LONGMONT, Colo.-
Democratic state Sen. Brandon Shaffer of Longmont plans to take the first steps toward running for Congress this week, forming an exploratory committee and starting to raise money to challenge Republican Marilyn Musgrave.
Shaffer, 36, an attorney, told the Longmont Daily Times-Call in Tuesday’s editions that he has been encouraged to run by fellow Democrats and party officials in Washington.
Former state Rep. Angie Paccione, a Fort Collins Democrat who was defeated by Musgrave last year, said she plans to run again.
Other Democrats who have expressed interest in running for the seat in 2008 include Betsy Markey, a regional director for Sen. Ken Salazar; Dr. Bob Bennell, a Fort Collins dentist; and Eric Eidsness, who ran for the 4th District as a Reform Party candidate last year before becoming a Democrat.
Musgrave campaign spokesman Jason Thielman said Musgrave is in good shape going into the 2008 campaign.
“We’ve managed a close but decisive victory in the worst election (for Republicans) since Watergate,” he said, referring to the 2006 vote. “Many Republicans in districts more solid than ours did not win.”
