CO Republicans May Try To Recruit John Elway for Senate in 2008??

[Bleacher Creature]

Glad to see the Republicans have learned their lessons from 2006 and are no longer going to rely on cheap political stunts. . . . :)

http://www.longmontfyi.com/Local-Story.asp?id=13831

Will Allard leave?
If he does, Senate race in 2008 could be a superstar battle

By Steven K. Paulson
The Associated Press

DENVER — John Elway the Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate? In a race against Denver’s quirky, boyish-faced and popular mayor, John Hickenlooper?

Anything is possible if GOP Sen. Wayne Allard decides to step down in 2008, giving Democrats another chance to pick up an open seat, says former Congressman Scott McInnis.

Allard hasn’t said whether he will honor his pledge to limit himself to two terms, and he is under pressure to run again from Republicans fearful of losing another open seat to Democrats.

Allard said he won’t decide until early next year whether he will run for a third term or honor a pledge to retire after two. He said Republican Party leaders are pressing him to run.

Allard is seen as vulnerable.

[trotsky]

1. Oh yeah, that worked out so well for them with Lynn Swann in PA.

:rofl:

[Freddie Stubbs]

3. What about Heath Schuler?

[trotsky]

10. Yeah, what about him?

He made his case to the voters and was elected.

Swann tried and was overwhelmingly defeated.

I'm just saying, it's not a perfect record to nominate a star athlete beloved in the state, especially when his stardom is the ONLY thing he has going for him. (Elway much closer to Swann in that regard than Shuler.)

[LynneSin]

5. I think there is a big difference between Lynn Swann and Heath Shuler

Lynn Swann wanted to run the state of Pennsylvania. The man had no previous political experience and he wanted to run one of the larger economies in the country. Usually running someone like Lynn Swann isn't because the republicans think he'll make a good governor; hell Bill Scranton at one time was considering a 2006 PA gov bid but opted not to run. But getting someone like Lynn Swann elected means that Swann would have been indebt to the republican party and would probably staff the committees full of neo-cons who would like to push Pennsylvania red and ESPECIALLY control it through the voting machines and major voter repression in the urban areas of Philly & Pittsburgh.

Heath Shuler is a different story. First, he's running for a congressional seat; a seat that would share the responsiblities in the house with 434 other representatives. The house is a great start for people like Heath who are interested in politics since you're not really running the government but merely the voice of the people who you represent.

As for John Elway I'm not sure what I think about that. Senate is definately a bigger position with more responsiblities but again, he's not running for governor where he would be the top dog running the state. But when I hear words like 'recruiting' it's clear that republicans see him as nothing more than a name that could cox a few fence sitters back over into the republican side.

[hughee99]

8. Lynn Swann's status in PA is nothing

compared to Elway's in Colorado (from what I've seen, anyway). It did work out okay for them with Tom Osborne, J.C. Watts, Steve Largent, Jim Bunning, and Jack Kemp.

[Freddie Stubbs]

2. A former pro athlete elected to Congress?

http://www.heathshuler.com

[Norquist Nemesis]

4. Elway's name has come up before as a potential candidate

as I recall. Didn't the Denver area like to rake Elway over the coals for next to everything he did off the field? One year, the papers were reporting what type of candy he was giving out for Halloween and it was apparently not up to the 'community standards' of a Broncos QB. At least it will be good fodder for his opponent! LOL!

[central scrutinizer]

6. Jack Kemp, Steve Largent, Tom Osborne, JC Watts, Bill Bradbury, etc.

the list is long of former sports stars who use their name recognition as a springboard. Usually they are rich and spoiled, ergo the Republican Party is a natural fit for them. Bradbury and Shuler being the exceptions.

[onenote]

7. that would be Bill Bradley, methinks

[central scrutinizer]

11. oops. you're right - Bill Bradbury is Oregon's Sec'y of State

[zbdent]

9. May he have the same success that he had in his first

superbowl attempt ...

:rofl:

[trotsky]

12. Ooh yeah.

Hopefully he can make Dan Reeves his campaign manager. :evilgrin:

[SmellsLikeDeanSpirit]

13. He won't win shit without Terrell Davis "running" the campaign.