Eric Eidsness, the Reform Party candidate who picked up the Fort Collins Coloradoan's endorsement in CO-04 last year, has joined the Democratic Party and apparently intends to run for the nomination to challenge Marilyn Musgrave in 2008. Eidsness pulled 11% of the vote in a race that Musgrave won over Democratic State Rep. Angie Paccione by a 46 - 43 margin, making Musgrave the Republican who was elected with the lowest share of the vote in the country. Eidsness' surprising showing was fueled by his endorsement by the Fort Collins Coloradoan and, most likely, by an exodus of Latino voters who chose Eidsness as a safe haven/protest vote against the strong anti-immigrant message sent by both the Republican and Democratic candidates in that race.
It should be noted that Eidsness' own immigration position was relatively incoherent, really a collection of positions that seems to me designed to appeal to everyone. But at least he didn't go around bragging about being mean-spirited toward immigrants.
It remains to be seen whether this former Reagan Administration EPA official can really get traction on the Dem side (especially if Paccione decides to run again and we have a contested primary in the district). But if Reagan's Secretary of the Navy can become a Democratic Senator in Virginia, you can't rule out Eidsness succeeding in CO-04.