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Rick O'Donnell heads for Texas

Ex-congressional candidate taking higher ed post

Lynn Bartels, Rocky Mountain News

Published October 31, 2007 at midnight

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Two-time congressional candidate Rick O'Donnell, who served as former Gov. Bill Owens' first policy director, is headed for Texas.

He's going to be president of a group that offers an MBA in entrepreneurship taught entirely by successful entrepreneurs.

"It's going to be a big change for me," O'Donnell said Tuesday.

He leaves for Austin in mid-November.

His suburban home is up for sale, but he said he hopes to buy a condo in Steamboat Springs.

"My heart is still in Colorado," the 37-year-old native said. "I want a place to come back to."

O'Donnell in 2002 and in 2006 ran for the Republican nomination in the 7th Congressional District.

In 2002, many politicos thought he ran circles around GOP opponent Bob Beauprez during candidate forums and debates. But O'Donnell lacked money and name recognition and lost to Beauprez in the primary.

In 2006, during a Democratic landslide nationwide, O'Donnell lost the general election to former state Sen. Ed Perlmutter.

But voters and political pundits in both parties praised O'Donnell's campaign, particularly the TV ads he designed in which he poked fun at himself.

"I'm sad to see Rick leave," said Dick Wadhams, chairman of the Colorado Republican Party. "I think he's one of the best and the brightest."

"I wish Rick good luck, much success, and I hope he finds Texas to his liking!" Perlmutter said in a statement.

Wadhams said O'Donnell played a "critical role" in Owens' first term, including pushing for tax cuts, improved transportation and education reform.

O'Donnell also served as Owens' director of the Department of Regulatory Agencies and director of the Commission on Higher Education.

In his new job at the Acton Foundation for Entrepreneurial Excellence, one of O'Donnell's roles will be to spread the concept of successfully teaching a new generation nationwide.

"It's a great opportunity because it combines higher ed and doing things better in education, which I care about, and how you do things better in a strong free market, which I care about," O'Donnell said.

"It's a neat opportunity."

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