Sen. Allard won't seek re-election

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard wants to return to being a "country veterinarian."

The Republican senator from Colorado announced last month that he will honor his two-term-limit pledge and will not seek re-election in 2008. The term of a U.S. senator is six years.

"In an age when promises are cast away as quickly as yesterday's newspaper, I believe a promise made is a promise kept," Allard says. "The people of Colorado placed their trust in me based on my promise to them to serve no more than two terms, and it was very important to me to not dishonor that trust."

Allard, a champion of veterinary-related causes, adds that he expects his remaining time in office to be the most productive of his congressional career.

The veterinarian entered politics in 1983 when he was elected to the Colorado Senate, serving seven years while running a full-time practice. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1991 to 1996, before being elected to the U.S. Senate. He was re-elected in 2002.