CO-GOV

Flying Solo: Everyone Abandons Dan Maes After Mistake-Riddled Campaign

Eric Kleefeld | September 10, 2010, 8:47AM

Dan Maes (R), candidate for Colorado governor

Things are not going well for Dan Maes in Colorado. After a series of highly-publicized miscues over the last few months -- and a third-party bid from ex-Rep. Tom Tancredo -- Maes' supporters are now leaving him in droves. The result? In a cycle where the GOP ought to be making strong gains all over the map, the party seems to be waving the white flag in the Colorado gubernatorial race -- where they should have had a great shot of winning.

Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter is retiring after one term, which saw him accrue negative ratings. The Dems are now running Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper -- and the Republicans no longer seem to be sure who they're running, even after the primary.

The trouble started with the two candidates in the GOP primary. Former Rep. Scott McInnis was caught in a plagiarism scandal, and Maes, the tea party-backed candidate who touted his business acumen on the trail, turned out to not exactly be a successful businessman. He was delinquent in filing required state paperwork, was late in making payments to his homeowners association, and had a lien placed on his house. Maes also made some interesting policy pronouncements, such as alleging that Hickenlooper's support for bike paths as mayor was part of a United Nations plot to destroy America's sovereignty. On the policy end, Maes proposed that he would lay off 2,000 state employees "just like that."

Then Tancredo threatened to get in as a third-party candidate if McInnis and Maes didn't drop out -- clearly as a potential threat to be a spoiler candidate -- and Tancredo later made good on his threat -- essentially splitting the conservative vote and all but handing the race to the Dem Hickenlooper.

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CO-GOV

Poll: Salazar Might Have Lost In Gubernatorial Race

Eric Kleefeld | January 7, 2010, 2:39PM

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar

A new Rasmussen poll of Colorado suggests that if Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar had run for governor -- he has just decided against it -- the former Colorado Senator and state attorney general may well have lost, and might not even have been the strongest possible Democratic candidate.

Salazar and Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper were both tested in the poll, which was conducted yesterday, against Republican former Rep. Scott McInnis. Salazar trailed McInnis by 47%-41%, while Hickenlooper is also behind by a narrower 45%-42%.

That said, the pollster's analysis argues that Democratic chances of holding this governor's mansion have actually improved since the retirement announcement by incumbent Dem Gov. Bill Ritter, noting that Ritter trailed McInnis by an eight-point margin last month.

CO-GOV

Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter Joins Retiring Democrats

Christina Bellantoni | January 5, 2010, 9:44PM

Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter. Newscom photo

Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter (D) won't seek a second term, retiring from the key swing state as Democrats were hit earlier today with the surprise retirement of Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND).

The Washington Post reports tonight that Ritter, elected in 2006, is suddenly backing down from his reelection bid.

According to the Post, Democratic sources briefed on Ritter's decision cite a tough race for reelection against former Rep. Scott McInnis (R).