Scenarios emerge about contenders for Salazar Senate seat

Face The State Staff Report

In the aftermath of U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar's acceptance of President-elect Obama's nomination to become secretary of the Interior, fellow Democrat Gov. Bill Ritter will be tasked with appointing Salazar's replacement to the U.S. Senate.

Salazar and RitterFTS File Photo

Outgoing state House Speaker Andrew Romanoff, D-Denver, U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette, U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter and Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper have all been rumored as potential successors. Some insiders even speculate that Ritter might appoint himself amid fears of a thorny re-election campaign in 2010. Hickenlooper has also had his name floated as a potential contender to be Obama's transportation secretary.

Salazar’s appointment could be good news for Republicans, who are more likely to pick up his Senate seat in 2010 now that they will face a non-elected incumbent.

But Republican Party Chairman Dick Wadhams was hesitant to weigh in on who he’d like to see replace Salazar and ultimately said he doesn’t care who Ritter ends up appointing. “There is nobody on the Democratic side I’m concerned about,” he said.

If Ritter were to appoint DeGette or Perlmutter, he would then have to hold a special election within 75 to 90 days of when either DeGette or Perlmutter would resign to take the new post. Each party would then use a vacancy committee to select candidates, who would campaign for the seat.