legislative process. Governor Ritter is clearly placing the interests of his political benefactors above the interests of the people."

Wiens said Gov. Bill Ritter's controversial executive order last Friday, granting labor unions bargaining power over state employees, will increase the costs of government in Colorado and reduce its efficiency and our competitiveness as a state. He went on to say, tax payers expect real and tangible results from their state government "Instead, we are now are in an environment where special interests are the only ones getting results."

Tanc 4 Prez

It's no secret that Congressman Tom "Tanc" Tancredo (CO-6) has been talking about not running for congress again, to pursue his dark-horse Presidential campaign. That talk has escalated in the last several days with the announcement that Tanc's Presidential exploratory commitee has raised over $1 million in the last quarter.

The Denver Post has a profile of some of the possible candidates to replace Tanc in CO-6. Among the front line contenders are State Senator Ted Harvey (R-Highlands Ranch) Senator Tom Wiens (R- Castle Rock) and Wil Armstrong (Son of Conservative hero, Senator Bill Armstrong).

There are sure to be a number of second and third tier candidates, possibly including State Senator Steve Ward (R- Centennial).

Harvey and Armstrong will certainly be battling it out over the position of most conservative candidate.

Harvey has the record of a conservative hero; staunchly pro-life, a sponsor of right-to-work legislation every year he's been in office, and one of the leaders on on gun rights.

While Armstrong has the pedigree and is certainly a front line conservative, he has never cast a recorded vote.

Wiens tacks a more middle of the road course, he is a George W. Bush style of Republican.

It will be interesting to see how these elements of the race play out.