UPDATE #2: FOX 31's Eli Stokols updates with further response from Tancredo, who insists he is neither looking at the Jeffco superintendent's job nor an exit from the gubernatorial race:
Tancredo responded to this story Tuesday afternoon, telling FOX31 Denver that he’s not the least bit interested in the Jefferson County superintendent’s job, or looking for an exit.
“The state government would be a hell of a lot easier to run than the Jefferson County School system,” Tancredo said. “And there’s no way in hell we’d be busting our butts and spending all this money getting signatures if we weren’t committed.
“I’ve said all along that if there’s someone who emerges who’s polling better and more competitive with Hickenlooper than me, I’ll hand them the baton,” he added. “But I don’t see it right now. I think I’ve got as good a shot of winning as anyone.”
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UPDATE: Speaking with conservative blog Colorado Peak Politics, Tom Tancredo denies rumors of being in the running for superintendent of Jefferson County Schools:
“Absolutely false. Joked that running the state of CO would be easier than running Jeffco schools. My guess this is someone (party insiders) wants to slow my momentum.”
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Fox 31's Eli Stokols takes a good, long look at the four-person field seeking the Republican nomination for Governor. As Stokols reports, according to a host of Republican insiders, Tom Tancedo and Bob Beauprez are the frontrunners for the GOP nomination following Saturday's Republican State Convention. Top-line winner Mike Kopp is still a long-shot and Scott Gessler may be beginning to fade:
A number of top Colorado Republicans, who all spoke candidly to FOX31 Denver in exchange for remaining anonymous, agree that each of the four candidates has a path to winning the party’s nomination, but that two in particular have an inherent advantage.
Even after his surprise top-line victory Saturday, former Senate Minority Leader Mike Kopp has his work cut out for him if he wants to finish on top when the primary votes are counted. For now, he is still viewed as having longer odds to secure the nomination than former Congressman Tom Tancredo, who has a deep base of support, and former Congressman Bob Beauprez, who has the deep financial resources to be the last man standing…
…“Tancredo remains the frontrunner in a four-candidate diffused field,” one Republican said. “He starts with a 25-30 percent base vote in a Republican primary, so unless one of the other three can emerge as the Tancredo alternative, he wins by default.” [Pols emphasis]
Rumors abound that party bosses are looking for a way to get Tancredo out of the race, and even that Tancredo may be listening. One rumor circulating Monday is that the Jefferson County School Board, won by a conservative majority last November, may hire Tancredo, a former teacher, as superintendent.
The rumor that Tom Tancredo might be interested in becoming Jefferson County Superintendent was first reported here at Colorado Pols.
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Where is the polling DATA?
"Views" are bullshit speculation.
Agree 100%. Eli Stokols has been a very sloppy reporter of late.
Scott Gessler is not "fading." Gessler is still the only candidate with a shot of beating Hickenlooper. These are the liberal frontrunners.
Sorry to hear that Tancredo isn't interested in Jeffco Schools, that would have been a happy ending.
Time will tell, but as it stands, in a 4 person race, Tancredo will be the nominee — by a landslide 😉
I THINK you're smoking too much Colorado dope if you think Tancredo is a liberal, moddy. But I actually agree that Gessler is the only one with a shot at beating Hickenlooper in November — precisely because he's not locked into the maniac mode of Tancredo, the hard-right stance of Koop or the horse's ass image of Beauprez. Sometimes the Repubs would rather nominate someone to anger the Democrats, as Tancredo does, than someone with a shot at winning. I'm no fan of Gessler, but Tancredo is a disgrace.
New addition to the NY TImes Magazine Meh List (Not Hot, Not Not, Just Meh):
Any reference to smoking too much CO dope.
What I meant, of course, is that Tancredo and Beauprez are the desired frontrunners FOR LIBERALS. Democrats want to run against them, but not Gessler because you know Gessler can beat Hickenlooper. Gessler is the only candidate who can beat Hickenlooper.
All the Republicans will not get any more than 41% of the statewide vote, except for Colorado Springs.
Republicants are ruining the country. Did you even bother to read about our neighboring state to the southeast of us? Mary Fallin is in MAJOR trouble now.
Waiting for the post assembly polls…so far none have been produced.
How pathetic. Sniff.
This will be the most fun to watch primary maybe in Colorado history. Four people all with some amount of money who don't particulalry like each other. My bet is that Tommy T drops out and backs his old pal Beauprez but it will still be a fun one to watch.
Come November Hick will be reelected with the same 51% he received last time
There was an interesting comment on the pete and tommy show. Rather I found it interesting, but it may be obvious to everyone else. boyles said that the "government republicans like Karl Rowe" were recruiting "moderate" candidates to run in the primaries to offset the teaparty's primary advantage. So Beauprez was recruited to take votes from Tancredo, and Gardner to take votes from Buck and thus keep those two from winning the primary.
Both Beauprez and Gardner have won elections in Colorado. It has been thirty years (or more) since Tancredo won elected office and poor Ken Buck just won DA races.
IMHO, Tancredo does not want to be governor. It takes too much work. I think he is getting old and likes staying in the limelight and collecting speaking fees and sticking "his finger, so to speak" in everyone's eye, but running a big state…I don't think so. I too expect him to support beauprez….
IMHO, also, I think that both Hickenlooper and Udall look tired and they don't apeak well off the cuff. I think that both men are decent men with family problems that are weighing them down.
30 years or more? Tanc won his first election to congress in 1998, a good deal less than 20 years ago, and served until 2009.
I think Tommy the Tank will win. The funny thing will be margin of victory. Tanc will get something less than 30%, Kopp second by a point or two. Is Gessler last or Beauprez?
I would not be at all surprised if Gessler drops out and preserves some political future