The Western Conservative Summit has become a must attend event for Republican candidates in Colorado, and is quickly becoming a major event on the long road to the GOP nomination for the White House. WCS 2103 was no exception, with conservative powerhouses aplenty like Senator Ted Cruz and Governor Scott Walker, thanks to the hard work of former U.S. Senator Bill Armstrong and former State Senate President John Andrews.

While watching activists kick the tires of likely 2016 contenders Cruz and Walker was interesting, it was movement from potential Colorado U.S. Senate candidates that proved most revealing.

On the governor’s race, only the two declared candidates — former Congressman Tom Tancredo and State Senator Greg Brophy — got time at the microphone. Not so with the U.S. Senate race.

Declared U.S. Senate candidate State Senator Randy Baumgardner took his time on stage, but so did rumored candidates State Representative Amy Stephens and Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck…during the time set aside for U.S. Senate candidates.

Neither have formally declared, but it doesn’t take a political soothsayer to read those tea leaves. 

It only goes to show how relevant the Western Conservative Summit has become that John Andrews was able to get Buck and Stephens to tip their hand before a formal announcement from either of them.

Hopefully next time The Denver Post will deem it important enough to send someone more senior than an intern to cover it.

(Note: State Senator Owen Hill has declared his candidacy for U.S. Senate but did not speak at the Western Conservative Summit)