GOP gubernatorial hopeful Scott McInnis today received the backing of a man who once ranked among his fiercest rivals.
Senate Minority Leader and former McInnis challenger Josh Penry announced his endorsement in Grand Junction after nearly two weeks of meetings with top Republicans to craft a conservative agenda for the 2010 election cycle.
Penry left the governor’s race earlier this month.
“What this does on a political level is allows Republicans to focus resources not just in beating (incumbent Democratic Gov.) Bill Ritter, but in taking back the state House and Senate,” Penry said. “Three weeks ago, those words were inconceivable. That’s where my effort is going to be.”
McInnis, Penry, former Congressman Tom Tancredo and Colorado GOP Chairman Dick Wadhams have together hammered out a new, uniform agenda that will serve as the platform for dozens of Republicans across the ticket.
The plan includes a number of fiscally and socially conservative positions and is expected to be unveiled at a Monday morning event featuring former Gov. Bill Owens and House Minority Leader Mike May along with the plan architects.
“We’re very pleased and very grateful to Sen. Penry,” said Sean Duffy, spokesman for McInnis. “He’s putting the needs of Colorado ahead of his own campaign, and we’re uniting our party around a very strong set of governing principals that we think will greatly appeal to Coloradans.”
The collaborative agenda could also clear the gubernatorial field of former Congressman Tom Tancredo.
Tancredo, who at one point vowed to challenge McInnis, has said he would reconsider if the GOP can come to an agreement on a sufficiently conservative platform.
Jessica Fender: 303-954-1244 or jfender@denverpost.com.
