W.H. Floated Jobs to Colo. Candidate

Andrew Romanoff, who’s challenging fellow Democrat Sen. Michael Bennet for his Colorado Senate seat, says he had three jobs suggested to him in September by Jim Messina, deputy chief of staff to President Obama, to leave the race. The White House supports Bennet, and the allegations come as the Obama administration is under fire for offering an unpaid administration gig to Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA) to pull out of his primary challenge against Sen. Arlen Specter. Sestak didn’t, and beat Specter. (The White House counsel said nothing was illegal.) Romanoff says he, too, chose to stay in the race, and both sides say he was never officially offered a job. An anonymous administration source told the Associated Press that Romanoff, a former speaker of the Colorado House, had hoped to be appointed to the Senate seat, but Bennet was picked instead. After Romanoff’s public griping about being passed over, he spoke with White House officials about possible jobs. He also sought several political jobs in Colorado, but was not appointed.