March 09, 2012 10:40 PM UTC

McMullen Sees Writing on the Wall, Bows Out of HD-9 Race

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• by: Colorado Pols

For the entirety of the HD-9 primary campaign between Democrats Paul Rosenthal and Bill McMullen, Rosenthal has campaigned like an incumbent. He’s swept up every single relevant endorsement in the area and capitalized on momentum acquired by jumping into the race at the earliest moment he could.

Noted for the record, then, is one of the more in-your-face press releases we’ve seen in any primary campaign. From the Rosenthal campaign:

ROSENTHAL CRUSHES RTD DIRECTOR BILL MCMULLEN IN DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS UNPRECEDENTED WIN WITH 81% OF VOTE

DENVER, March 7, 2012 – Paul Rosenthal, Democratic candidate for Colorado State House District 9, won the Democratic Caucuses against RTD Director, Bill McMullen, with 81% of the vote.

“This is a grassroots victory.  We won almost every precinct by going neighbor to neighbor and being the progressive voice for economic and social justice.  Southeast Denver has spoken loud and clear.  Democrats have chosen me to be their voice for working families across Colorado.  I have a proven track record of getting results.”

Rosenthal’s campaign knocked on over 350 doors, made over 1,300 phone calls, put together 5 events, and held a live telephone town hall two days before the Democratic Caucuses.  Rosenthal also worked to pump up small businesses by holding the First Annual Sample of Southeast Denver, which featured a culinary and entertainment soiree with food from five local restaurants, at Aerial Dance Over Denver.

On Caucus night on Tuesday, Rosenthal told a crowd of Democrats at Thomas Jefferson High School, “We can’t get to where we need to go by cutting:  K-12, Higher ed, Mental health, and Medicaid.  All were cut.  No more cuts!  No more cutting while Colorado’s big oil and gas companies get $300 million in tax breaks.”

Rosenthal will go on to the Denver County and Multi-county Assemblies with 83 delegates from the Denver County preference poll.  McMullen attained 9 delegates, and 11 are currently uncommitted.  Delegates from Arapahoe County’s precincts in Colorado House District 9 are not included in this figure, but Rosenthal won all these precinct straw polls with unanimous support.

Reading that press release, it almost seems as though Rosenthal was surprised to have “crushed” McMullen. Really, given the invisibility of McMullen’s campaign so far, we’re surprised Rosenthal only got 81% of the vote. Still, if Rosenthal was trying to drive home the inevitability of his selection as the eventual Democratic nominee, at least one person was listening.

From Bill McMullen’s letter to Democratic Party of Denver Chair Cindy Lowery-Graber:

Dear Cindy,

Per this letter I am officially dropping from the race in house district nine.  It has been a wonderful process, and I have enjoyed the campaign.  However, the Democrats’ have spoken and I have heard it.  I want to inform you that during this primary race both sides acted in a manner that all Democrats would be pleased, and proud of.  The officers of our party are outstanding, as our members.  I am now going to look forward to being a constituent of State Representative Paul Rosenthal.

Sincerely,

Bill McMullen, committeeperson 930

McMullen probably should’ve dropped out of this race long before Denver Democrats had a chance to make their voices heard in the selection process; he’s lost a fair amount of political capital by continuing his shoestring campaign in light of Rosenthal’s success.

Still, McMullen shouldn’t be discouraged by his poor showing this time around – no matter how much Rosenthal’s press releases would like him to be. After all, presumptive nominee Paul Rosenthal himself lost a hard-fought primary bid against Joe Miklosi in 2008. That Rosenthal was able to rise from the ashes of his own defeat for this same seat should be evidence enough that McMullen may be able to try again another year.