Former Olympian Throws Himself into GOP Madness

19 Comments

by: Jason Salzman

(Promoted by Colorado Pols)

The mud wresting is so intense in the battle to lead the state GOP that Republicans may now think that candidates with brute strength, rather than intelligence, are needed to put down their opponents and win.

Enter former Pentathlete Eli Bremer. Pointing to his he former Olympic prowess, the former El Paso Republican Chair announced today that he's running for vice chair of the Colorado Republican Party.

Unfortunately, Bremer is probably too weak to overpower current vice chair, Mark Baisley, a tea-party candidate who shocked his talk-radio supporters when he aligned himself with current GOP chair Ryan Call, who's seeking his third term.

But who knows? What we do know is the craziness of the characters involved in the race, no matter who wins, has probably already scared big-time GOP donors to such a great extent that they'll be sending their money to outside 527's, forsaking the state party altogether and relegating it to irrelevancy.

In a letter formally announcing his long-rumored candidacy, Bremer wrote:

I spent 12 years competing at the international level representing the United States around the globe and at the Olympic Games. One of the greatest lessons I learned is that success takes years of preparation and hard work. It took me over a decade training at an elite level before I qualified for the Olympics. It was a difficult journey and required constant dedication and sacrifice. In the same way, the next five years will be incredibly important for Colorado Republicans; but we will work together to achieve our goal of unifying for conservative governance of our great state and nation….

Four years ago, I was elected GOP Chairman in El Paso County. My prior political experience was as a grassroots organizer founding a Young Republican club that rapidly grew to one of the largest grassroots clubs in the state. I was the youngest chairman in the state, and I was tasked with overseeing the largest party in the state, serving roughly 20% of all Republicans in Colorado. I took over an organization bruised by a difficult election, torn by conflict, and sitting on the verge of collapse.

In two short years, I got our party out of debt, standardized and professionalized our operations, overhauled our IT system, and grew our fundraising by nearly 10 fold. Because of our success, I was asked by and assisted numerous other local county parties with fundraising and organizational development. When my successor took office, he assumed control of an organization ready to perform and grow which it does to this day….

Politics are also about results, and it is important to always see if actions lead to results. Despite nationally abysmal showings by Republicans in 2012, El Paso delivered strong numbers for all our Republican candidates. The true organizational strength was demonstrated the following year when we successfully recalled State Senator John Morse. In a carefully choreographed effort, El Paso County Republican Party played an enormous role in electing Bernie Herpin to replace John Morse and showed that the campaign machine my staff and I created was working as designed. In recognition for our efforts in the recall and the turnaround I conducted in El Paso that helped breed a culture of success, Bernie Herpin has enthusiastically endorsed me.

19 thoughts on “Former Olympian Throws Himself into GOP Madness”

ElliotFladen says:

February 21, 2015 at 8:39 pm

Eli is one of the most competent people in the GOP I've run into.

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1. Diogenesdemar says:
  
  February 21, 2015 at 11:37 pm
  
  Everyone notice just how skillfully a run-of-the-mill attorney can issue (bill) fourteen words and still say absolutely nothing ???
  
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  1. Duke Cox says:
    
    February 22, 2015 at 4:42 am
    
    Indeed…
    
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  2. ElliotFladen says:
    
    February 22, 2015 at 9:49 am
    
    Bill? Nobody pays me to post on Pols. I can provide an address though if you want to be the first to send me a check.
    
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    1. Diogenesdemar says:
      
      February 22, 2015 at 11:03 am
      
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2. JeffcoBlue says:
  
  February 22, 2015 at 8:39 am
  
  He caresses his gun and sword like a real man too.
  
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  1. Duke Cox says:
    
    February 22, 2015 at 8:43 am
    
    They are not all stupid….the smart ones are crazy….
    
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    1. notaskinnycook says:
      
      February 24, 2015 at 8:01 am
      
      That may be the most succinct description of the modern GOP I've ever heard, Duke. I'm going to have to steal that.
      
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mamajama55 says:

February 22, 2015 at 8:29 am

Bremer is one of the less crazy, less corrupt, more moderate EPCO Republicans.

It’s a low bar.

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1. MapMaker says:
  
  February 22, 2015 at 3:57 pm
  
  And no future.
  
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gaf says:

February 22, 2015 at 5:23 pm

Eli Bremer is on the saner end of the spectrum of an extreme county party, though as mamma says, it is a low bar. However, claiming his competence based on the recall election is pretty weak stuff.

The true organizational strength was demonstrated the following year when we successfully recalled State Senator John Morse. In a carefully choreographed effort, El Paso County Republican Party played an enormous role in electing Bernie Herpin to replace John Morse and showed that the campaign machine my staff and I created was working as designed.

The Yes/No question on the recall was largely run by and motivated by the gun lobby, not the Republican party. And "electing Bernie" was an "enormous" effort, even though Bernie was virtually unchallenged for the replacement spot, with no Democrat running, only a token independent who got 2.5% of the vote? Then, of course, the "campaign machine" Bremer created and left behind carried Herpin to an 11 point loss to Michael Merrifield in 2014. If this is the best Bremer can come up with to demonstrate his skills, he doesn't have much to show.

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1. ElliotFladen says:
  
  February 23, 2015 at 7:12 am
  
  who said I was claiming it based on recall stuff? I am claiming it based on having interacted with him on a multitude of occasions and knowing other things he has done
  
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Duke Cox says:

February 23, 2015 at 7:54 am

I think it is arrogance I see more than anything else. His press release seems to give himself the credit for every success. His photo seems to indicate his comfort with violence…

As I said above, most of the Republican candidates who seem intelligent also seem a little crazy. Maybe it is the base who, sensing (and rejecting as elitist) intelligence and education, require crazy in said candidates in order to find them acceptable. Smart AND sane people seem to have a difficult time ascending in the Gaggle Of Plutocrats. I think maybe Larry the Cable Guy should consider a presidential run. He could really motivate the base.

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1. ElliotFladen says:
  
  February 23, 2015 at 9:19 am
  
  Eli is for sure arrogant. Crazy? No. Just no
  
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2. CO Common Sense says:
  
  February 23, 2015 at 4:10 pm
  
  Bremer's announcing his candidacy. Shouldn't he tout his preceived successes even if they seem a little strained?
  
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  1. Duke Cox says:
    
    February 23, 2015 at 4:52 pm
    
    I suppose so…in that context.
    
    Maybe I just don't like people who pose with silencers….
    
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    1. CO Common Sense says:
      
      February 23, 2015 at 8:07 pm
      
      I think it's safe to say that you're not the target audience.
      
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      1. Duke Cox says:
        
        February 23, 2015 at 9:33 pm
        
        to be sure….
        
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    2. Diogenesdemar says:
      
      February 24, 2015 at 9:29 am
      
      That's not a silencer, however. It's a highly modified, custom target pistol of the type used in international competitions.
      
      May you just don't like people who pose with French swords??? . . .
      
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