April 14, 2011 09:07 PM UTC

Worst Endorsement Letter Ever. Ever.

• 5 Comments
• by: Colorado Pols

Folks, here’s the email we received from “nonpartisan” Denver Clerk and Recorder candidate Tom Downey yesterday evening. In the Democratic, well-informed and politically astute city of Denver, Colorado, here’s about the surest way we can think of to guarantee electoral defeat. Addressed to Denver Republicans:

I am writing to ask for your vote for Denver Clerk and Recorder in the May 3rd election.  I have the endorsements of Secretary of State Scott Gessler, former First Lady Frances Owens, former Colorado Republican Party Treasurer Richard Westfall and many others.  

Secretary Gessler’s endorsement is especially important to me, as he is my current boss; [Pols emphasis] he truly understands how important the Clerk and Recorder’s office is and the skills necessary to lead it.  In addition to running fair, accurate and transparent elections, it is the filing office for all real estate transactions and Public Trustee administration, etc.  As the Director of Business and Licensing, I am proud to execute Secretary Gessler’s vision of providing the best customer service possible for the filing office, to create efficiencies through web-enabling documents, preventing business identity theft and positioning Colorado as the most business-friendly state in the country.  As a former real estate attorney, I want to bring that experience to the Clerk and Recorder’s office.  

All four of the candidates in this nonpartisan, municipal race are Democrats (For example, Jacob Werther is the Democratic Precinct Committee Person for Precinct 435), but the Denver Clerk and Recorder must be able to work professionally, respectfully and competently with the Secretary of State…

So, um, what do you think is the biggest problem with this endorsement, folks? The fact that Secretary of State Scott “Latino Purge” Gessler is the most controversial figure in Colorado politics who’s not out on bail? Or the idea that only a Republican (like Downey? Psych!) can work “professionally” with him?

Heck, maybe that’s true. You’re not supposed to say so.

In any event, this endorsement looks certain, now that it’s been forwarded outside its intended audience, to turn the “nonpartisan” Clerk and Recorder’s race into, well, more or less what Scott Gessler has done with the Secretary of State’s office! Which is certain to make the aforementioned overwhelmingly Democratic electorate in Denver to have second thoughts about a guy who has long been considered the frontrunner in this race. This is a bad move and it probably wasn’t even necessary; Downey likely would have won this race without Republican support, but publicizing his ties to Gessler will certainly cause more harm than good.

(Originally posted at Denver Pols)