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Ritter gets no shortage of advice on who should replace Salazar

Thousands write to governor about filling Senate seat

By Lynn Bartels, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published December 23, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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State Treasurer Cary Kennedy said she's not interested in the Senate seat.

Photo by George Kochaniec Jr. / The Rocky

State Treasurer Cary Kennedy said she's not interested in the Senate seat.

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More than 2,000 Coloradans have e-mailed Gov. Bill Ritter to weigh in on who should become Colorado's next U.S. senator.

When Ritter will make a decision isn't known.

"Soon," was all his spokesman, Evan Dreyer, would say.

In the meantime, supporters of various high-profile Democratic contenders have launched mini- campaigns of their own.

Pick retiring House Speaker Andrew Romanoff, a statesman if there ever was one. Choose Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, who has a 78 percent approval rating. Don't overlook a dark-horse candidate like Michael Bennet, the Denver school superintendent who came so close to being President-elect Barack Obama's education secretary.

Oil heiress Swanee Hunt has sent a three-page letter touting her credentials, noting "I am as comfortable in an Alamosa diner as I am at the Palace Arms" at the Brown Palace.

Romanoff, who lives in Denver, has lined up an impressive array of support from outside the metro area, including the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union and various Republican lawmakers.

Sen. Steve Johnson, R-Fort Collins, said Romanoff "consistently worked across the aisle and put the interests of the state above his own and his party."

Hickenlooper's backers include Blair Richardson, a venture capitalist and a Republican who donated to Ritter's 2006 gubernatorial campaign. Richardson praised Hickenlooper's "bipartisan style," and urged friends to e-mail the governor on the mayor's behalf.

"It is important that we get a senator who is going to get Colorado's fair share of the trillions of dollars that the federal government is going to hand out over the next one to two years," Richardson wrote. "Hickenlooper is the best candidate to secure Colorado's ability to receive our share of this money."

Democratic political consultant Steve Welchert said Ritter needs to take a long-term look at the seat.

"This is not some caretaker appointment," Welchert said.

He said Ritter needs to consider whether the same groups or individuals pushing for a certain candidate now will be there in two years when the Democratic appointee faces a Republican in what is expected to be the most bruising Senate race nationwide.

Other Senate contenders mentioned include U.S. Reps. John Salazar, Diana DeGette and Ed Perlmutter, former Senate candidates Tom Strickland and Mike Miles, and former U.S. Attorney Henry Solano.

Meanwhile, state Treasurer Cary Kennedy on Monday pulled her name out of contention, saying her focus is on her two children, Kadin, 11, and Kyra, 9.

"Kids are young only once, and it is a gift to raise them," she said in a statement.

Former Denver Mayor Federico Pena also has said he is not interested.

The Senate seat will become vacant early next year when U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar resigns to become Interior secretary.

Comments

  • December 23, 2008

    2:56 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    jacka writes:

    "Hickenlooper's backers include Blair Richardson, a venture capitalist and a Republican who donated to Ritter's 2006 gubernatorial campaign. Richardson praised Hickenlooper's "bipartisan style," and urged friends to e-mail the governor on the mayor's behalf.

    "It is important that we get a senator who is going to get Colorado's fair share of the trillions of dollars that the federal government is going to hand out over the next one to two years," Richardson wrote. "Hickenlooper is the best candidate to secure Colorado's ability to receive our share of this money." "

    Now you know the whole story with Blair Richardson. This guy is a 2 bit punk, parading around as a new Republican and trying to grasp at access.

    Blair-boy is a Republican in every sense of spend, spend, spend. Reagan would shoot this punk in the arse.

    This punk pays to play and pays for PR. He is a know-nothing, valueless hump, comes from way out of state and lives in a massive show house.

    The only reason this guy likes Hickenlooper is because he thinks Hickenlooper really gives a crap what he thinks.

  • December 23, 2008

    7:59 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Aaron writes:

    Anyone who thinks there is a politician out there who cares about anything but their own ego, as well as their own financial and political future, is nuts. Except for Tom Tancredo, that is. He, at least, will not pee on your shoes and tell you that it is raining.

    So, what to do with this opportunity of Gov. Ritter appointing a senator? I say that he posts the position on EBAY and use this unique opportunity to raise some money for the State of Colorado. That makes about as much sense as thinking that any politician out there (except, of course for Tom Tancredo) cares an owl's hoot about anything other than their own political future.

  • December 23, 2008

    8:10 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    INC writes:

    DeGette

  • December 23, 2008

    8:35 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Willy writes:

    Aaron writes:

    Anyone who thinks there is a politician out there who cares about anything but their own ego, as well as their own financial and political future, is nuts.

    On the money Aaron.

    DeGette would be by far the worst choice of those mentioned.

  • December 23, 2008

    8:41 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    HolierThanThou writes:

    I've been siding with the Democrats so much lately that it's starting to hurt. So, I'll nominate a Republican: Ed Clark.

  • December 23, 2008

    9:02 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    GOPteacher writes:

    I suggested Joe Rogers.

  • December 23, 2008

    9:08 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    JohnHKennedy writes:

    Ritter could appoint Mike Miles

    the Superb Colorado Democrat who the Democratic party assembly actually elected to be the Senate candidate (in the election where Salazar somehow ended up being the candidate).

    “Mike Miles wins the hearts and minds of all who hear him speak. At the state Democratic Convention in 2004, a large majority of delegates were pledged for Salazar. Yet when they heard Mike Miles speech, they switched in mass to vote for Miles. This is unheard of This man is that good” Ted Weverka Boulder

    “Well ahead of his time Mike Miles ran for senate in 2004 on many of the same issues that propelled Barack Obama to the White House this year” Larry Dunn Westminster

    “With this appointment Governor Ritter has the obligation to send the most highly qualified person and the opportunity to send a person of color to the otherwise all white and mostly male United States Senate. Mike Miles should be the choice” D. Barkey Lakewood

    “Mike Miles has a background as a leader in education and the military and foreign service that is unique among all who are interested” Joel Leventhal , PhD Lakewood

    “Senator Salazar has lost only one state wide election in his political career.

    In 2004, he lost the Democratic Party State Assembly to Mike Miles.

    Miles received 52% to Salazar’s 48%
    pulling off one of the biggest political upsets in the state’s history” Dr Andrea Kutinsky Layafette

    Yet Salazar ended up as the candidate. Whats up with that?

    "it’s very logical and appropriate to turn to Mike Miles in honor of the effort he gave us all in 2004 The fact that his home territory is the infamous El Paso County would give Democrats an additional leg up in making significant Democratic inroads into that area of the state” Reed Kelly Rio Blanco Democratic Party Secretary/Treasurer

    "Mike Miles could win many Republican votes during reelection, since he is the only candidate with distinguished military service. He is also the candidate with the most foreign affairs experience since he was an Ambassador to Poland and Russia. I believe he would also be very attractive to independent voters and minority voters with his mixed Asian-African American ethnic heritage" Cliff West

    Call the governor’s office at 303-866-2471 they are recording calls for various candidates

    Email the governor’s special U. S. Senate comment email address at ussenate.comments@state.co.us

    Miles or Hickenlooper ???

    We'll probably be ok with either,
    But Colorado's Democratic Base wanted
    Miles Over Salazar in 2004
    and Hickenlooper doesn't have the distinguished military service or foreign affairs experience that Mike Miles has.

    Isn't it time that Ritter gave the Base, the dedicated loyalists who do most of the hard work to elect Democrats,
    the candidate They Wanted?

  • December 23, 2008

    9:24 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    DieselWeasel writes:

    Ritter should appoint Bob Shaeffer. He has received more votes than anyone else for a Senate Office.

  • December 23, 2008

    9:59 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Willy writes:

    GPOteacher - Where is Rogers these days? Hadn't heard his name in ages. Last I knew he was selling cars.

  • December 23, 2008

    10:27 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    INC writes:

    DieselWeasel,
    Bob Shaeffer? you cannot be serious... now that's "weaseling" in to a job he would most assuredly embarrass us all. He has shown he has no reservations to make a fool of himself...

    I still say DeGette. She has the depth and breadth of mind to fulfill the Job. The republicans think they could defeat her. and the electorate of Denver would place another Democrat in her vacant house seat.

    sorry republicans, you have submitted incompetence to government far too long.

  • December 23, 2008

    7:51 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    HopiMedicineMan writes:

    Why not Lynn Bartels, the author of this article. She's a Democrat. She's bold. She's the liberal Ritter would want. She knows the issues. Someone has to get it. Lynn faces unemployment. She's not married to Antonio Banderas. I say, Lynn.