Coffman Makes Congressional Run Official

Republican Secretary of State Mike Coffman, a veteran with high name recognition, has made his rumored run for Rep. Tom Tancredo's seat official. The primary in Colorado's 6th Congressional District would now appear his to lose.

Though state GOP leaders and rank-and-file Republicans differ on whether his run is a net gain--a veteran and top-notch replacement for Tancredo--or a net loss of the SOS and election watchdog position to the Democrats, the truth is that Coffman represents one of a limited number of talented top-tier candidates left on the state's GOP bench for the foreseeable future.

A Coffman victory--and surrender of the SOS to the Democrats--should be measured in the intent of the candidate to stick with the seat come reelection, and not merely use the office as a springboard for a gubernatorial or Senate run in 2010. It is hard, however, to fault him for leaping at the opportunity to assume a safe Republican seat before the post-2010 redistricting.