In the last couple of months rumors have surfaced occasionally regarding former Rep. Scott McInnis, the lone (for now) Republican contender for U.S. Senate in 2008, concerning whether he would be in the race for the long haul.
Those rumors picked up again today with a post from the Republican blog Mount Virtus (after the jump):
It’s not often I get into rumors here on this site, but a credible source tells me that Scott McInnis soon may announce that he is withdrawing his bid for the Republican nomination for Colorado’s 2008 U.S. Senate election. If it’s true, there’s clearly a close connection with the story breaking this weekend that the National Republican Senatorial Committee is recruiting Attorney General John Suthers to run for the seat vacated by Wayne Allard.
McInnis hasn’t even been a formal candidate for two months, so would he really be preparing to drop out of the race altogether?
Maybe not.
“It’s very McInnis-esque to let a rumor like this float out there and then come back and drop a bombshell announcement of a different sort,” says a Republican insider who wished to remain anonymous discussing candidates for the U.S. Senate.
This Republican insider, who is not a McInnis supporter, would be surprised to see McInnis drop out of the race so early – particularly since he has already reportedly signed up with powerhouse consulting firm Phaseline Strategies. More likely, says the source, is that McInnis will announce big fundraising numbers after the first quarter (ending March 31), which some rumors said could be in the $3 million range.
Attempts to reach McInnis for comment were not immediately successful.
McInnis could very well drop out of the race for U.S. Senate at some point between now and 2008, but it wouldn’t make much sense for him to do it now when he is the only announced Republican candidate. If McInnis can report a strong initial quarter of fundraising, it will be other potential GOP candidates talking about not running.
