UPDATE: Peter Marcus of the Colorado Springs Gazette:
U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter is expected to announce a run for governor as early as the end of the month, ColoradoPolitics has learned.
“If it was up to me, we would announce sooner rather than later,” confirmed Perlmutter campaign consultant Steve Welchert, a high-profile Democratic strategist.
Perlmutter’s pending announcement was pushed up by news that former interior secretary and U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar will not pursue a run for governor in 2018 on the Democratic ticket.
—–
Late last night, the Denver Post published an editorial from former Senator and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, in which Salazar makes clear that he will not run for governor:
The 2018 election for governor of Colorado is a keystone to the future greatness of Colorado. Several individuals, both Democratic and Republican, have expressed an interest in serving as governor. I will not be among them.
This has been a difficult decision, because I love Colorado. I believe I would have won an election for governor, and that I would have been a successful governor for all the people of Colorado. However, my family’s well-being must come first.
Salazar had been contemplating a run for governor for many months. Just a few weeks ago, Salazar told the Denver Post that he thought he could wait until the end of the summer to make a decision on 2018 — a timeline that was not at all realistic.
In the meantime, there has been a growing chorus of voices pushing for Congressman Ed Perlmutter (D-Jefferson County) to run for governor. Perlmutter had said publicly and privately that he was not interested in challenging Salazar in a potential Democratic primary, but now that this is no longer a concern, the chatter surrounding Perlmutter should start to grow exponentially.
Yes, there are other Democrats already in the race or contemplating a run — including Mike Johnston and Cary Kennedy — but Perlmutter is the juggernaut candidate that Democrats have been hoping for in 2018. Perlmutter currently represents the single most important electoral county in Colorado (Jeffco), and he has won every one of his six races for Congress by at least double digits.
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Absolutely vital Colorado replaces a hickenlooper with a perlmutter.
Johnston's stock declined after Salazar's announcement. He could have made a contrast with Ken. Ed's much harder to do that with, and he is "right" on education– Johnston's Achilles heel.
Big Ed Perlmutter forces all the Latinos out of the race. Yay Democrat diversity!
Says the guy who wants old white guys in charge of everything.
Republicans nominated an African American man to the US Senate in 2016. Why are the Latinos dropping out for Perlmutter?
And how did that work out for you guys? It's not the messenger but the God- awful message your party puts out that's the problem.
The diversity on the Republican side of the aisle is overwhelming. White, eggshell, cream, champagne, vanilla, and the most common: Antique White.
And orange. Don't forget orange.
Nothing screams diversity like your side, Moldy…
Or this… (minus the one that's already had to resign)
Asian woman, South Asian woman, African-American man, two more women besides. Looks like America!
Fail. 63% of Americans are non-Hispanic white's. Just over half of those are women. Can I help you with the math? (I'll help you get started: there are 20 people in the picture).
Still the Whitest and most male-dominated cabinet since Reagan. And considering your two leading contenders for Governor are white guys, you have no business talking about Ed, Moldy.
And, it ain't like the State or national Repugniturds were really helping Darryl Glenn to any real degree.
But Glenn was a delusional, pathological lying egomaniac! Just what the GOP looks for in a candidate. They could overlook the fault that he wasn't white, since they need a token black every decade or so.
CO Senate Republicans? 16:2 (men:women) and all white? 21:7 in the House? Your cup overfloweth with diversity!!
Ah. Yes. Back to the Int'l Womens' Day video. Without either of the two women.
But they did put out a nice video tribute put together by all the manly men in the GOP caucus.
Talking about women that are neither seen nor heard and kept in a subservient role.
20% female/80% male? 85% white, 10% Asian, 5% black? That may be the way you'd like America to look….but that is certainly not the way it looks in reality.
You just described Steve King's (R-Racist Prick) Merrika
The key will be his relationship w/ O&G. Ritter was the only one they didn't own. Will Perlmutter open the 1st. floor to everyone, or will it still be run by COGA and Chamber of Commerce?
Perlmutter, like Hillary Clinton, initially voted for the Keystone XL pipeline.
Ed has stayed away from the controversy around the Dakota Access Pipeline. His stances on energy issues are within the progressive environmental mainstream.
His recent ratings from advocacy organizations look good; the Kochs and the NRA hate him, unions and environmentalists like him, and civil libertarians love him.
He has also stood up to Trump, speaking against Trump's attempts to spy on and fire EPA scientists who worked on climate change; and he has cosponsored a resolution to investigate Trump's Russia ties.
Perlmutter was way more hands on with the VA hospital debacle than Mike Coffman has been when said hospital was in Perlmutter's district.
And his office still holds the gold standard award for constituent service. Not perfect, but I think he'a a winning choice.
I can say from personal experience that Ed Perlmutter actually cares about his constituents. Several years ago, when he was out canvassing in Jeffco with staffers, he personally provided assistance to an elderly relative of mine who had a sudden health emergency. I already had a lot of respect for Ed; but that act of compassionate assistance spoke volumes about his character. When the time is right, I will share the story.