Legislative musical chairs

Even though the legislative session ended in May, the Capitol rumor mill is still churning out gossip. The latest buzz is that Rep. Buffie McFadyen, D-Pueblo, is considering a move to nearby state Senate District 2 in anticipation of a 2010 bid.

Currently McFayden lives in SD 3, which is held by term-limted Sen. Abel Tapia, D-Pueblo. SD 3 overlaps with McFadyen’s House District 47 and Democrat Rep. Sal Pace’s House District 46. Sources tell Face The State Pace and McFadyen recently struck a deal to ensure they wouldn’t face each other in a primary for Tapia’s seat. Under the arrangement, Pace would run for SD 3, while McFadyen will move to Canon City to run for SD 2, currently held by Sen. Ken Kester, R-Las Animas, who is term limited next year.

When asked about her plans for the future, McFadyen wrote to Face The State in an e-mail, “If I move it has nothing to do with running for office. I am term limited and have no pans to run for any other office.”

Calls to Pace went unreturned.

Fremont County Republican Chair Kevin Grantham is the only announced candidate in the SD 2 race, and there are currently no Democrat challengers. Candidates must maintain residency in the district for at least one year prior to election day in order to run.

Moving to run for office is not unheard of. Sen. Al White, R-Hayden, moved into SD 8 so he could run for the seat when former Sen. Jack Taylor was term limited in 2004.