A November 29 article in The Daily Sentinel of Grand Junction by Gary Harmon reported that former Colorado 3rd Congressional District Rep. Scott McInnis (R) wants Republican U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard “to bid for a third term,” which would break Allard's term-limits pledge. The Sentinel, however, failed to note that McInnis -- who once said he would serve no more than four terms -- broke his own term-limits pledge by running for a fifth term in 2000. The article also did not note that McInnis has been a proponent of term limits.

According to the Sentinel:

One potential Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2008 wants the incumbent, Republican Wayne Allard, to bid for a third term.

Scott McInnis, who retired from the House in 2004 after six terms, is among the Republicans listed as possible contenders for the post should Allard decide against running.

“I hope Allard runs again,” McInnis said, “His seniority is critical.”

The Sentinel also noted that “Allard, who said in 1996 that he would serve two terms in the Senate, is expected to decide in the spring whether to run again.”

However, in its reporting of Allard's term-limits pledge, the Sentinel failed to note that McInnis -- a one-time proponent of term limits -- broke his own term-limits pledge by running for a fifth congressional term in 2000.

As the Rocky Mountain News reported (subscription only) on October 22, 1997, “McInnis has been a strong supporter of term limits, having voted for them at every opportunity. Furthermore, while campaigning for his first term in 1992, he said he would serve no more than four terms.” On January 7, 1996, a News editorial (subscription only) reported that in response to then-Gov. Roy Romer's (D) request for possible slogans for Colorado's license plate, McInnis offered: “Home of Term Limits.”

According to a February 25, 1998, article (subscription only) in the News, McInnis began to have second thoughts about term limits during his fourth -- and supposedly final -- congressional term:

U.S. Rep. Scott McInnis left the door open this week to a re-election bid in 2000, despite previously having vowed to call it quits after four terms. In answer to a question during his first congressional campaign, McInnis said he would not seek re-election to a fifth term. The position was consistent with his support for term limits. And as recently as November 1994, McInnis was quoted as saying, ''After the year 2000, I will not be in the House of Representatives.'' But during a meeting with reporters Thursday in Grand Junction, McInnis signaled a change in his position.

On March 15, 1998, after McInnis did, in fact, decide to run for a fifth term, the News reported (subscription only), “When he sought his first term in Congress, U.S. Rep. Scott McInnis promised voters he would quit after eight years in office. That was in 1992. Now the Grand Junction lawmaker -- once an unabashed supporter of term limits -- has changed his mind. He says that retiring after four terms would hurt constituents, depriving them of a seasoned member of Congress.”

McInnis was elected to a fifth term in 2000 and a sixth in 2002 before stepping down from his office in 2004.

From the November 29 article, “McInnis to Allard: Seek out a 3rd term,” by Gary Harmon of the Sentinel:

One potential Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2008 wants the incumbent, Republican Wayne Allard, to bid for a third term.

Scott McInnis, who retired from the House in 2004 after six terms, is among the Republicans listed as possible contenders for the post should Allard decide against running.

“I hope Allard runs again,” McInnis said, “His seniority is critical.”

McInnis played down his own interest in returning to Washington, D.C., saying that his interest in returning to public service “remains high, but just how that shakes out, I don't know.”

Allard, who said in 1996 that he would serve two terms in the Senate, is expected to decide in the spring whether to run again.

A tip from Colorado Media Matters reader A.S. contributed to this item. Thanks, and keep them coming.