DENVER—Democrat Angie Paccione, who was narrowly defeated by Republican Rep. Marilyn Musgrave in 2006, dropped out of the 2008 congressional race on Wednesday.
Paccione said she wants to devote more time to her new job as a leadership trainer, which will take her to Australia, Switzerland, Mexico and Italy.
“I could spend the next 14 months campaigning for the opportunity to make a difference, or I could spend the next 14 months actually making a difference in the lives of others,” she said. “So today, I am announcing that I am ending my campaign for the 4th Congressional District.”
Paccione faced a primary campaign against Betsy Markey, a former staff member for Democratic Sen. Ken Salazar, and Eric Eidsness, who had run as Reform Party candidate in 2006.
Musgrave won that election with 46 percent of the vote to Paccione’s 43 percent and Eidsness’ 11 percent.
Eidsness said Paccione shared his passion for fighting the party establishment and he plans to carry on the fight.
Musgrave and Markey did not return calls seeking comment.
Paccione said she won’t make an endorsement in the primary.
“I’m not asking anyone to kiss my ring. They can stand on their own,” she said.
State Democratic Party chair Pat Waak said Paccione probably could have beaten Musgrave next year.
“I know this is something she felt strongly about. She came so close last time. However, she’s doing something in her best interest and that’s important,” Waak said.
Paccione said Wednesday she had forced Musgrave to tone down her conservative message and reinvent herself as a bipartisan candidate willing to work with others.
In the 2006 race, Paccione’s campaign dubbed Musgrave “Special Interest Marilyn” and criticized her for pushing a proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage instead of bills that would benefit farmers in her district.
Musgrave has since stopped promoting the gay-marriage ban and focused on other issues, including farm legislation.
“Without question, I definitely believe because of the scare we gave her in 2006 she tried to change her image,” Paccione said. “However, it’s not about image, it’s about reality, and she hasn’t changed her votes.”
Independent political consultant Eric Sondermann said Paccione was responsible for some of Musgrave’s changes. But he said pressure also came from Republicans who were upset over having to spend money defending her in what they believed should have been a safe district.
President Bush visited Musgrave’s district several times last year after the GOP determined she was vulnerable.
Sondermann said Musgrave has already shown she could beat Paccione. He expects she would have a harder time against the Democrats still in the race.
