It’s official. Colorado Senator Ken Salazar will not run for Governor. The main reason is his family.

Salazar said he can’t imagine running another statewide race while serving in the U.S. Senate and being a father to his two daughters, one of whom starts at Stanford University next month. “That would make me a completely absent father and that’s unacceptable,” he said.

The Associated Press article goes on to discuss gubernatorial contender Bill Ritter — and is quite misleading. It makes it sound as if Ritter is going to run on an anti-abortion platform.

He [Salazar] has repeatedly been mentioned as an alternative to the lone Democratic gubernatorial candidate, former Denver District Attorney and abortion opponent Bill Ritter.

Bill Ritter repeatedly has said he is personally opposed to abortion but has no intention of bringing his personal views on the topic into the political arena.

Ritter said he is not making an issue of abortion. “It’s the law. Abortion is legal. “It’s not the thing I’m running on,” he said. Ritter said he would not actively seek legislation limiting abortion but refused to say whether he would sign such a bill if it got to his desk.

Ritter was even more clear in this interview with Colorado Pols:

However, voters do have a right to know where I stand on this issue. I am pro-life as a matter of personal faith. If Roe v. Wade is overturned, and the decision of whether or not to legalize abortions reverts to the states, and if the Colorado Legislature passes a bill banning abortion, I will sign the bill only if it provides protections for women who are victims of rape or incest, or to protect the life of the mother. However, should the Colorado Legislature pass a complete ban without these protections, I would veto that bill. That said, Roe v. Wade is the law of the land and abortions are legal. As Governor I will act in the same way I did as DA. I will respect the law as it stands, and I will not act to undermine the right of a woman to choose to have an abortion. ….Further, I have been asked by people whether, as Governor, I would insist that the judges I appoint pass a pro-life litmus test. The answer is no. I would require that the judges I appoint make a commitment that they are willing to uphold the laws of Colorado and the United States. I have written innumerable letters of recommendation for individuals applying for judicial positions, and I have never once inquired about any individual’s position on abortion.

I think Bill Ritter is a man of his word. For example, he also is personally opposed to capital punishment, yet while serving as District Attorney, he sought the death penalty in cases where he believed the facts justified it. The AP should clarify the article.