Musgrave doesn't rule out future in politics

FORT MORGAN - Colorado Congresswoman Marilyn Musgrave says she has spent the past month calling and e-mailing her supporters and thanking them for giving her the opportunity to serve six years in Congress.

"I've had a flood of encouragement coming back to me since the election," she said. "It's very touching and I'm very, very grateful."

One month ago, Musgrave, a Republican, lost the 4th Congressional District seat to Democrat Betsy Markey. Markey is the first Democrat to win the district since 1972.

The campaign between Markey and Musgrave was bitter, negative and expensive.

When asked about the negativity Musgrave said, "The campaign's over, it's done."

"Campaigns are negative. They're negative. That's the way they are," said Musgrave.

Musgrave says she has stayed true to her conservative principles, but she believes it was her backing of a Constitutional amendment on marriage in 2004 that made her a target. The measure would have defined marriage as a union between a man and woman.

"I did much more than that, but of course that was the issue that caught the ire of my political detractors. But you know I have no regrets. Again, I'm someone who stood strong for my principles and I didn't deviate from those during my six years in Congress," said Musgrave.

"You put a target on somebody and you spend a lot of money and if you don't get them the first time, you can go back and go after them and it seems to be the pattern," she said. "More money was spent against me than any other member of Congress in the United States."

Musgrave was the first Republican woman elected to Congress from Colorado and says she is most proud that she always stood by her principles and never changed.

"I worked in Washington but my heart was in Colorado," she said. "I didn't change during my six years in Congress."

"I think of rural Colorado, northeast and southeastern Colorado, and I believe I served them very well," said Musgrave. "This is a challenging district. This district has changed since I was elected six years ago. When you have Fort Collins, Colorado and Lamar, Colorado in the same district, it's very challenging."

As she looks ahead to her final days in office, Musgrave says she is inclined to vote against a bailout for the nation's automakers.

"I heard a lot of my colleagues say, 'Where does the line end for the bailouts?' and I agree," said Musgrave.

She says she is disappointed in her party with regarding to spending.

"I think Republicans lost their way, and we're going to find our way back and I hope to be a part of that. I'm a conservative Republican. I'm proud of my party. I'm looking to help raise up new leaders to help us get out of this situation we're in right now," she said.

Musgrave is not ruling out a future campaign.

"I will always be interested in politics. Whether I'll run again for office I don't know. I'll always be active, I'll always be involved," she said,