Forty Years Ago This Week: Just days after Republican state Sen. Steve Durham of Colorado Springs resigned his Senate seat to take over as regional director of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Senate District 12 Vacancy Committee had already named five potential replacements.

By law, the committee had 10 days to name a qualified candidate who would serve out the remainder of Durham’s term. Ed Bland, chairman of the El Paso County Republican Party, said that the new senator would be named by July 13.

The candidates consisted of some familiar names for El Paso County. Former state Sen. Harold McCormick, R-Cañon City, state Reps. Chuck Heim, R-Colorado Springs, and John Herzog, R-Colorado Springs, were among them, as well as Colorado Springs City Councilman Peter Susemihil, and Karl Pflock, communications specialist for New York Congressman Jack Kemp.

McCormick had held the Senate District 12 seat from 1973-1980, when he decided to run against Rep. Ray Kogovsek for the 3rd Congressional District. McCormick, outspoken as usual, told The Colorado Statesman unabashedly that he was the clear front runner.

While McCormick was the known, Pflock was the wild card. Pflock was working temporarily in Washington D.C. as publications director for the House Republican Conference. After working for the Central Intelligence Agency and the American Enterprise Institute, he moved to Colorado Springs in 1978.

Meanwhile Susemihil told The Colorado Statesman that he’d worked on both of Durham’s campaigns and this left him in a good position.

“The committee will select the man best able to finish out Durham’s term and be the most re-electable,” Susemihil said.

Herzog said he considered McCormick and Heim to be his stiffest competition but that he believed his record would be enough to recommend him for the senate seat.

In a strange parody of a children’s game, Susemihil was chosen to fill the vacancy while McCormick took back the seat – from 1982-1984 – before being elected to SD 2 from 1985-1992. Steve Durham eventually took back his previously resigned SD 12 seat from 1985-1988.

Twenty Years Ago: Long before he could be sure that he actually resided within the, soon-to-be, new 7th Congressional District, Colorado Treasurer Mike Coffman had already formed an exploratory committee to drum up support for his candidacy.

GOP insiders said this was no secret, as much like his mentor, Gov. Bill Owens, Coffman was a serial campaigner, regardless if it was an election year. After spending several years criss-crossing the state, Coffman had amassed an extensive email list, and this, he stated, played well in his favor.

“I’ve started an exploratory committee to fully evaluate the possibility of running,” Coffman said, “and to prepare myself should I choose to seek the nomination. Already this year I have received tremendous encouragement to consider a run for the seventh congressional district from fellow Republicans.”

Coffman swatted aside the little problem of the 7th CD not being official.

“I feel it’s important to start preparing for a congressional campaign anyway,” he said.

New growth had swollen Denver’s southeast suburbs and Capitol insiders were sure this was where the new district would be located.

The prospect of an incumbent-free seat had several others anxiously waiting for the legislature to draw the boundaries including Lt. Gov. Joe Rogers who was overheard telling friends that he’d move wherever he had to in order to run for the seat. State Sen. John Evans, R-Parker, had also announced his intentions.

Ultimately, Republican Bob Beauprez was elected to the newly minted 7th CD in 2002.

Rachael Wright is the author of the Captain Savva Mystery series, with degrees in Political Science and History from Colorado Mesa University, and is a contributing writer to Colorado Politics and The Gazette.