Cory Gardner puts Colorado senate seat in play

Congressman Cory Gardner will run for senate.
This is a game changer! Rep. Cory Gardner has given the Republican's "expand the map" strategy a huge boost. In Colorado, incumbent Sen. Mark Udall has polled fairly well against the second string field of primary senate candidates but now the Republicans have a big dog in the fight. Upon hearing Gardner's announcement two candidates, Amy Stephens and Ken Buck dropped out of the race. State Senator Owen Hill remains in the race and accused Gardner of making "backroom deals". At one point Gardner was a favorite of the Tea Party Express. That came to an end during the government shutdown when Gardner backed out of a scheduled rally with the Tea Party Express earning the wrath of Erick Erickson who called him a weasel.
Ken Buck, who ran for the senate in 2010, will seek Gardner's seat and has endorsed him. Amy Stephens calls him a uniter. "I told Cory 'I think you're the great uniter. I think you come to the table with resources quadruple of Ken and me and everyone else.' I said 'I do not want to divide this party,'" she said.
Notwithstanding the differences he may have with Erickson and the Tea Party Express, Gardner is no RINO, at least on his voting record. Compare his voting record as compiled by Congressional Quarterly.

	Presidential Support	Presidential Opposition	Participation in Presidential Support Votes.
Trey Gowdy	8	92	99
Jim Jordan	8	92	99
Justin Amash	25	75	99
Michele Bachmann	13	87	93
Cory Gardner	12	88	99