COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- FOX21 News has been profiling a number of candidates for office in recent months in an effort to give the public information needed to decide.

In this profile, FOX21 News looked at Republican candidate for senator, Jane Norton.

Norton served in both the Reagan and first Bush administrations. She was also a representative in the state Legislature before becoming Colorado’s first woman Lieutenant Governor under Gov. Bill Owens.

Now she's looking to oust Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet.

Norton does have challengers in the Republican primary. But she is considered the front runner to face off against the Democrats in November.

Norton was at El Paso County Republican Headquarters Tuesday evening to let voters know where she stands on the issues. She said her campaign is drawing a lot of people who have not been involved in politics before.

"We have a lot of new people who say, 'I don’t like the direction our nation is headed and I want to make a difference,'" Norton said.

This stop is the last in a two-day, 10-county whirlwind across the state.

Norton said a lot of people are worried about the same things.

“They are concerned about the over-reach of the federal government, the over-spending, the over-taxing, the over-regulating and all the encroachment that government is doing," Norton said.

She says Coloradans need a conservative to replace Democrat Bennet in the Senate.

"Michael Bennet is out of touch with the voters. He voted to increase the debt ceiling when the rest of Coloradans are struggling in the economy. we have to live within our means -- the federal government should have to do that as well," Norton said.

FOX21 News asked Norton about a couple of the biggest issues right now -- like Arizona’s new immigration law.

“I think it’s a natural consequence of the federal government not doing its role of protecting its citizens," Norton said.

And the Obama administration's handling of the suspected terrorist accused of trying to blow up a car bomb in Times Square?

"If they treat him like a criminal rather than a terrorist I think that’s wrong. You don’t keep America safe by reading terrorists their Miranda rights," Norton said.

The Republican and Democratic primaries are in August.

Coloradans will choose in November their senator for the next six years.