In 2005, Hillman was appointed acting state treasurer but lost a bid the next year to keep the office, falling three points behind Democrat Cary Kennedy.

Hillman’s Shermanesque statement leaves a crowded field positioning for a run against Markey, the first Democrat to represent the 4th District in more than 30 years. Only a handful of Republicans, however, have expressed an interest in challenging Bennet — among them former congressman and failed gubernatorial candidate Bob Beauprez and Aurora Councilman Ryan Frazier. Last month, Attorney General John Suthers said he’d decided against running for the Senate in 2010.

UPDATED: Here’s the complete text of the mass e-mail Hillman sent to supporters Sunday afternoon:

I have decided not to seek elected office in 2010. Much has changed since I last ran in 2006 — my wife and I have “settled down” in my hometown of Burlington and a six-month-old boy has drastically changed our priorities. Campaigning for statewide or federal office is very demanding and our party deserves candidates who are willing to make that campaign a top priority. At this time, that simply isn’t a commitment I am willing to make.

I am truly grateful for your support over the years and if, in a few years, it turns out that another campaign is right for me, for my family, and for Colorado, I would be honored to again have your support.

In the meantime, I intend to work hard as your friend, as a conservative committed to limited government and constitutional freedom, and as your Republican National Committeeman to do all I can to help our candidates and our party succeed by returning to our roots and unifying around our core conservative principles.

Yours for freedom,
Mark Hillman

As diverse commentators have noted, often when a politician bows out to spend more time with family, it means a scandal can’t be far behind — but in Hillman’s case, he’s stepping back precisely for the reason he gives.

Unlike his ubiquitous — sometimes vulgar — sound bites issued during the heat of the campaign, Wadhams sounds positively relaxed and introspective as he discusses the future of the Republican Party in Colorado, prospects for retaking the legislature and statewide seats, and even whether Marilyn Musgrave should have called to concede to Betsy Markey after losing her 4th District seat in Congress (short answer: yes).

There are plenty of highlights in the lengthy Q&A, which took place last Tuesday while Tom Daschle’s nomination as Health and Human Services secretary hung in the balance, but it’s worth reading the whole thing for an unusually broad portrait of Wadhams — once dubbed Rove 2.0 for his aggressive campaign tactics — and his insights into Colorado politics. Wadhams is so far unopposed in his plans to run for re-election as chairman of the state Republican Party in March.

On Republican use of technology to compete in elections:

[Dick Wadhams]: We were so far ahead of the Democrats in 2000, 2004. And now they have blown by us, largely because of Barack Obama, not because of the Democratic Party. One of the things that came out that I didn’t realize at the time — [former RNC chairman] Mike Duncan gave a very vigorous defense of the RNC’s technological capacity and the fact that the McCain campaign chose not to take advantage of it. Now, that’s all history now, and there’s no use rehashing it. But I do think that we were further along than what it seemed, and Mike made a very compelling case that the McCain campaign just didn’t use it

On the Republican Party’s direction:

[Colorado Statesman]: What about the philosophy of the party?

DW: Right after the election, when all these really smart people were telling reporters that, “We have to examine the soul of our party,” and all this stuff, I was thinking, “Oh my God, cut the dramatics, man.” The fact is that I think our fundamental principles are pretty darn solid: limited government, holding taxes and regulations down, strong national defense, strong national security. I mean, I don’t think that there’s anything wrong with our principles. And, in fact, I think that’s one of the reasons we got in trouble, because we passed all of those appropriations bills, larded with earmarks, and Bush didn’t veto one of them. And so, I have said in many speeches over the past two years that we deserved to lose Congress. The Democrats didn’t deserve to win it, but we sure deserved to lose it.

On the state party’s prospects:

[DW:] I think the biggest secret about the Republican Party right now — or not secret, but the biggest hope for the future — is that group of legislators. I mean, I look at Josh Penry, Cory Gardner and Mike Copp and Amy Stephens, Ellen Roberts … And I shouldn’t even be naming names, because we’re just everywhere. And Scott Tipton just got elected. We’ve got some great young leadership in the state Legislature, and, when I look at that crop I see governors, senators and congressmen.

On potential challengers to Michael Bennet, the Democrat appointed by Gov. Bill Ritter to the U.S. Senate:

DW: Well, I think right now you’ve got Ryan Frazier, who I’m a big fan of; Mark Hillman, who, even though he’s been a statewide elected official and he was in the Legislature, I still think is a face of the future. I do not think Mark is part of the past, because he’s very young. The guy went into the Senate when he was ridiculously young, and he’s still young- looking. And he is — what, is he, 41? And I think Mark is still one of the best speakers we have. He’s one of the most articulate, smartest guys we have. I hope Mark is looking at it. He and his wife just had a baby, so that’s kind of factoring in with this stuff. But I hope Mark Hillman’s looking at it.

Dan Caplis. I’m a big fan of him, as well, I think Dan is looking at it. I don’t know what Josh Penry’s going to do, but I just think he is really an outstanding senator and leader. I don’t know if he’ll run for governor or not, but I sure think he would be a great candidate.

On the possibility Bennet might face a primary:

[DW:] … I don’t take for granted that Senator Bennet will be unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

CS: Do you think there could be a primary?

DW: I do. Dan Haley (of the Denver Post) wrote it best in a column he wrote a week ago Sunday about the Card Check Bill, eliminating the (union) secret ballot. That vote will define Senator Bennet more than any other vote he’s going to take. He’s already defining himself. Everything the leadership tells him to vote for, he is. But if he votes to eliminate the secret ballot, he is not a moderate, pro-business Democrat. He’s just another union guy kowtowing … If he votes against it, I still think there is lingering resentment and frustration over that appointment. And I think that could propel a (Andrew) Romanoff or a (Joan) Fitz-Gerald into a primary against him, backed by labor. They are never going to have a better chance to get that Card Check legislation. So to me, it’s a win-win. If he votes for it, well, we know he’s just another “whatever the unions tell me to do, I do it, and I want to eliminate secret ballots.” If he votes against it, he’s inviting a primary.

On how Bennet got into the Senate:

CS: Why do you think Ritter made that appointment?

DW: I think he didn’t appoint (Denver Mayor John) Hickenlooper because I think that he genuinely didn’t want to be overshadowed by Hickenlooper.

CS: You really think that was the reason?

DW: I do. What I think this revealed is the real rift between Hickenlooper and Ritter, and I think Ritter’s intimidated by Hickenlooper. And for good reason — Hickenlooper’s much better than he is (laughs). He just is.

And finally, Wadhams’ thoughts on Musgrave and how things wound up in the 4th:

CS: Were you disappointed in the way Marilyn Musgrave ended her campaign?

DW: I wish she would have called Congresswoman Markey. Yeah, I think she should have.

CS: Have you talked to her since?

DW: I haven’t talked to Marilyn. I’m a big fan of Marilyn Musgrave. I regret how she became so characterized as an evil, nasty person. She is one of the nicest, most respectable … I think she’s just a good person, and I regret that she allowed to get herself defined as the one-issue candidate. I mean, it’s too bad.

It’s history now, but I wish she hadn’t done that. I wish she had called Markey up.

Again, that’s just a taste. Wadhams weighs in on everyone from Andrew Romanoff to Scott McInnis, and on topics from redistricting to the value of primaries. And keep an eye out for next week’s Colorado Statesman, which will feature an interview with former congressman and gubernatorial candidate Bob Beauprez.

Pelzer, who regularly broke Statehouse stories during the year he reported from the Capitol, brings his savvy to bear on the half dozen Republicans considering a run against Markey in 2010. Topping the roster:

University of Colorado Regent Tom Lucero of Loveland

Odds he’ll run: Already announced.

Why he’d run: Last December, even before Markey was sworn into Congress, Lucero officially filed as a candidate. So far, he’s the only announced Republican in the race.

Why he wouldn’t: Lucero’s got a head start, sure, but he’s got to use that time to raise cash and tell people who he is before bigger names start entering the race. Being first doesn’t automatically mean success: just ask Tom Vilsack and John Cox, the first Democrat and Republican, respectively, to enter the 2008 presidential race.

Check out the other 4th District GOP hopefuls — state Rep. Cory Gardner, Fort Collins Councilman Diggs Brown, former interim State Treasurer Mark Hillman, Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck, and state Sen. Greg Brophy — and check back at Elevated Voices each weekday at around noon for more Pelzer on politics.

None of the candidates — the other three are current RNC chairman Mike Duncan, South Carolina GOP chairman Katon Dawson and former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele — have dropped out after four rounds of secret balloting, but there’s plenty of jostling for position. Here are the results so far:

First ballot results:
Mike Duncan – 52
Michael Steele – 46
Katon Dawson – 28
Saul Anuzis – 22
Ken Blackwell – 20

Second ballot results:
Mike Duncan – 48
Michael Steele – 48
Katon Dawson – 29
Saul Anuzis – 24
Ken Blackwell – 19

Third ballot results:
Michael Steele – 51
Mike Duncan – 44 (Duncan drops out)
Katon Dawson – 34
Saul Anuzis – 24
Ken Blackwell – 15

Fourth ballot results:
Katon Dawson – 62
Michael Steele – 60
Saul Anuzis – 31
Ken Blackwell – 15

Who will blink first? “Lots of eyes on Anuzis, who knows he’s been beaten,” Weigel reports of Wadhams’ favored candidate. But don’t count out Hillman pick Blackwell yet. One of his supporters told Weigel they remember 1997, when an early third-place finisher finally won the race. “Good game face,” Weigel assesses. “Ken Blackwell’s people want to stay through five ballots.”

Colorado’s third RNC member, Committeewoman Lilly Nuñez, didn’t make a public endorsement before the secret balloting began. No word on where her allegiance is going.

A sixth candidate to lead the Republicans, Chip Saltsman, who won notoriety when he sent a CD containing the the song parody “Barack the Magic Negro” to RNC members, dropped out Thursday and threw his support to Blackwell, one of two African-American candidates still standing (the other is Steele).

Politico’s Ben Smith points out that nearly every one of the five African-American RNC members was on stage for the nominations Friday morning:

There aren’t many African-Americans in, or aspiring to, the leadership of the Republican Party, but they’re almost all on stage at the RNC meeting today, Alex Burns reports. Two are candidates for chairman, and out of five nominating speeches given in the chairman’s election, two were given by African Americans.

Glenn McCall, the committeeman for South Carolina, nominated his home-state chairman, Katon Dawson. And Keith Butler, the committeeman for Michigan, nominated Michigander Saul Anuzis.

There is only one other black RNC member: Ada Fisher, the North Carolina committeewoman who supports Dawson.

Colorado GOP chairman Dick Wadhams this week endorsed Michigan GOP chairman Saul Anuzis, who was nominated moments ago for the national top spot. Here’s the case Wadhams makes:

Let Saul lead our Comeback

I’ve read literally hundreds of emails. I’ve read all the plans. I’ve listened to more arguments than I can count. I’ve spoken to and met with all the candidates. My conclusion: Saul Anuzis is best prepared to bring our party back, and I enthusiastically endorse his candidacy for RNC Chairman. Why? Three reasons:

1. New energy. To be in a room with Saul, or to be involved in a cause with Saul, is to get swept up in a swirl of energy and feel like you’re part of something bigger than yourself. The Republican Party desperately needs that energy right now.

2. 21st century communications. It’s not just “technology.” It’s understanding how people communicate today, how they build relationships and how to lead a movement of people from coast to coast. And there’s simply no one running for Chairman who has more immersed himself in modern communications than Saul.

3. Purple states. The Democrats beat us in the swing states in 2006 and 2008 because they learned how to speak to the dreams and aspirations of the middle class while Republicans in Washington seemed to forget everything they ever knew about it. Those of us fighting hard in the purple states watched in dismay as the GOP became more known for its scandals than its ideas. Saul’s been fighting the tough battles in the toughest of places — the home of the UAW and the AFL-CIO — and he knows how to communicate our ideas at the kitchen tables of middle class families.

With Saul Anuzis as our Chairman, we can turn our party around and earn back the support of our fellow citizens. That’s why I hope you’ll join me in supporting him on Friday.

Dick Wadhams, Chairman
Colorado Republican Party

Colorado has three votes in the contest — Wadhams, RNC committeman Mark Hillman and RNC Committeewoman Lilly Nuñez. Earlier, Hillman endorsed Ken Blackwell, the former Ohio secretary of state. Nuñez hasn’t made an endorsement yet.

Find more information than you ever wanted to know — including candidate bios, endorsement lists, Twitter feeds and videos — at YourRNC.com.

(Photo/Denver Public Schools)

It’s a markedly different tone than state Republicans sounded last month when contenders jostled for the chance to take on an appointed senator.

Suthers — the only Republican in Colorado to hold statewide elected office — said in a statement he wants to finish his job as attorney general and couldn’t foresee how he could raise in the neighborhood of $10 million while still performing his duties. Citing his discomfort running against the governor while serving as the governor’s lawyer, Suthers also pulled himself from consideration to take on Gov. Bill Ritter next year. He plans to seek re-election to a second full, four-year term as attorney general.

Not all recent Colorado attorneys general have shared Suthers’ reticence: Suthers himself was appointed to fill out the term of Democrat Ken Salazar, who sought and won the Senate seat vacated last week when he was appointed secretary of the interior in President Barack Obama’s Cabinet. Republican Gale Norton lost a Senate bid in a primary to Wayne Allard while she was attorney general, only to win appointment herself as President George W. Bush’s first secretary of the interior a few years later. If it sounds as though top Colorado politicians are in the habit of swapping offices like so many chess pieces, take a look at those still in the wings for the Senate seat, in an article by Reid Wilson in Tuesday’s edition of The Hill.

First, count Scott McInnis out. The former congressman has flirted with a run for governor and was all but in the 2008 Senate race before dropping out in favor of another former congressman, Bob Schaffer, who went on to lose by double digits to Democrat Mark Udall. McInnis — who made waves a week before the election when he told the Colorado Independent he “would have beat Udall” — told The Denver Post’s Karen Crummy on Monday he wasn’t interested in the Senate race but was considering a run against Ritter. “You’ll know more of my interest at the appropriate time,” McInnis told the Post.

Both McInnis and Suthers lost to Bennet in hypothetical match-ups in a survey released Tuesday by Public Policy Polling (PPP), although the poll’s most salient conclusion was that Bennet is largely unknown to Colorado voters.

Former Rep. Tom Tancredo, another Republican often mentioned as a possible Senate candidate, lost to Bennet by an even wider margin in the PPP survey than the two who withdrew their names (after the poll was conducted). Tancredo, who staged an unsuccessful bid for the presidency on a platform concerned with immigration, told the Post he’s considering a run for the Senate or governor but “is also looking to anyone who is in a better position to do so.” The Hill points out his signature, anti-illegal immigration issue leads “many Republicans” to think better of a statewide Tancredo candidacy because Hispanic voters are the fastest growing bloc in Colorado.

Then there’s Bob Beauprez, who gave up a congressional seat to lose the 2006 governor’s race to Ritter in a blow-out. He has made noise recently about running for either senator or governor, though both prospects have draw much derision. Taking a measured tone, Beauprez strikes a wait-and-see posture. “The fair thing to do is to see what kind of a senator Michael Bennet is, at least,” told The Hill. “If he ends up being a low-tax, strong-national defense, pro-business kind of a senator, that would be one thing.”

Former state Senate Majority Leader and interim State Treasurer Mark Hillman — who, like Beauprez, lost a statewide race in 2006 — told The Hill he would “certainly give (the Senate race) some thought.” Hillman, a member of the Republican National Committee, said, “Colorado needs someone with deeper roots and more broad understanding of our state than Mr. Bennet,” but also added he would have to “resolve is whether it’s the right time personally for me and my family.”

The wild card could be Aurora City Councilman Ryan Frazier, an African-American in his early 30s, who “would signal a dramatic generational shift from Beauprez, ex-Rep. Bob Schaffer and other statewide Republican candidates who have failed in recent bids for higher office,” The Hill notes. Although Frazier is touted by state party chairman Dick Wadhams as a rising star and possible Senate candidate, his lack of major fundraising experience “could be too high a bar” for a Senate race, The Hill says. Frazier’s sponsorship of a controversial right-to-work ballot measure last year makes him a polarizing figure for many. His early backing of a proposal to grant benefits to same-sex domestic partners of Aurora city employees guarantees deep schisms in a statewide Republican primary but also underlines Frazier’s potential indeed to present the dramatic shift some believe the state GOP needs.

As for the other names sometimes mentioned as Senate prospects — any of whom could take the pole position over the next year — radio talk show host Dan Caplis and former gubernatorial hopeful Marc Holtzman both merit mention by The Hill, although Holtzman has sounded recently as though he’d rather run for governor. Former U.S. Attorney Troy Eid, who left his position to mount a campaign for Suthers’ job earlier this month, told the Post he’d have to reconsider a Senate bid now that Suthers isn’t moving on. McInnis suggested the Post look out for state Senate Minority Leader Josh Penry, calling him an “excellent” candidate for statewide office, but Penry said he “wasn’t thinking about running for anything now.” Former Gov. Bill Owens — the only Republican to beat Bennet in the PPP survey — “has said repeatedly that he does not want to run again,” The Hill observes, leaving the field of potential challengers to wait and see. Polls don’t open for the 2010 election, after all, for another 21 months, four days, 22 hours, and counting.

As Colorado Media Matters has deliciously memorialized, Gessler, the Denver attorney who seems to be at the heart of all things Republican in Colorado — and who is among 20 applicants for the open secretary of state position — spent a good chunk of airtime yammering on Sunday with former state treasurer Mark Hillman on Backbone Radio at KNUS 710 AM.

Hillman, a current Republican National Committee member, was serving as guest host, and as Media Matters reports, laughed when Gessler said he liked calling several prominent progressive benefactors “the ‘Gang of Four’ because of its Maoist connotations.” The four, of course, include Tim Gill, Pat Stryker, Rep.-elect Jared Polis, and Rutt Bridges, though Gessler didn’t say exactly how they were Maoist.

Courtesy of Media Matters, here is the pertinent exchange:

GESSLER: Well, I think what the — when you look at the Colorado Democracy Alliance, what it basically is is an alliance of about four or five Democratic interest groups that have gotten together to coordinate their funding and coordinate their political activities. And the groups that you have, they fall into a couple of categories, but they are really sort of the ones with a lot of money that are controlling this. So that initially starts off with a “Gang of Four”, as I call them. That was Tim Gill, Pat Stryker, Jared Polis, and Rutt Bridges, sort of four multimillionaires; I think that a couple are billionaires, actually. That has sort of dropped off to the “Gang of Two” lately. I usually like the “Gang of Four” because of its Maoist connotations.

HILLMAN: [laughter]

GESSLER: So you sort of have the “Gang of Four,” now the “Gang of Two,” which are extremely wealthy folks, and then connected with that, you have a couple of other groups — the teachers unions, sort of collectively the Colorado Education Association. They have — they bring to the table several million dollars. You’ve got sort of the trade unions, or the AFL-CIO grouping, as well as that SEIU, that’s sort of the public workers union. So those three unions are all at the table. And then, really, between the activists, sort of hyper-wealthy Democratic activists and the unions, that’s most of the money at the table. Now, you also have some of the foot troops, that will sort of be the environmental groups — there’s a whole variety that sort of pitch in. And now and then you sort of get the abortion folks on the Democratic side as well that are interested in this. So —

HILLMAN: Wait a second. Democrats actually talk about social issues? Am I understanding this correctly?

GESSLER: Well, you know, they try not to call it social issues. They try to call it just sort of reasonable people thinking this way, and everyone else is unreasonable.

Looks like Gessler got in just about everyone, save those evildoers the “Castro Brothers” — as Sarah Palin famously referred to them (and we’re not talking about the 60s-style Judy Garland variety show crooners).

I’ll try to put names and quotes with these “kernels of truth” as much as possible, but it will also be necessary to keep sources confidential in certain circumstances; I’ll use my best judgment as to the validity of these anonymous tips, and I hope you will as well.

For tips, rumors, gossip or just to chat, drop me a line at jbane@coloradoconfidential.com.

Now, let’s get started…with a focus on Northern Colorado.

HILLMAN FOR SENATE?
Former State Sen. Mark Hillman lost a close race for state treasurer last fall to Democrat Cary Kennedy, but could he be looking at another statewide run in 2008?

“I think a number of people have talked to him about running for U.S. Senate,” says State Sen. Steve Johnson (R-Fort Collins). “I think he’d be an ideal candidate, personally.”

Johnson says that he has encouraged Hillman to take a look at the race and knows that he would be interested. “He’s said that there are two dream jobs that he would really like to have” Congress and U.S. Senate.”

Johnson says that Hillman won’t run against Marilyn Musgrave in CD-4 and probably wouldn’t do anything until Republican Bob Schaffer makes up his mind on the senate race. “I think Mark and Bob are good friends, and I think politically they are very close,” he says. “I don’t believe Mark would run against Bob.”

As for other potential senate candidates, Johnson doesn’t think that Attorney General John Suthers will run and thinks that former Gov. Bill Owens would be a good option, though he doesn’t expect an Owens candidacy. “No, I don’t, just because I haven’t heard anything from him since he left the governor’s office.”

Johnson says that he would support Schaffer over Owens, and for now at least, Schaffer is the only name he hears in discussions for the U.S. Senate. But if Schaffer doesn’t run, Hillman could be the next name on the list.

“He ran statewide, and he did very well in a very bad Republican year,” says Johnson. “I don’t think people hold that [loss] against him at all.

“I think Mark would be the next favorite choice after Bob. Everybody in the party likes him. “

RECRUITING OWENS
There is a growing rumor among moderate Republicans that a strong effort is being made to recruit Owens for a senate run, although there has been no indication that the former governor is interested.

While Johnson says he would support a Schaffer candidacy, he’s heard the whispers that the former congressman may not be the GOP’s best choice.

“I’ve heard a number of legislators say they are concerned about statewide electability,” says Johnson, who doesn’t agree with that sentiment but understands that some are nervous about how Schaffer’s conservative views would play statewide.

DEMOCRATS JOCKEY IN CD-4
Republican Marilyn Musgrave held off Democrat Angie Paccione in her bid for re-election in 2006, but she did so with the lowest winning percentage (46% of the vote) of any congressional candidate in the country. It’s no surprise, then, that several Democrats are looking at making another run at Musgrave in 2008.

Former Reform Party candidate Eric Eidsness is already an announced candidate after switching to the Democratic Party, but that won’t prevent other Democrats from running. Bent County Commissioner Bill Long considered running before pulling his name from consideration a few weeks ago, but two other Dems are taking a long look at 2008.

The list starts with Paccione, and according to a longtime Larimer County Democrat and volunteer for Paccione’s 2006 campaign: “She’s 95 percent in the race. My gut feeling is that she is going to run.

“I think she’s going to come forward sometime in the next 30 days.”

This Democratic source, who wished to remain anonymous speaking about potential candidates in CD-4, says that Paccione would start over fresh and has already decided that if she runs, “About 90 percent of the people who were involved with her last campaign will not be back.”

The other name to watch in CD-4 is Betsy Markey, Regional Director for Sen. Ken Salazar’s North Central office.

“I think Salazar really is pushing her, to be honest,” says the source. “She hasn’t denied that she’s looking at it, and I’ve noticed her getting involved in some stuff.”

In addition to working for Salazar, Markey does have strong local ties; she was the 2004 Chair of the Larimer County Democrats.

COMMISSIONER JOHNSON
As for Johnson, he says that he would jump at the chance to run for congress in an open seat but is looking at running for Larimer County Commissioner when his current (and final) term in the state senate ends.

“It’s very tempting to be able to stay in Fort Collins,” says Johnson of avoiding the commute to Denver.

That’s it for now. For tips, rumors, gossip or just to chat, drop me a line at jbane@coloradoconfidential.com.

]]> http://coloradoindependent.com/1794/kernels-of-truth/feed 4 http://coloradoindependent.com/1412/caffeine-crazed-mexifornia-gop-spin-with-restaurant-reviews http://coloradoindependent.com/1412/caffeine-crazed-mexifornia-gop-spin-with-restaurant-reviews#comments Fri, 16 Feb 2007 16:48:14 +0000 Wendy Norris http://www.coloradoindependent.com.php5-9.websitetestlink.com/?p=1412 It’s an avalanche of pastoral-hued policy web sites!

Not to be outdone by the recent roll out of ex-Congressman Bob Beauprez’s Line of Sight online policy center, former Colorado Senate Republican Majority Leader and defeated state treasurer…