The Aaron Harber Show

Aaron's Real Opinions (Yikes!)

PART I: WHO WANTS TO BE GOVERNOR?
05-19-05

The race to replace Governor Bill Owens already is in full swing even though the election is not until November of 2006. The Republicans have a deep bench with topnotch candidates such as State Treasurer Mike Coffman already dropping out and Lieutenant Governor Jane Norton deciding not to run. In fact, the Republicans who have dropped out are better known than the Democrats who have said they're interested in the race.

Other Republicans considering the race are former 3 rd Congressional District Representative Scott McInnis and University of Denver President Marc Holtzman. Both would be solid candidates but aren't particularly well-known across the State. Of course, that is what a campaign is supposed to change.

The one Republican dominating the field is 7th Congressional District Representative Bob Beauprez. The field began clearing for Congressman Beauprez just as the leading potential Democratic challenger, 2nd Congressional District Representative Mark Udall, announced he would not run for Governor in 2006 but would seek the U.S. Senate seat in 2008 currently held by Republican Wayne Allard. Udall's announcement served as an extraordinary preemption of the Democratic field almost four years before Allard's term ends. It is likely the field has been cleared for that 2008 contest on the Democratic side. If Allard retires, it will be the Republicans who may have the only primary in that race.

Democrats who already said they're not running for Governor include Gail Schoettler, who lost to Owens in 1998 by one of the closest margins in Colorado history - less than 2 percentage points. Schoettler has served as the State Treasurer and Lt. Governor and also served as an ambassador during the Clinton Administration. She would have been a strong candidate in 2006.

Besides Udall, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper clearly was the most attractive potential candidate Democrats could have fielded. After his huge Justice Center victory, Hickenlooper became ever more attractive. The Mayor, however, likes his job and it would take extraordinary circumstances to convince him to run for an office which had less power, less authority, and less flexibility than the one he has now. It's possible but still is a long-shot.

That leaves former Denver District Attorney Bill Ritter and Bighorn Center founder Rutt Bridges as the only other candidates at this time with Ritter already having announced and Bridges preparing to do so himself. Other prospects such as Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald offer solid possibilities but, like Bridges and Ritter, simply are unknowns in most of the State. This gives the advantage to Beauprez and the Republicans today but that could change.

NEXT: Ken Salazar, The Democratic Wild Card.