Ritter Won't Seek 2nd Term
By Reid Wilson and Marc Ambinder
CO Gov. Bill Ritter (D) will not seek a second term, a campaign source tells Hotline OnCall, becoming the first Dem governor to announce he will step down.
Easily elected in '06 over ex-Rep. Bob Beauprez (R), Ritter faced economic uncertainty during his 3 years in office, and most public polls show his approval rating near parity.
Ritter's departure could leave Dems scrambling for a candidate just 11 months before Election Day, but the party has strong potential candidates. 3 of the 4 other statewide elected officials are Dems, and Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper (D) has long contemplated running for statewide office.
In '06, Hickenlooper largely froze the Dem field while he thought about running, leaving Ritter -- who had already entered the race -- with a dry fundraising field. Hickenlooper would be an instant frontrunner on the Dem side if he chooses to run.
Meanwhile, ex-Rep. Scott McInnis (R) leads the GOP field, though Beauprez has said he is contemplating a comeback bid.
A very shrewd move by Ritter and the Dems, who have a deep bench in CO. Don't forget Andrew Romanoff....
CO remains blue now. Thank you, Gov. Ritter.
Ritter was a decidedly mediocre governor who made a decidedly mediocre appointment for U. S. Senate. In Ritter's vest case scenario he loses by 4 points to just about anyone not found with a dead hooker. The guy can't explain his policies to save his life, and quite frankly is not that bright. If the Democrats want to hold the seat, Romanoff is their best bet. A hyperpartisan like Stan Matsunaka or Joan Fitzgerald would get wiped out in a state-wide race. Hickenlooper wandered into the same-sex marriage issue early in his term as Denver, creating suspiciaon that he is more of a social engineer than the state is in a mood for, and he has done nothing but tap dance on the issue of immigration (which the killing of a Denver Policeman by an illegal immigrant who worked in a restaurnat partly owned by Hickenlooper early in his term of mayor will likely come back to haunt him.) On the Republican side, Beauprez is a dud. Barring a significant mis-step, McInnis will be the next governor of Colorado.
Another Dem quits in a cowardly fashion. CO is classically purple and like Virginia and New Jersey will go to the GOP the fall. Romanoff is probably the Dems best bet, but the guy is a straight-line Dem all the way. CO will turn red in the governor's office and the GOP will field some good candidates.
Sorry Joe Six pack.
Two other names surfaced in the Denver Post reporting: Interior Secretary (and former state AG and U.S. Senator) Ken Salazar, and Cong. Ed Perlmutter (CO-7). I'd like Ed to stay in Congress, but that's selfish. Salazar, Romanoff, and Hick would all be good governors. Hick might have the best chance, but Romanoff was a superb state Speaker of the House. That guy gets things DONE!
Stan Davis
Lakewood, CO
The Democrats are running scared. CO goes red.
Bill Ritter is a decent and honorable family man who probably got in over his head, especially given the current economic climate.
If there's a democrat that deserves to be ousted it's that flighty ditz Dianna DeGette. What an empty dress. She's as stupid as they come, which makes her particularly appealing to the collective intellect of Colorado's First district voters.
As for Bennet and Udall ........... I rest my case. How does the democrat party keep coming up with mealy-mouth weasels like these?
"A very shrewd move by Ritter and the Dems, who have a deep bench in CO. Don't forget Andrew Romanoff....
CO remains blue now. Thank you, Gov. Ritter."
Joe Six | January 5, 2010 9:49 PM
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So, you think Democrats can suck and still continue to rule. I think you are in for a surprise.
Wow! I guess CO's flirtation with the Dems (with a little help from some very deep pockets) has just about run its course. I live out of state and haven't heard about what candidates the GOP has in the 3rd CD. I think the environment might be right for the Colo. GOP to take back the 3rd, 4th, 7th (I really like Frazier in this one)CD's, the governorship, the Senate seat and the legislature.
The Dems are all running for the backdoors, but I never expected this from Ritter. He has all but closed up the Western Slope commerce in gas, oil and coal - so hope the back door doesn't hit his backside on his way out. Would Salazar really leave Washington? don't think so, and Hickenlooper only proved that he was good at "Book-of-the-Month Club". We all remember him as Oprah Hickenlooper - don't think that will fly this time. As in Washington, the Dems have over-reached in Colorado and Coloradoans are not gonna take it next time around. Colorado turns red in 2010!
Just proves all this third party talk is garbage. We don't need one. This is the first step towards 2012.
Given his anti-gun stance I'm more than happy to see him go.
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