Bill Owens Dismisses Senate Run In 2008

Once considered a Republican with potential national aspirations early in Bush's first term and named the best governor in America by the National Review, Bill Owen's stock has fallen due to his lack of political ability in retaining Republican majorities in the Colorado legislature, backing controversial measures and in 2004, switching his support from Bob Schaffer to Pete Coors for the Ben Nighthorse Campbell's open senate seat in Colorado.

Now he says he is out of the running in 2008 for the seat currently held by Sen. Wayne Allard (video):

DENVER - Gov. Bill Owens (R-Colorado) says a run for the U.S. Senate is "not something that I'm looking at" and that he hopes incumbent Republican Wayne Allard runs for re-election.

Owens made the comments in a one-on-one interview in his Capitol office today with 9NEWS.

Allard is due to reveal his plans early next year and Owens' name has been bandied about as a possible candidate should Allard decide to step down. The term-limited governor, who is set to leave office on January 9, says the attention is flattering, but unrealistic.

"It's not something that I'm looking at," said Owens. "I've really enjoyed every day that I've been governor, but I also am really looking forward to what comes next. In my case, I'm going to be doing some international business, going to be putting some kids through college."

Owens has four or five specific opportunities within the private sector that he said he will detail in the near future.

He said Colorado is better-served by Allard running for re-election as any replacement means a loss in seniority and experience on Capitol Hill. The governor, who has also served as a state representative, state senator and state treasurer, said after 24 years in public life, it is time to go back to his first employer, the private sector.

Further, while he speaks fondly of the U.S. Senate, he does not believe at this stage of his life, the transition would be easy.

"Having been a governor where you (supervise thousands) of employees, I'm responsible for a $16 billion budget. I have the opportunity to make decisions every day in terms of signatures and vetoes. (Compared with) going to the world's greatest deliberative body, where as a freshman, you speak when spoken to, I'm not sure that after the years I spent as governor that it would be an easy transition," Owens said.

Except for freshmen like Barack Obama, of course.

And since when has any Senator, except perhaps for Wayne Allard, not been anything but a preening blowhard? Owens may not be the ideal candidate for Colorado, but given the choice between him and another Democrat, he'd get the nod instantly. At least he would be one legislator in the "world's greatest deliberative body" that actually has experience leading and governing, rather than strutting and obfuscating and enjoying the sound of their own voice.

technorati: Bill Owens Wayne Allard Colorado Senate Republicans