Go to the mobile version of this Web site.

Login | Contact Us | Site Map | Paid archives | Electronic edition | Subscription Questions | Extras

White House wants Hefley to seek re-election

M.E. Sprengelmeyer, Rocky Mountain News

Published January 9, 2006 at midnight

Text size  

More Colorado Government

More stories »

The White House wants Joel Hefley, the 70-year-old dean of Colorado's congressional delegation to set aside any thoughts about retiring.

Hefley, R-Colorado Springs, said Monday he still has not decided whether he will seek an 11th term in the U.S. House of Representatives or retire at the end of 2006. He said he’ll decide "soon."

In the meantime, Hefley said he received a call from one of President Bush's aides in recent days, urging him to stay in the race.

The reason is simple: "The more seats Republicans have to defend that are open, the tougher it's going to be" for the GOP to hold its majority, Hefley said.

Hefley's district is considered the most conservative in the state, but a potential GOP primary race could divert money needed to fight battles elsewhere.

Hefley said he will balance that against his decision to do what's best for himself, his family and his district. "You're certainly not going to ignore the White House," he said.

Although Hefley has not said when he will make a retirement decision, that hasn't stopped other candidates from eying the race. Former El Paso County sheriff John Anderson, a Republican, has set up an exploratory committee and planned an announcement for Tuesday.

Democrat Jay Fawcett is expected to be in the race, and pundits have speculated about the intentions of other Republicans, including state Sen. Doug Lamborn, and Jeff Crank of the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce, if Hefley retires.

Hefley, former chairman of the House Ethics Committee, openly clashed last year with then-House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas. The committee admonished DeLay three times for campaign finance matters and other issues, and Hefley later stood as the only Republican opposing proposed Ethics Committee rule changes critics saw as an attempt to shield DeLay.

Since then, DeLay has been indicted on campaign finance charges in Texas, and faced new scrutiny in recent months over his ties to embattled lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Hefley praised DeLay's decision Saturday to permanently give up his claims to the Majority Leader job.

"Whether he is guilty of anything or not, he was dragging us (Republicans) down because in politics, perception can be everything," Hefley said. "We didn't want to enter an election year with this hanging around our neck."

Hefley said DeLay's announcement might make it more "comfortable" for him if he does decide to stay in Congress. "I don't like to fight with my own team," Hefley said.