Penry, JoshYesterday, The Washington Post broke the story that Republican state Senator Josh Penry had dropped out of the race for Colorado governor. The Post didn’t quote Penry but, rather, cited unnamed sources in a column that noted Penry’s competitor, former Congressman Scott McInnis, now appears to be closer to a primary-less campaign to unseat Democratic Governor Bill Ritter.

There was speculation in the Post and elsewhere that Penry might have been scared off by McInnis’ money—or even a political nonprofit that could have harmed his reputation. Penry is peeved by all the reporting and took a potshot at the source or sources who beat him to the punch of the biggest story of his campaign.

“Politics being what it is, some yahoo got word of my decision and decided to tell The Washington Post before I could tell many of my closest friends—or even my employer at Home Loan and Investment, Company,” Penry says in a statement (via The Huffington Post).

Penry adds that he didn’t want to jeopardize the GOP’s chances of recapturing the governor’s office in an expensive, hard-fought primary. In an interview with The Denver Post, Penry also says he considered the emotional and financial toll on his young family. He fretted that his campaign wouldn’t be able to close a financial gap with McInnis’.

“I still believe I was the best candidate, but it’s not in the best interests of the state or the party to wage a war of attrition,” Penry says. “Scott is better for the state than Bill Ritter.”

The Post points out, however, that Evergreen businessman Dan Maes is still running for the Republican nomination for governor.