I personally believe he is going for President.
He will not get money, time, effort, nor support from many/most Colorado Republicans. He has lost his grassroot base.
He lost the conservative and the moderate Republicans.
It is not just C & D...He has been drifting way left for too long. What does he stand for?
In 2004, he and the party lost almost every open state and federal ( McInnis and Campbell's seats ) race...and lost the state House and the state Senate.
But I get your point. He may think he is going to the middle to get ready for a Presidental run.
He does not communicate with his base. Neither he nor his staff return telephone calls, emails, snail mails...