Coors announces Senate candidacy

DENVER, April 13 (UPI) -- Brewing executive Pete Coors announced Tuesday that he will seek the Republilcan nomination for the U.S. Senate in Colorado.

Coors was joined by Gov. Bill Owens, retiring Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell, and his family at the ceremony on the state Capitol steps, The Denver Post reported.

"I owe my country a debt of gratitude and I want to serve my country," he said, promising to bring the values of his family and Colorado to the Senate.

Coors, the great-grandson of Adolph Coors, said jobs and a stronger economy are his top priorities.

"Big, growing, burdensome government gets in the way of job creation and job preservation," he said, "How do I know this? Because I have helped create jobs. Quite a lot of them over the years. Good paying jobs."

Coors, who is chairman of the Adolph Coors Co., is expected to face former U.S. Rep. Bob Schaffer in the Republican primary. Owens originally endorsed Schaffer but he has switched his allegiance to Coors.

Attorney General Ken Salazar is the leading Democratic candidate.