Despite being overwhelmed by union and enviro money, former state Senate candidate Bob Rankin managed to make his race with state Senator Gail Schwartz in 2010 an incredibly close one. Now sources are telling Colorado Peak Politics that Rankin is looking to make a Libby Szabo-esque return to Colorado politics, with a run for the state House in 2012.

Just as Szabo bounced back from a tough, and close, loss for the state Senate in 2008, to win a tough, close fight for the state House in 2010, Rankin is looking at his own chance for political redemption. 

Rankin ran a solid campaign for SD5 in 2010, raising substantial sums of money, but ultimately getting drowned by outside liberal interest groups hoping to protect the enviro's stooge, Gail Schwartz. 

Sources have told the Peak that Rankin has received dozens of calls urging him to run for the state House seat being vacated by Glenwood Springs Democrat Roger Wilson. Wilson's House seat became more Republican during reapportionment, a rare glimmer of hope for Republicans in a process defined by Democrats' vindictiveness and attacks on GOP women

Rankin is a former Fortune 500 aerospace executive, having been the corporate Vice President of the Ford Aerospace Corporation, a veteran, and the owner of two small businesses in Aspen. His business background and 2010 campaign experience would serve him well should he decide to take another shot at the Legislature. 

In 2010, Rankin dominated the caucus process, cleaning up with 82% of the delegate vote over former CD3 candidate Wayne Wolf. 

With little more than a month until precinct caucuses on February 7, should Rankin decide to run again he'll have to announce soon and ramp up quickly. 

Expect a massive explosion of campaign announcements in the next month as the caucuses close in. 

A campaign announcement by Rankin would be a big one, living up to the analysis made by GOP Jedi that GOP recruitment is going extraordinarily well for 2012. Rankin is a conservative thoroughbred and one helluva’ proven candidate.

Check back at the Peak for future updates and scuttlebutt about candidates for Congress and the Legislature.