March 11, 2013 01:40 PM UTC

Back in Colorado, Betsy Markey Being Recruited for Treasurer

• 3 Comments
• by: Colorado Pols

Former Democratic Rep. Betsy Markey is back in Colorado after spending the last two years working in the Obama administration, and she's already being heavily recruited by Democrats to run for State Treasurer in 2014.

Markey is the first Democratic name we've heard as a potential opponent for Republican Treasurer Walker Stapleton; until now, there hadn't been so much as a rumor of a potential Democratic candidate. Stapleton did upset Democratic incumbent Cary Kennedy in 2010 and would be a tough opponent, but the lack of interest from Democrats to this point has had more to do with low interest in the job, rather than concern over Stapleton's political skill. Markey is the kind of experienced, charismatic candidate that would be a stark contrast to the soft-spoken Stapleton, and her name ID would also help overcome one of Stapleton's innate advantages. Markey has only been back in Ft. Collins for a few weeks, but Democrats have been encouraging her to make a run for the job since the Party's annual Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner in early March. She has not yet indicated whether she wants to jump in the race.

Markey served one term in Congress after an upset win over Republican Marilyn Musgrave in 2008. She lost her bid for re-election to Republican Rep. Cory Gardner in the 2010 Tea Party wave year. Markey stayed in Washington D.C. during the last two years after being named Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental Relations under Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano. Markey left that position in January to return to Colorado and focus more on Syscom Services, an IT consulting firm that she co-founded in the late 1980s.

As you've probably noticed, we've had some trouble with The Big Line since our move to a new platform. Markey will likely be on the Line as soon as we unkink things.