July 20, 2023 11:34 AM UTC

Denver District Attorney Beth McCann Won't Seek Re-Election

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• by: Colorado Pols

As Lauren Penington reports for The Denver Post:

Denver District Attorney Beth McCann announced Thursday she will not seek re-election in 2024 to a third term.

“It has been the honor and privilege of my life to head up the Denver District Attorney’s Office and the amazing team of committed dedicated employees for the past several years,” McCann stated in a news release. “This was the most difficult decision I have made about my career and future, and it came with a great deal of thought, weighing of options and consideration for the future of the Denver District Attorney’s Office.”

When McCann, a Democrat, was sworn into office Jan. 10, 2017, she became the first female district attorney in Denver’s history…

…“A consideration for me is that I believe the office is in excellent shape and is thriving,” she stated in the news release. “I have great confidence in the current state of the office, and I sincerely hope that the reforms we have made will not just continue but that they will grow and thrive under a new district attorney.”

McCann said another factor is that she’s been able to accomplish the goals she set out to achieve throughout her time in office, including establishing a data dashboard for transparency; implementing dedicated offices for juveniles, human trafficking, and elder and at-risk abuse; creating peer mentoring support programs; and pursuing diversity, equity and inclusion training.

McCann, 74, also spent four terms as a State Representative before becoming Denver’s first female District Attorney in 2017.

Normally it’s not a big story if a district attorney decides not to seek re-election, but this is the Denver DA, which is the most high-profile prosecutor job in the state. If you are an attorney with an interest in a career in politics, this is one of the best gigs available in Colorado; in 2006, for example, Democrat Bill Ritter parlayed a long tenure as Denver DA into a successful campaign for Governor.

An open seat for Denver DA will definitely bring some excitement to the 2024 election cycle, which does not include a statewide race other than CU Regent. Whoever earns the Democratic nomination in the Primary Election next June will be a lock to win in November; we’d expect a fairly large field of candidates making their intentions known within the next month or two.