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August 29, 2005 08:00 AM UTC

What About Mike Coffman?

  • 41 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

UPDATE: Mike Coffman’s campaign issued a press release strongly stating that he plans to run for Secretary of State (click on the link at the bottom of this post for the full release):

Maj. Mike Coffman, who is on an unpaid military leave of absence to help with the reconstruction efforts in Iraq, will run for Secretary of State when he returns to Colorado early next spring.

It’s interesting that Coffman’s camp felt compelled to issue this statement, which could be a further indication that Gigi Dennis’ appointment was not made with Coffman’s interests in mind.

Gigi Dennis was appointed Colorado Secretary of State (SOS) today in a move that could signal trouble for Mike Coffman, the Republican State Treasurer who has announced plans to run for SOS in 2006.

In a press conference at the State Capitol today, Dennis did not rule out running for re-election. She did not rule out running for the post when the term expires next year. “It’s way too soon to even talk about it,” she said.

Whether Dennis runs or not, this appointment obviously wasn’t made with Coffman’s interests in mind. There’s no Democratic candidate for SOS just yet, but it sounds like we may have two Republicans unless Coffman has another seat in mind (Lt. Governor, perhaps?)


Coloradans for Coffman Statement on Appointment of Secretary of State

Maj. Mike Coffman, who is on an unpaid military leave of absence to help with the reconstruction efforts in Iraq, will run for Secretary of State when he returns to Colorado early next spring.

“If Mike Coffman has the courage to go to Iraq to help move that country’s political process forward, so that our men and women who have sacrificed so much can come home, then he has earned Colorado’s support for Secretary of State,” said retired U.S. Air Force Gen. Jim Hall.

“No one cherishes the right to vote more than a combat veteran, and no one would work harder for fair elections in Colorado than Mike Coffman,” said Hall, who also is an Arapahoe County GOP activist.

Coffman is currently serving our nation in Iraq as part of a Marine Corps civil affairs unit in the Al Anbar province. Al Anbar is the largest Sunni Arab dominated province in Iraq. It is often referred to as the heart of the insurgency, where coalition forces continue to face stiff resistance.

Coffman’s assignment is the Elections Officer. His responsibilities for the remainder of the year will be focused exclusively on working with the Independent Elections Commission of Iraq with the upcoming
elections in the province. After the December election, Coffman will be an advisor to the newly elected government in Al Anbar province until the end of his tour of duty in March.

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41 thoughts on “What About Mike Coffman?”

  1. This is crap from the Governor who doesn’t even have his life together. Maybe he should have appointed his lovechild, who lives in Texas, to the Seat!

  3. RebelRep,

    You assuming BB wins. From the article in the Journal signifies he should lose!

    Don’t put the cart before the horse. BB will have his hands full with MH.

    I think MH should appoint a female Independent or a female Democrat has his running mate. Talk about good politics…that would be a heck of a race.

  4. In blowing my own horn, let me point out that I posted this information to the blog mid-morning today on the Monday thread.

    Anyone who thinks that GiGi gave up a $100K + a year job, that still has 3 years to run for a $90K a year job that if she doesn’t run for re-election ends in a little over a year, isn’t playing with a full deck.

    GiGi still has the electoral fire.  Earlier this year, she seriously considered running against John Salazar, and apparently had some encouragement from DC to do this.

  6. Dennis is pro-choice. If she plans on being a Lt. Gov. candidate, she better hope the conservative base doesn’t find out about it before the primary.

  8. Actually, Gigi would be a stroke of genius as Beauprez’s running mate. Social moderate, fiscal conservative, female, deep rural roots and west slope appeal. She perfectly balances the ticket.

  9. Gigi “has west slope appeal”?  Those idiot Republicans on the West Slope are too busy eating picking each other apart to pay attention to Gigi.

  11. Sure. Because talking shop is completely irrelevant. Grow up – we can have hypothetical political discussions without your churlish sniping.

  12. People who talk about Governor Owens having a “Lovechild” should either offer up the proof or keep their mouths shut.  When you make this accusation you lose all credibility. 

    I do think that Owens appointing Dennis sends a signal that he wanted someone who could run and win against Coffman.

  13. Whether or not Gov. Owens had a child with his lady friend is none of my, or anyone else here’s, business. That kind of information should be left between him, the lady in question, and Mrs. Owens.

  14. Hey, when does the Lt Gov candidate need to be nominated? Before or after the primary? I know it is the candidate’s choice and there is no longer a separate campaign but I don’t know when the choice needs to be made

  15. I hope that Owens did not appoint Gigi in the hopes of beating Coffman.  Owens seemed to take a step forward in uniting the party by backing Schaffer for Committee man, if he hopes to beat Mike he is taking a step backwards.  Coffman is a hero in Colorado.  Perhaps Owens was upset that Coffman had enough lead to back Schaffer when the party high wonks thought that money should prevail.  Here is hoping Mike returns safely from Iraq to a party eagerly awaiting his return.

  16. Watcher 2-

    Have to agree with you there about the idiot R’s in Western Colorado.  I think there will be some more fissures in the party before the races are finished in ’06.  There are plenty of stupid R’s not to mention, just plain stupid people who think that anything from the Denver-Metro area is automatically bad… Yup, lot’s of backward folk live in Western Colorado.

  17. I can’t help but wonder what is going to happen to Coffman’s supporters?

    This year dawned with Mike having the biggest “army” for the GOV’s race ground game… He has been touring the State extensively for the last two years and many assumed ’06 was his year to make the run for GOV. He would inherit the conservative grassroots support built by his buddy Schaffer last year and Holtzman would need to win the money game.

    When BB stepped in, Coffman stepped out, and many supporters grudgingly threw their support with BB, to include such big names as Schaffer, Masgrave and their supporters.

    So the question is, if this is an intentional snub of Coffman by the Benson/Owens cabal, will Coffman’s people stay loyal to BB or make their way over to the Holtzman camp, lumping BB with the GOV? Or will they stay away from the GOV race altogether and instead keep their powder dry for an SOS race?

  20. Iron Mike,

    I hope they will recognize that this could be a snub of Coffman and will abandon BB and go with MH. This is certainly a betrayal of the Governor to Coffman. Remember, the Gov is notorious for going against his word. Shall we recall Schaffer v. Coors?

    The real question should be: Do they go against their word of support to BB or go against their principles? Which is more important?

    I was disappointed to learn Rep. Schultheis held a coffee social for Beauprez.

    I will discuss that on a new thread. A thought comment, if you will.

  21. Starbucks – “The real question should be: Do they go against their word of support to BB or go against their principles? Which is more important?”

    Coffman seemed to have had a lock on the Conservatives when he was in the GOV race. Even though BB has been talking conservative lately, many remembered him as the moderate candidate for the 7th in 2002 and were wary of him. They went with him, not so much because they were in love with the guy, but because they saw it as being true to Coffman. With Holtzman coming off as the conservative in his literature and rhetoric, if the Coffman Corps perceive any sort of double cross of Coffman, they will drop BB like a bag of dog s**t.

    This is why the moderate GOP crowd so often has heart ache with the conservatives… they use their philosophy as an excuse to pick and choose candidates at will. They are true believers, if they think they are acting for the common good, they can excuse any promise as being invalid. We see the same thing in the Blue Camp among their own true believers? After all, Ritter isn?t a bad challenger for the Mansion, but still they look for a candidate with less experience defending cops and unborn Americans.

  22. By the way Starbucks, reading through my posts above I want to be clear on one thing… All elected officials who have gotten on with BB, with the exception of one that I can think of, will be sticking with BB. Even if the Holtzman dream comes true and BB becomes Citizen Bob next August, he’s not just going to ride off into the sunset to find another dairy farm. He has been too much of a Bush supporter on the Hill and has all those “DC connections”. His chances of landing an Administration or RNC job are better than Owens, so he will be somewhere where he could screw up the well laid plans of any traitorous elected officials.

    Even though Schultheis is a dyed in the wool conservative, I don’t see him switching sides unless an equally conservative and popular challenger jumps up with BB’s support.

  23. There could be an SoS line:
    Dennis – will she run for the seat or not
    Coffman – was the only one there but now may have competition
    Scott Boyle – prince of vote centers
    Ken Gordon – quietly looking at the seat
    Fran Coleman – not-so-quietly watching Ken Gordon’s moves

  24. Regarding the Republicans running for Colorado Governor AND their supporters:  I strongly encourage you to focus on the issues and qualifications for the office and vision.  There is absolutely no need to engage in negative tactics since we have two candidates behind whom we will all get after the Primary.  Could it be we have two excellent candidates?

  26. Now, I wasn’t paying too much attention to the 7th CD race in 2002, but it seems to me that Beauprez had the endorsement of both Schaffer and Armstrong. How is it he was the “moderate” in the primary?

  27. Is it just me, or is this insistence that Holtzman is the conservative candidate ringing a little hollow? Iron Mike needs to gain a little perspective here – four months ago Holtzman was planning to run as the establishment moderate against Coffman.

  28. With the appointment, Owens has created a little more mix in the D potentials.  It may even cause one decision to change from not going after SoS to maybe worth looking at again.

  29. ElPaso – Hey smart guy, it’s tough to run to the right of Attila the Hun… So too it’s tough to run to the right of Mike Coffman.
    Besides, you’re confusing Holtzman’s issue stances with those of his early supporters. He gained a lot of Moderates when it looked like a Coffman/Holtzman battle, because the Moderates couldn’t stomach Coffman’s voting record.
    Now that Holtzman is talking it turns out he’s not all that Moderate… But he doesn’t seem to be losing anyone, indeed he is gaining supporters. Quite the contrary for BB, most the folks I talk to don’t much care for BB, but they think he’s the only choice because they don’t know Holtzman. When they hear about him or meet him (because their bank accounts aren’t big enough to get an invite to one of BB’s “small and intimate” gatherings, but they did get an invite from Marc) they like him and are willing to hear more.
    BB was Mr. Moderate until this year when he made the Terry Shiavo speech at GOP State this winter. He sided with Coors last year and Ramey Johnson was his biggest supporter last fall. It is his conservative rhetoric that rings hollow for me.

  30. Smart move by Owens. Recognizes a potential future star. Puts a backup in place in case something happens to Coffman, or he changes his career plans upon his return. (Bush could give him a cushy job, if the private sector doesn’t.)

    He builds Gigi’s name recognition, and, quite like, hired somebody who can do the SOS job.

    If Coffman returns and still wants to run for SOS for some inexplicable reason, he will get the nomination without opposition, and Gigi will be a bigger fish in the small Colorado pond.

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