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January 06, 2010 05:12 AM UTC

BREAKING: Ritter Ends Re-Election Campaign

  • 244 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

UPDATE #4: Sources are confirming the Denver Post’s list of three equally-weighted possibilities right now to replace Ritter: Hickenlooper, Rep. Ed Perlmutter, and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar. Please note that is not a misprint for Ken’s brother (we asked). Developing…

UPDATE #3: Denver Post reports Ritter will announce his decision to withdraw at an 11AM news conference tomorrow.

UPDATE #2: Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, folks. That’s what we’re hearing tonight, along with the words “incredible gift”–very few men get two chances to be a hero.

UPDATE: The Washington Post’s Chris Cillizza now confirming:

Colorado is now the eleventh open seat Democrats must defend this year although the other ten seats are being vacated as a result of term limits. Republicans also have eleven open seats of their own to defend. There are 37 governors races on the ballot this fall.

Taegan Goddard at Political Wire is reporting:

A source tells Political Wire that Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter (D) is ending his re-election campaign. A fundraiser scheduled for tonight was canceled and all campaign staff was sent home in the middle of the day.

The decision does not appear to be fundraising related which has reportedly gone better than expected.

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244 thoughts on “BREAKING: Ritter Ends Re-Election Campaign”

    1. Piss poor polling

      Obama dropping like a rock

      Dem polling dropping like a rock

      CREEG low on $cash$

      Couldn’t pivot from campaigner to leader after 3 years OTJ

      True believer

      Not an operational political drop of blood

      The governorship is not a judgeship

      Too much inside dealing

      COO vs Chief of Staff

      Staffers double dipping

      …

      too bad they couldn’t pivot, some really good people work in this administration

      Big ups for the Guv, his wife gets him back.

      Big ups for some crazy-assed Dems, they can run rampant for the next 120 days.

      Starting in about a week the battle between McInnis/Maes (R) v Player to Be Named Later (D) will begin…daily the Post will come to them to ask their opinion.

      I expect a complete ownership stake to be claimed by the Guv tmrw at 11a.

      2. on a thread about Penry withdrawing, I posted that a well known Denverite was considering giving Ritter a primary. That rumored person was John Hickenlooper. So something has been brewing for a while. Hick is a better candidate for Gov than Andrew.

    3. I’ve heard him say, himself, on many occasions that he doesn’t like to raise money and that he won’t run a negative ad against an opponent.

      That concerns me greatly given how nasty this election is likely to become.  I think on the Democratic side, we need to be very concerned about losing the governor’s mansion going into a redistricting year.

      I am also not convinced he can win outside of Denver.

      1. Hick is not a statewide candidate.  He is a beer brewer and pub owner, in addition to his other qualities.  

        He has no base outside Denver.  

        And if he will not fight the R’s, he will lose.  

        Lets draft Ken Salazar.

        1. McInnis was a big statewide guy. No wait, he is just a FORMER Congressman. From the West Slope. I’m sure the CURRENT Mayor of Denver has no chance against a big-name guy like that. Keep drinking the kool-aid.

          1. eminating from the tin-foil hat brigade is amusing. These guys can’t seem to help themselves. They remind me of the school yard bullies we endured as children.

            Listen up, Repubs. For whatever reason Governor Ritter may choose to forego re-election, fear of the Mighty McLobbyist ain’t it. This cheap braggadocio is just that, cheap.

            OK, Scooty…Now that your “Bash Ritter” campaign is out of the way, there is nothing to prevent us from hearing your detailed plans to “fix Colorado”, right?

  4. http://voices.washingtonpost.c…

    Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter (D) will not seek a second term this fall, according to Democratic sources briefed on his decision.

    Ritter, elected in a landslide in 2006, had seen his political fate dip considerably in the intervening years, and faced an extremely difficult re-election race against former Rep. Scott McInnis (R) in November.

    Colorado is now the eleventh open seat Democrats must defend this year although the other ten seats are being vacated as a result of term limits. Republicans also have eleven open seats of their own to defend. There are 37 governors races on the ballot this fall.

  7. It would have been a shrewd move to start a pseudo-Senate campaign to establish some sort of fundraising base for an upcoming race for Governor.  

    2. Andrew would have stayed cool if he had known Ritter was dropping out.   No, if there is an inside deal under way here, it’s the one I talked about earlier, to get Hickenlooper nominated.  Now, I gotta start thinking about who I want to run for gov.

        1. No shortage:

          Michael Hancock, Carol Boigon, Don Mares might take another shot, Doug Linkhart, Pen Tate, Rick Garcia if he doesn’t get the federal appointment, I have even heard that Chris Romer wants to run for Mayor.

        2. Once the mayor actually resigns, the deputy mayor (in this case Bill Vidal) becomes mayor and then a special election is held.  However, if Hick does run and win the governorship, he would not have to resign until he actually takes the Governor’s office in Jan. 2011.  The next municipal election for Denver is in May of 2011.  I am not certain what the window for a special election is; it is either 60, 90 or 120 days.  I also think there is some wiggle room with regard to scheduling a special election to accomodate a general election date that is close to the last day of the windo.

        1. has run statewide?  That being said, WHAT THE HELL?  The Governor wasn’t looking that weak, he has the advantage of incumbency, and he was raising money.  Why in the world would he withdraw from the race?

          Bet you Peter Boyles takes credit tomorrow.

  9. Polls have shown that Ritter is trailing Republican and former U.S. Rep. Scott McInnis in the race. His departure would clear the way for popular Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter or others to enter the race for governor

    .

    http://www.denverpost.com/news…

    1. Did the Post just pull these names out of their asses? Why would Salazar step down from a Cabinet position, a guaranteed post for 3 more years with prestige to run for fucking Governor?  

      2. But he just likes to tease and be mentioned.  If he’d wanted to be gov, he would have waited and run four years ago.  No, he’s going to serve a while in Interior and then run for, whatevber, maybe veep on Obama’s ticket if Biden steps down or whatever.   No way he comes back to Denver soon.  As to Perlmutter, Ds aren’t so sure they could hold that seat if he left, particularly against Ryan frazier.   Ritter probably wouldn’t have done this unless Hick was on board…and it may even be the tradeoff for why Ritter didn’t name Hickenlooper to the U.S. Senate seat, opting for veteran Hickenlooper doppleganger Bennet.

        Hmmms,. maybe councilwoman at large Carol Boigon for Mayor>  I like the lady and Denver has never had a woman chief executive.

        1. Replacing a sitting mayor? Is a new mayor appointed? A special election? What’s the procedure?

          And yeah, I’m w/ you. Salazar loves his name floated but there’s no way he’s leaving a Cabinet position. And I can’t see Perlmutter leaving, either. I think he really wanted the Senate seat so maybe I’m wrong and this is a way for him to move up in politics but I see him staying in the House in a seat that right now he can’t lose.

          I think it’s Hickenloooper. Which makes me very, very happy.

          1. what’s so awesome about a cabinet position?  Given the choice of the two, I’d pick governor.  Especially for a guy who loves politics and probably hates dealing with career roadblocks employees at DOI.

            1. And you don’t have to spend the next year running for office. He’s got a sure thing which could be a stepping stone to the Vice Presidency in the future.  

                2. What matters if what Salazar thinks.  We all wanted him to run for gov. in 2006.  He decided he’d rather go to the U.S. Senate.   So why would he come back to Mudville now?

              2. he’s a CO guy, not a DC guy.  Aside from insiders, who likes or even cares about the secretaries of the minor cab positions?  Well shoot, I should back off that….USGS is my favorite government agency* and they’re under Interior.  Anyway, not everybody hates campaigning.  I have no idea his feelings about campaigning, but I’d be willing to bet Ken is far more intellectually stimulated being gov than secretary.

                *yes, i’m being ironical.  sorta.  i do like the Survey

                1. at the end. I was about to choke on my hot tea.

                  I concede to you and RedGreen. You make good points and I don’t recall to many Cabinet guys becoming President. Then again, besides Obama, when’s the last time a Senator became President? Nearly 48 years ago? Governors do seem to have the inside track on that one so I think you two are probably right.

                  That said, I still think it’s Hickenlooper that will get the nod here.  

                    2. That worked out well, didn’t it?

                      I like Ken Salazar personally, but don’t trust him an inch as a politician.  I sure as hell hope he never gets onto a presidential ticket.

          2. A 1991 charter amendment changed the line of succession. It allows the mayor to designate a Deputy Mayor from among the department managers. That individual is acting mayor when the mayor is out of town or unavailable, or if the mayor dies or resigns.

             Bill is a really neat guy and a friend of mine.  He’s a

            refugiado de Cuba

            who arrived here as a child fleeing Cuba.  He’s now the manager of public works.  He is a former head of the Colo dept of transportation and exec director of the Denver Regional Council of Govs.  And a friend of mine, of course, as all people of consequence in this state are;-)  Remember, Denver doesn’t elect a mayor until May,2011, so Bill would serve until then.  I doubt if he’d run for a term in his own right, but if he did, I’d be very happy to help elect Denver second hispanic mayor.    

  10. Bring on Hickenlooper. For the first time in his political career he will be the target of well-financed opposition research. Everyone knows there’s dirt in Denver. Hick’s a darling of the media so no one has investigated him or his administration aggressively. That’s about to change.

    My prediction is that Ritter will claim he needs to spend more time with his family, which is clearly in meltdown.

    1. He’s only polling 80 percent approval AMONG REPUBLICANS!  Lord love a duck, it’s beginning to look like the Ds will keep the governorship, and control of both chambers of the lege.  This reapportionment is going to be fun.

        1. People forget TABOR doesn’t rule out tax increases, you just have to ask the voters.   And we desperately need something for transportation and higher education.  He led the fight for FasTracks, won it, won a bunch of bond issues, etc.  I actually suppoprt the vote on taxes part of TABOR, it’s the other crap, like the ratchet and doofus formulas that I don’t like.

            1. There ain’t no six percent solution in TABOR.  That was Bird-Arveschoug.  And that was a ceiling, not a ratchet.  And it only applied to the general fund.  I could increase spending on highways or higher ed or prisons or anything else by billions in capital construction, just not general fund.  So, don’t try to talk about TABOR until you read it.  

              1. Its a concept you tax and spenders have difficulty understanding.  Its a vicious cycle you liberals have been corrupted by and goes like this: find a welfare or spending need you can exploit, grow the need through legislation, kill some jobs along the way, fill the “need” with spending, chew into the Taxpayers cash to fund it, run low on funds and cry FISCAL CRISIS as you extract more Taxpayers dollars with fee hikes and other tax hike gimicks.

                I just doubt the people will be compelled by the story that “we” did away with the 6% spending cap as the government needed to spend more during the recession [GM bailout].  Just what were you all thinking when you killed Arveschoug-Berg?  Remember, the sheeple always concur that pigs can be pigs, but hogs go to slaughter.

        2. People forget TABOR doesn’t rule out tax increases, you just have to ask the voters.   And we desperately need something for transportation and higher education.  He led the fight for FasTracks, won it, won a bunch of bond issues, etc.  I actually suppoprt the vote on taxes part of TABOR, it’s the other crap, like the ratchet and doofus formulas that I don’t like.

  11. If I’m Bennet this is both a shock and hit to my chances in Nov. Essentially, the one vote that I got me elected in the first place has just decided he isn’t popular enough to win a general election as an incumbent Governor.

    Just interested if you all think this makes Bennet look even weaker.  

    1. John Hickenlooper is the 800 pound running back.   Let him smash into the line and Bennet can follow.  Hell, it energizes the Democrats, brings money flowing in and everything.  I don’t think it helps Bennet with Romanoff but I think it helps the D Senate candidatge in November.  Maybe Norton should hold off leasing that condo in Georgetown.  

      1. And every time Ritter and Bennet would appear together on the campaign trail, there would be a visual reminder that one got there because of the other. That goes away if Ritter goes away.

    3. No props

      No net

      Do or die

      If Bennet is the real deal he should be able to step out of Ritter’s shadow and be his own man.

      It could be liberating for him.

      Norton looks like trailer trash running around to every tea party she can schedule and bashing Obama over issues that have nothing to do with the state but makes her look like a real tea bagger.

      Politics is all about being better than the competition.  If Norton is the Republican candidate, Bennet has a good chance to look reasonable compared to his competition.

  12. Now they are going to have to go back and redo all their hate brochures only they don’t know who to hate yet.  This is going to be political junkie fun to see how this one unfolds.

  13. It made a little bit of sense that he got the Penry story first, given all the connection between McInnis and DC, but this one just shows an amazing lack of ability to work local sources by our local press corps.

    1. is too busy running half a dozen beats per reporter.  Stenography is almost all they have time for at this point.

      Not as sure about the Denver Post, but the Gannett fishwrappers have been the walking dead for most of the past decade.

      1. And many of them are friends, so I don’t mean to sound so harsh, but this is as big of a story as there is this  year. It would suck to get scooped by someone two time zones away. Twice.

  14. I think Bill Ritter has done a really good job and more than deserves a second term. I also think he would have beat McInnis with a pretty good margin. He’s also done a superb job handling the economic mess we are in – and is trained.

    With that said, I’m guessing governing in this climate is not fun. And this was going to be a very hard fought campaign.

    Best wishes to Governor Ritter.

    1. I’ve known Ritter 20 years or so and really like the guy.  He’s been a good gov, and would have probably beaten McInnis.  But Hickenlooper will destroy him.  Hell, Hickenlooper could probably beat McInnis in the Republican primary and run on both tickets, like they sometimes do in New York.

      Now, just a thought…the U.S. Attorney office is vacant in Denver, right????

      or, thinking bigger, Ritter of Attorney General? (Holder ain’t lookin that good.  Of course, I’m thinking about an appointment in 2011.

  15. the equivalent of the gross national product of Ireland to host the Democratic National Convention.  The business community loves him, Republicans love him, unions don’t like him but they hate McInnis so they’ll keep quiet. Is it too earlyf or McInnis to send his resume to Mesa State or should he wait until Wednesday when this is all official.

  16. Hot damn.

    Well, I like Ritter and wish him the absolute best. Thought he was a decent and good man who did a pretty damned good job in an awful economy. I didn’t dig his positions with the unions but I loved his emphasis on green energy.  

        1. Just making an observation. Even if one was well versed in Greek mythology, your name being used on a political site would lead one to believe that it has everything to do with politics.

          Calm down I wasn’t attacking you just making an observation. Do you often think everyone is out to get you? Not loved as a child? I’ve got it! An OEDIPUS REX COMPLEX that was never satisfied?

          Thanks for shopping MOTR.

  21. If you folks think there is any way you can possibly spin this into a positive for the dems, you’re kidding yourselves.

    Bill Ritter ran fron fucking McInnis?

    2010 is going to be better than I thought.  

    2. You think a Hickenlooper 70/30 crushing of McInnis is a good thing for the Rs?   If you really mean that contact me immediately.  I have some ranchettes in the San Luis Valley I can let you have at a great price, only minutes from skiing…  

        1. And Hick isn’t as anti-union as you are.  Joe Stalin wasn’t as anti-union as you are!  Hick just doesn’t kowtow to them, that’s all.  But they can live with him.  If you think this is a disaster for the dems, you must regard the 1932 election as the great Republican victory ever.  And I know you still think the Broncos will win the Super Bowl this year!  

          Why is it that McInnis stock is trading for three-tenths of a cent per share on PoliticalBets.com?  

          Oh, I shouldn’t make fun of you.  You’re still sure your Enron stock will come back!

          1. Trust me.

            Plus, he knows nothing about this.  How great is this?

            Why don’t you guys just sit out the Governor’s race this year.

            The “Progressive” movement is fucking finished.

            1. about obituaries being premature but hey you can put all the positive spin on this that you want.  You still have McLobbyist as your candidate and nothing changes the fact that you’ll be supporting another slick politician who kow tows to the extremists in your party.  I like over confidence in my opponent though.  They are just devastated when they get their butts beat again.

            2. I (like you) haven’t the faintest idea why Ritter is pulling out, but thinking he’s running from McInnis or any of the Colorado ‘pubs is a truly feverish fantasy.

              You really need to just watch what happens and learn not to make such predictions.

              Mark my word carefully. Politics swings like a great pendulum, and liberalism and progressivism is in charge. That just started, and it is, in no way, shape or form ending. Liberalism will define politics for the next 10-20 years, just as conservatism did for 25 years. That’s not to say that the Dems will always be in charge, but it is to say that even out of power, our agenda will be the one debated, not yours. (Think of the Clinton years for the reverse example.)

              Eventually, you’ll get your turn again. But only after the pendulum has swung all the way to the left first. That’s how it works, that’s how it has worked for 120 or more years, and it ain’t changing because a few prominent Democrats aren’t running for re-election in 2010.

      2. Hick may be a good choice, but he’s never played outside of Denver.  (I know, neither did Ritter)  How many Coloradans outside of us political geeks know that much about him?  And it’s all speculation anyways, we don’t know who the appointed one will be, and how they will be received by the Dem base.

        1. Hick is extraordinarily popular in the metro area, which is a big slice of the state. McInnis, on the other hand, has never played in the Denver area. I’d take the former over the latter any day.

          And if you think only political geeks are aware of Hickenlooper, you’re just not paying attention.

            1. Hick is like a liberal Reagan in terms of appeal and charisma, but without being so far out on the left wing as Ronnie was on the right. He also pays much more attention to detail, although that aspect doesn’t matter much to voters. McInnis just won’t stand a chance.

    3. But this is indeed good for D chances.  It catches McInnis with his pants down and destroys his campaign tactics.  Instead of just being agaianst the Ritter record, Scooty will now have to be for something.  

      1. A sitting, one-term Gov, riding the wave of HopenchangeВ® drops out of the race out of sheer fear.

        Yep.  Looks like a great thing for Dems.

      3. as has been said, it will be interesting to watch all the action.

        ps Where are redstateblueballs and Repub36?  They must be hiding in the corner drinking because they feel so fucked their boss is quitting.

      1. can you say that this chicken shit Ritter went out on his own accord.  This has scandal written all over it, and I’m thinking his choice for U.S. Attorney is only the beginning.  He knocked a few of his own under the bus along the way.  He couldn’t be loyal to his wife, and he couldn’t be loyal to those that were loyal to him.  

  23. great breaking news, sharing real information, occasionally calling each other dickheads, and making news, not just reading it, as we go along.  I’m three hours past my dinner time and need to go eat before my blood sugar crashes. (I’m diabetic.)

    So good night to you all and thanks for a great time.

  25. The cop-killing illegal alien dishwasher who worked in one of Hickenlooper’s restaurants – after he stepped away from management, but before he sold them – is bound to appear in an anti-Hick TV ad.  

  26. Besides the obviously correct point made by “CompleteColorado” that this is Ritter’s best political move in a few years, I have a few thoughts on the likely Democratic pols mentioned above (plus Romanoff) who might consider running to replace Ritter.

    The short version: If I were Scott McInnis, I’d want to run against anyone but Hickenlooper.

    For the long version, please read my note at http://rossputin.com/blog/inde…

    2. Bill Owens assumed he was kissing his political future goodbye when he backed C&D but did so for the good of the state. Maybe Bill Ritter is following the tradition and sees that what’s best for the state is his doing a number of things that would destroy his re-election odds.

      1. What power does the Governor have on his own?  The Legislature would have to be on-board with any radical plan – executive orders and raising administrative fees can only go so far.  I know of no “Ref C”-like issue in 2010 – rumors I’m hearing are for 2011.

        It’s still a mystery until Ritter explains it, and even then, I’ll have to see what his explanation is and whether I believe it.

        1. to kill his candidacy.

          Just to talk about restructuring the budget or addressing the revenue side simultaneously with the expense side would do it.  Only in Colorado are either of those ideas “radical”.

          What- a legislature that actually creates a budget, funds same and then stands behind it?  Too radical for Colorado.

          ANd I hope that his press conference today is in two parts- part one, I am not running, PArt two- and here’s the legislative agenda for the next 6 months to fix the budget.

  28. If this news is true, I’m disappointed that Governor Ritter will not seek re-election.

    I’m confident that a Democrat will be elected to the Governor’s office in November.

    The next ten months will be an opportunity to focus on issues that matter most to Colorado’s families: jobs, the economy, and fiscal responsibility.

    None of this changes what we’re doing to put Colorado back on the road to recovery.

    1. nobody outside of the Governor’s inner circle (if even they knew) had any idea this was coming.

      It’s going to be interesting to see who wants to step up for the race.

      1. Ritter started making calls to top Democrats at 6 p.m. with the news. As of 9:35 p.m., that didn’t yet include Terrance Carroll. That’s weird.

    2. I wouldn’t be too confident, Mr. Speaker…Floyd Cirulli was interviewed on 9 News tonight and said that Ritter’s decision really sets Dems back substantially.  He said, it can very likely help put the office back in Republican hands.  That’s on top of what they also reported — the fact that Ritter was 8-9 points behind McInnis — which is likely why he’s getting out in the first place.

  29. From Huffpo via AP:

    “He was in severe trouble. This guy could not win re-election,” McInnis told The Associated Press.

    “What is their plan B?” he asked.

    McInnis said Romanoff has youth and Hickenlooper has charisma, but both are from Denver and he said Colorado needs more.

    He said Romanoff was struggling in his U.S. Senate campaign and he would have more support in a gubernatorial race.

    McInnis said Hickenlooper’s Achilles heel is his record and his support for taxes.

    “Taxenlooper” Is that McInnis’ new campaign strategy?

        2. and say nice things about Ritter./  And, of course I didn’t expect him to do that.  Scott just isn’t very bright.  I wonder if its too late for Penry to get back in the race.  Hickenlooper would destroy McInnis.  Maybe a young, fresh face like Penry could do better.

  30. The Fix just now reporting Chris Dodd joins Byron Dorgan and Bill Ritter in declining to seek reelection:

    http://voices.washingtonpost.c…

    Embattled Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd (D) has scheduled a press conference at his home in Connecticut Wednesday at which he is expected to announce he will not seek re-election, according to sources familiar with his plans.

    Note this line of analysis:

    Without Dodd as a foil, Republicans chances of taking over a seat in this solidly blue state are considerably diminished.

    Of course, Dodd was tarnished in ways Ritter wasn’t, in this solidly purple state, but that’s a perspective.

    2. Anything you do when the state is in such a budget crisis will create enemies. But now McInnis can’t run against Ritter and the budget — he can’t blame his opponent for budget woes, which was his single biggest line of attack.

      1. You watch: McInnis will make his opponent out to be Ritter 2.0, not unlike what Obama’s campaign, fairly or unfairly, did with McCain. Of course, I think views of Bush had sunk much lower than views of Ritter, but I wouldn’t be so excited to watch McInnis come out and debate material of substance.

  31. He was too busy cutting personal deals to ensure a great retirement (giving the shiv to unions, ignoring the hispanic vote, being ambivalent about jobs) so it was no surprise that his polling kept plummeting. Obama’s doing the same thing. You can’t ignore the people who elected you and look out for your family and future and expect to coast. Some can do it, like Perlmutter and Polis, but only for so long. Hick will probably get the nod.  

  32. DENVER- Upon hearing the news Governor Bill Ritter (D-Colorado) will not be seeking re-election, Senate President Brandon Shaffer responded by saying, “We will change quarterbacks next season, and today we field a first-rate team. We’re suited and ready with a full legislative agenda to bring good jobs, better health care and a first-class education system to Colorado.”

  33. Boyles will take credit for this.  He targeted Ritter as being involved with a scandal over the Vorheiss case.  I think that there may be something to it.  First, Villafuerte, now Ritter.

    Boyles is a powerbroker in this state.

    I will say it again.  Locally, the Republicans are on the radio…the big broadcast stations which cover Colorado….80 hour a week….that does NOT include Rush, Beck, etc….just local Republicans.  Democrats are absolute fools to dismiss this.  Ritter did not have a chance, he has been criticized and attacked and there has been no answer.

    They will go after Hickenlooper next.  

      1. boyles is on the air 20 hours a week.  Back in 2006, the beauprez campaign ran an ad saying that Ritter was wrong to say that he always jailed illegals. The ad cited one illegal who Ritter plead to a lesser charge and was not jailed.  Subsequently, under another name, the illegal was apprehended in California on child molestation charges.

        The key to the accuracy of the ad was showing that the illegal was using an alias in California.   To verify that, someone had to access the FBI criminal database. It is illegal to access that database except for criminal justice purposes.

        Boyles contends, and I hope I have this right, that the Ritter campaign, via Villafuerte and others, called the DA’s office and asked them to access the crime computer to verify that Vorheiss, an ICE agent,  was the one who had accessed it for the beauprez campaign.

        The Ritter campaign staff, including Villafuerte denies making that request.  However, it was determined that Vorheiss had accessed the database.  Then, the Ritter campaign went after Vorheiss, who was subsequently charged, tried and acquitted of illegally accessing the crime computer; but he lost his job as an ICE agent.  Vorheiss appealed the decision and it is slated to be reviewed by an administrative judge the end of January.

        Boyles has been championing Vorheiss for three years, saying he was treated unfairly. Boyles contends that the Ritter campaign, et.al. covered up the fact that they had asked the DA to access the computer database up to and including lying to the FBI when Ritter nominated Villafuerte for US Attorney.

        I could have this all wrong, but this is my understanding  from listening to talk radio.  Now where the power of talk radio comes into play is this:  When Villafuerte was nominated for US Attorney, boyles told his audience to call Senator Sessions, who is the ranking republican on the judiciary committee, and demand that the situation with Villafuerte be investigated.  His audience bombarded Sessions’s office and Sessions asked Janet Nepoliano in open hearing about the Vorheiss case.  Nepoliano said she would look into it…which put the Villafuerte/Ritter, etc. on the national radar.

        I do argue that you can add Ritter’s scalp to boyles’ victory wall along with Villafuerte’s; the defeat of the illegal’s Dream legislation for instate tuition; immigration reform,

        and the Ramesys (sp).  

    4. Sure, Boyles will claim credit, but that doesn’t mean anything.

      Even if there was something to it, what would deciding not to run for re-election solve? What Ritter does or doesn’t do has no correlation with what happens in the Vorhees case.

      1. What Ritter does or doesn’t do has no correlation with what happens in the Vorhees case.

        How the hell do you know?  This is the second time I have made a statement which was my HO, and you flatly contradicted me w/o providing any backup evidence. There is stuff going on and I don’t have a clue.  Except, boyles makes sense and he said that Ritter would go, and Ritter is going.  If you have something which makes more sense, spit it out.

        Let me be clear.  I don’t like Boyles.  I am a democrat and I am pissed that Ritter is evidently not going to fight for his agenda, which I think was good. Furthermore, I think the President needs the support of his party right now and dems are running away like mercury dropped on the floor.  That pisses me off.  I think that what Obama has done in terms of reestablishing America globally is critically important to our national security and to world peace.

      2. Asume further that Ritter did nothing wrong (other than not get out in front of it) Villafuerte did nothing wrong, and when ICE and Homeland Security finish the investigation, they are exonerated.

        That’s not the the point.

        The point is that for plenty of people, R radio talkers is their source of news and talking points.  

      3. it makes him look like he’s running for the office for which is most qualified. I think he’d be a good Senator next year. I’d think he’d be a great gov next year.

  35. Hopefully, now we can get some sensible criminal justice reform and some decent state judicial appointments.  

    Don’t get me wrong.  Ritter was great on state environmental policy and seemingly good on green jobs creation within the state, but, with his background as a District Attorney, it was near-impossible to eek out any sensible criminal justice policy reform positions from him or his administration.  Yeah, it’s all Congress, but when the governor’s threatening a veto . . .

    Even worse, Ritter appointed an excessive number of prosecutors to the bench during his term which will likely leave a lasting legacy of bad precedent, clogged prisons, and unfair treatment of criminal defendants for years to come.  

    Note to the next governor: Find a better vetting process for your judicial appointments and hire someone else besides your friends.  

  36. that he is pulling out of the Senate race to jump into the newly open spot for the Governors race, will Ritter be able to support him (or anyone else running for the spot) with funds he raised?  

    I know Romanoff cannot use what he has raised for the Senate run.  So is he able to get what Ritter has, or is he, and anyone else, starting from base zero for fund raising?

    1. This was discussed at length when Penry dropped out. Can make a contribution same as any political committee could … not much. But the donation limits are so low for state races, returning to the Ritter donors for another donation wouldn’t be out of the question.

    1. Ritter didn’t go to Colorado College, so that’s unlikely. And unless O’Brien were running, there’s no advantage to Democrats in stepping down early.

  39. announces tomorrow that he is making the lateral move and dropping out of the Senate race in order to enter a (currently) uncontested Democratic race for the nomination for Governor.  Will the fact that he acted so quickly discourage others from jumping in?  Or is every prominent Democrat in the state going to be looking at whether or not they have a better chance at the nomination?

    1. Will look greedy & crass. There’s plenty of time and so the best thing Romanoff or anyone else can do is give Ritter their best, and when asked, say of course it’s something to think about but today is for Ritter.

      1. Waiting 6 months to announce didn’t fit the bill, either.

        The 4th quarter fundraising will be coming out soon. Act Blue is 4 to 5 to 1 for Bennet.Unless his fundraisers have rocked the house,it will be hard even for his most ardent supporters to sell the idea that a Senate seat can be won at a 10 to 1 deficit.

        It would give the Speaker’s most angry supporters at least one candidate to back in the general.

        If he waits until after Hickenlooper, or Sec.Salazar would announce, he greatly diminishes his chances.

      2. The statement goes like this

        can’t wait, caucus is just weeks away and the R opponents have been running hard for a year etc … due respect  Ritter is great , will be great wherever he goes….

        And to COlogeek’s point- let’s see.

        Sure there are lots of D’s who might want the gig.

        But – the calendar is short. The budget is a mess. And unless you’ve already got a ton of dough and statewide name rec, you gotta be thinking not this year.

  40. Of course, this is the day that my wife gets home, sees me on Pols, and says “you’re not getting on the computer for the rest of the day.” Look at all the fun I missed!

    I know we just did biggest political stuff of the 2000s, but this one is going to go down as one of the biggest of this decade–and we’re not even a full week in.

    2010 is going to be nuts.

  42. …running for gov, I’m going to have a hard time not supporting him.

    Love that guy.

    But seriously.  You folks can’t act like this is some sort of great thing for the Dems.  Wasn’t he on his way to a fundraiser when he bailed?

    2. you, a republican, admit that you would likely support Hick if he ran, which somehow indicates problems for Dems? When are new candidate, or possible candidate, so easily attracts cross-over support? I don’t get it.

  43. Is it something we said?

    I attended an event for Ritter before Christmas and he received a series of tough questions from the Dem crowd, including me.  There were few applause lines and not a whole lot of love in the room.  (Unlike an energized crowd that met Michael Bennet earlier in the month.)  In fact, I never even donated to Ritter because I wasn’t happy with his general reluctance to pull back on the billions of tax exemptions we give to every conceivable special interest.  He’s a good guy, just not someone that I’d care to work hard for or donate to.

    I wonder what state senator Chris Romer is doing this morning?

    I wonder if any other Republicans are re-thinking a primary challenge to McGinnis?

    I wonder if this frees Ritter to look more closely at removing unnecessary tax exemptions as a means to balance the budget? (You know, do the right thing rather than what’s polically correct?)

  44. Didn’t we learn after waiting eight months for Andrew to run for Senator that this man doesn’t not act rashly or vindictively? Romanoff is running for Senate because he knows in his heart that is the right place for him and where he can do the most good. He will stay the course he committed to and keep that commitment as our Senator.  

  45. We got a call from the Romanoff campaign between 6:30 and 7:30 PM Tuesday night, asking for support at the caucuses for Romanoff’s candidacy for the Senate….did anyone else??

        1. Word is now that Romanoff is NOT holding a press conference.

          But Hickenlooper is, and Salazar declined to answer questions about governor’s race during an oil-and-gas press conference.

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