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November 02, 2005 09:00 AM UTC

Ken Gordon for Governor?

  • 30 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

The hot rumor today was that State Senator Ken Gordon will throw his hat into the ring for governor. At this point this is only a rumor, but it seems to be getting some legs underneath it.

Gordon has had his eye on higher office for awhile, and while running for governor could be a stretch, he might be thinking that this is his best shot at one of the top jobs in the state (and, pessimists would note, Gordon seemed to work particularly hard on Referenda C&D while keeping his name in front). Gordon would probably be good enough for the pro-choice crowd to get behind and is a solid fundraiser (his family also has a lot of money). Organized labor doesn’t love him but would probably at least be open to the idea.

Gordon is far from an ideal candidate, however. As a former public defender he’ll take shots, fairly or not, for supporting criminals. He’s also not a great speaker, though the same can be said for all of the candidates in the race at this point.

The biggest hurdle Gordon will need to overcome, however, is in appearances. Gordon isn’t an overly friendly chap, to say the least, and voters might not fall in love with an overweight guy with a beard. Appearances matter, and when you put Gordon on a stage with candidates like Bill Ritter or Bob Beauprez, it’s not Gordon who looks more distinguished.

Will he make the leap? It sounds like he would like to try. Would he have a chance? Maybe, but if he entered the race he’d be a clear fourth for the foreseeable future.

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30 thoughts on “Ken Gordon for Governor?”

  1. I’ve worked with Ken and seen him in action – he’d be an excellent executive.  Facial hair and a few pounds are easy to lose.  He’s strong in a non-flamboyant way. 

    Have you commented on Hishonor Hickenlooper’s potential?

    How about a comparison of the two?

    You could throw in Romanoff too.

  2. Ken Gordon may not be “slick”, but he’s REAL, and a lot of fun to listen to.  I’d vote for him in a New York second over anyone else running so far. Even though Mr. Ritter seems very nice as well.

  3. Ken’s a good, solid guy when he gets going, and I think he’s ready to step up to the plate if he wants it.  While I think the Dead Guv’s analysis is a bit harsh, it’s true enough to a point, but I’m with Kent in saying that a bit of practice and some image consultant work would smooth out Ken’s somewhat gruff-looking appearance and put him in there with the rest of the crowd.

    OTOH, Ritter has proven himself here as an articulate moderate, and he’s the candidate to beat right now according to the polls.

    This would set up a classic defense vs. prosecution primary…

  5. Very serious conversations are occuring among party leaders and Bill Thiebaut.  Thiebaut has some key figures strongly encouraging him to run.

    Some of those folks are arguing that a pro-choice Democrat from outside the metro area has a better chance than a Denver Dem in a state-wide race.

  7. no need to pat myself on the back, but I called this one back on october 17th:

    http://coloradopols.com/archives/2005/10/line_changesnot.html#comments

    the thing about ken gordon is he is a relentless grassroots campaigner.  combine this with the ability to raise money and a good grasp of high-tech campaigning and you have near-perfect candidate.

    with regard to his image, i think it actually works in his favor.  he has a dry wit and is self-deprecating at times (it seems to work for john hickenlooper).  it really allows people to put their guard down around him and listen to what he has to say.  this is exactly the reason he has so many loyal fans across the state.

    in addition, i think he is the one of a few democrats that has the ability to reach across the aisle and open a dialogue with republicans.  they may not always agree with him, but at least they are willing to listen to what he has to say.

  9. Ken is a good candidate, not at the top of my list, but I would support him if he ran over Ritter. Also Gordon seems to understand what it takes to win a statewide race and I think he looks easily beyond the metro area.

    If both Gordon and Thiebaut were to enter the race I would be fairly torn. They are both great guys, but I think Bill T may be slightly more electable.

    Of course Romanoff or Hickenlooper would still be far mor ideal.

  10. Ken’s smart, he can raise money, he has a lot of experience, but the best thing about Ken Gordon is that he’s authentic and he has a lot of integrity.  Telegenic? Nope.  But I don’t think Beauprez will light your pants on fire either.

  11. “with regard to his image, i think it actually works in his favor. he has a dry wit and is self-deprecating at times (it seems to work for john hickenlooper).”

    I don’t think you can compare the outgoing, jovial Hick to Ken Gordon. Their personalities are very, very different.

    that said I like the Senator very much, I’m not sure he will play well to all of Colorado but I’d like to see him try.

  13. I’ve talked to Ken Gordon twice personally, and found him gruff and unfriendly.  That could be a liability, or it could be cultivated into part of his appeal if done right.  He’s not slick and polished, but he’s a decent public speaker, and an excellent writer.

    I judge more on actions than words, so I could care less about whether he rubbed me wrong before, because this guy has literally put his life on hold for a year to save Colorado’s butt by getting Referendum C passed.  More than anyone.  He’s a good Democrat and a very hard worker, and I would love to see him run for Governor and would gladly support him.

  14. Great dialogue going here.  I got an e-mail from BeTheChange USA doing an informal poll about who we would like to see for governor.  I said:

    I wanted to vote for two people on your poll, John Hickenlooper and Bill Ritter (in that order).  My reasoning is that at this point in time, I believe these are the only two candidates who are moderate and popular enough to win state wide.  Hickenlooper?s pro-business stand in a red-leaning state, as well as his extreme popularity along the front range will make him a force to be reckoned with.  Although I don?t agree with Bill Ritter?s stand on abortion, I think he is a more conservative democrat and right now I think it is better to make smaller steps than no steps at all.

    While I think Ken Gorden is very tactful and intelligent, I don’t know if he is the most charming person around.  I have also had two personal encounters with him, and he made me feel very unimportant to him.  I would have a tough time supporting him for Governor with the way he has acted towards me.  I like him on the mass media level, his e-mail list is very large and powerful and like previously mentioned, he is a good writer; yet, when I have personally interacted with him, he made me feel like he was too important to spend time talking with a little person like me.

  15. Gordon would have the Miles lefties, pro-choice women, a lot of unions and plenty of money.
    Ritter will put up a fight but Gordon wins the primary by a large margin. Can Ken Gordon win in
    November? If Holtzman and Beauprez get ugly the Democratic nominee will be elected, no matter who the nominee is.

  19. Run Ken Run-
    For the most part I agree with your assessment. I have now all day to ruminate on this and I think I like the idea of Ken going for it more than Thiebaut. I like Bill a lot and he is one of the funniest as well as nicest politicians I know. But when he was in the legislature I did notice it was rather easy to blind side him with a question if he wasn’t prepared for it.
    Ken doesn’t have that problem. He’ll always answer the question directly and if the answer is “I don’t know” he’s not afraid to admit that.

    Besides, I have a soft spot for candidates who are under-tall (not overweight!) and have more hair on their face than on their head. 🙂

  20. Morgan Carroll for Governor!  This state is ready to elect a female Governor and finally we have someone savvy enough to be elected.  Morgan, keep up the good work!

  24. i for one would like to see ken in the race. although i have heard and observed that he is gruff before, he did walk across the whole state and talk with voters, which shows he actually likes to communicate with the common person.
    i like that sort of candidate, so i encourage him to run. plus, he is very witty and a straight-shooter.

  26. I will support Sen. Ken Gordon not matter the office he seeks or does not seek.  He works for the best interest of all Coloradoans with his continuous bi-partisan work in the Senate.  He initiated the idea for Democrat and Republican committee leadership after the D’s took control of the General Assembly last year,(when soo many opposed this idea).  He crossed the aisle looking for Republican support to make Ref C&D more appealing to voters and sought the Governor’s support as well, when it could have remained a Democratic referenda!  His level headed approach to the democratic process is something that must not be lost.  He is a great elected public official.

  27. Re: Morgan, I agree she needs some seasoning, Phoenix, but she sure is easy on the eyes.  So how about Alice Madden: Smart, hard working with a pleasing personality and lively sense of humor. I’m tired of the men screwing up everything they touch. Let the babes rule.  I remember a couple years ago when Fitz-gerald was razzing the Rs for only having one woman in the Senate.  Ken Chlouber replied: “When the woman in question is Norma Anderson, 17-1 is a fair fight!”
    He got that right.

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