Former Rep. Bob Schaffer loses battle for Senate seat (08/22/04)

Former Rep. Bob Schaffer loses battle for Senate seat

by Andrew Nynka

PARSIPPANY, N.J. - Former Congressman and Ukrainian American Bob Schaffer lost his bid to win a seat in the United States Senate where he had hoped to represent his home state of Colorado. Mr. Schaffer lost what many reports called a bruising Republican primary battle to Peter H. Coors, the chairman of Coors Brewing Company.

"Unfortunately, we came up a little short, but it wasn't from a lack of effort. We ran an aggressive and honest campaign, and we kept our pride and integrity intact for the whole journey," Mr. Schaffer said in a statement posted on his campaign website.

Mr. Coors, who was on leave from his company during the campaign, defeated Mr. Schaffer on August 10 and will face the state attorney general, Ken Salazar, in the general election on November 2, the Associated Press reported the day after the primary.

Mr. Schaffer was vying for the seat being vacated by retiring Republican Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell.

While in the House of Representatives, Mr. Schaffer, a co-chairman of the Congressional Ukrainian Caucus, introduced legislation to permanently lift U.S. government trade restrictions against Ukraine, known as Jackson-Vanik restrictions. He also co-sponsored a bill to erect a memorial in Washington to commemorate the victims of the Ukrainian Famine-Genocide of 1932-1933. He served three two-year terms in the House but retired in 2003 because of a pledge to serve no more than three terms. He was first elected to Congress in November 1996.

The Associated Press reported that Mr. Coors had 170,581 votes, or 61 percent of the vote, while Mr. Schaffer had 110,692 votes, or 39 percent, with 85 percent of precincts reporting. On the Democratic side, Mr. Salazar had 144,953 votes, or 73 percent, and educator Mike Miles had 52,362 votes, or 27 percent.

"The last four months have reinforced for my family how many great people we have living in Colorado - friends, neighbors and fellow citizens. We will never forget what has taken place since April, and we will never forget what it means to be Coloradans," Mr. Schaffer said.

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