Beauprez won’t run for Senate

Former Rep. Bob Beauprez (R-Colo.) has decided not to seek his party’s nomination for Senate in 2010.

Beauprez wrote on his website late Monday that the 2010 Senate race simply wasn’t the right opportunity.

“Short of being a candidate, I will do all I can to see that Colorado elects a Senator in 2010 who represents our conservative values and who will bring badly needed common sense to Washington,” Beauprez wrote. “I believe we will have a great nominee, and I believe we can and will win. It will take all of us pulling in the same direction, for the same reason.”

In a recent Public Policy Polling survey, the 2006 GOP gubernatorial nominee held a small lead over appointed Sen. Michael Bennet (R), and Beauprez’s renown would have made him a favorite to take the Republican nomination over two little-known candidates.

Despite the numbers, though, Republicans in Colorado weren’t enamored with having a Senate nominee who lost the governor’s race so badly just three years ago.

Beauprez’s decision could open the door to former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton, who recently expressed interest in running on the GOP side. Short of that, Republicans will have a battle between Aurora City Councilman Ryan Frazier and Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck.