DENVER, March 12 (UPI) -- Republican efforts to find a candidate for U.S. Senate in Colorado continued to unfold Friday as two U.S. House members said they would pass up the race.
Retiring GOP Rep. Scott McInnis of the 3rd Congressional District and Tom Tancredo, who represents Colorado's 6th Congressional District said they would not enter the race to succeed retiring GOP Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell.
McInnis, who is considered a potential replacement for term-limited GOP Gov. Bill Owens, plans to join a Denver law firm after he leaves office. Tancredo says he will seek re-election to the House.
Other names now being suggested as possible candidates include U.S. Interior Secretary and former Colorado Attorney General Gale Norton, former Republican National Committee Chairman Jim Nicholson, who is currently the U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, and Colo. Lt. Gov. Jane Norton, who is no relation to the interior secretary.
The lone Republican in the race currently is former U.S. Rep. Bob Schaffer, who left office after six years because of a self-imposed term limit. Schaffer already has the support of former GOP U.S. Sen. Bill Armstrong, a dozen of his former colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives and a handful of GOP state legislators.
Colorado Attorney General Ken Salazar is the likely Democrat for the general election.
