CO 2014

[California8429]

For mostly Colorado members (though everyone is welcome), who do you think will run/would have a decent chance of running for

US Senate
Governor
Attorney General
CD-6 GOP Primary (If Coffman runs for Gov or Senate)

I think Suthers will go for Governor. Coffman for either Senate or Governor. Norton will go for Senate again. I'm not sure who the new players will be.

[Vosem]

I'm not Coloradan...but from what I've heard, Hickenlooper is very popular and may not be seriously challenged. As for Udall, apparently Jane Norton has already spoken to the NRSC about challenging him. I do wonder what Suthers will do (he could basically have picked between a Senate seat and the Governor's Mansion in 2010, but he was too cautious, so I'm curious to see what he will do in 2014...are Coloradan executive officers, like the AG/Governor, term-limited?

[Talleyrand]

I think Hickenlooper is safe, but Udall is potentially vulnerable, especially with a bid by Suthers or Coffman. I don't fear Norton too much. She's uncharismatic, ran a weak campaign in 2012, and was actually performing worse than Buck against Bennet in the final pre-primary poll.

[Miles]

Could any other Republican be favored to hold Coffman's open House seat of he runs statewide? He'll probably win this year, but he seems to have a good personal vote. If I were the RNC, I'd probably like to keep Coffman where he is, especially since his new seat, in PVI terms, is within reach for Democrats.

[Vosem]

Who was the last republican governor of Colorado?

Bill Owens, who was term-limited out in 2006.

[5280]

Bill Owens ran from 1998 to 2006, 2 terms.

[sg0508]

Democrats will be favored.  The GOP is so, so weak in CO these days.

[California8429]

I fear we have no bench and Coffman may need to win 2014 to solidify the new district before moving on.

There are darkhorses that could may an impact. Cheri Gerou, moderate, very charismatic, her district is the mountain part of Jefferson County. Libby Szabo, Latina women, though she was just elected Asst Minority Leader in the House and would have to give up her seat if she won a primary.

[Mr.Phips]

This state is only continuing to get tougher for Republicans.  I seriously thought Romney was going to win here and most polls had it a point or two either way, yet Obama ended up winning by nearly five points. 

Hickenlooper is probably safe.  Udall will likely be targetted, but the Udall name is golden here. 

[5280]

I don't think Republicans can win CO ever, state level or national level.  It's just a non-stop target that Democrats don't want to give up for some odd reason.  The GOP in CO needs to get its act together or it's another California. 

[California8429]

Popped up in my mind today...what about Scott Storey? He's the Jefferson County DA, already very popular, and if he's the chief prosecutor for the Jessica Ridgway case. If he can get Austin Siggs away for life between the 17 counts brought to trial, he'd be a hero. Not that our priority is being tough on crime, but he could pose a strong challenge against Udall who can be seen as too much of a peace loving hippie.

[California8429]

Greg Brophy and Bob Schaffer (yes the horribly failed 08 candidate) are thinking of going for Governor.

Bob Beauprez would be a good option. Yes his campaign failed in 06, but seeing him as a surrogate across the state for Romney, he's a pretty amazing and fiery speaker who definitely has the hearts and minds of the party (if he didn't in 06...especially coming out of a brutal primary that never really happened).

[sg0508]

The Republicans are going to need a moderate candidate to win there now.  CO is yet another state that the party should look at as an example when you ignore the changing demographics and alienate moderates and minorities.

The democrats have become a well-oiled machine there, pumping out excellent candidates across the board and they've even gotten the more liberal Udall to the Senate, which wasn't that surprising.

[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

Republicans are in a terrible position in Colorado. And the worst part is that the party's base in the state isn't moderate at all — it's quite religiously conservative.

[California8429]

Republicans are in a terrible position in Colorado. And the worst part is that the party's base in the state isn't moderate at all — it's quite religiously conservative.

worse, we basically have two republican parties opposing each other.

[Oldiesfreak1854]

I expect Jane Norton to beat Udall in 2014.

[California8429]

I expect Jane Norton to beat Udall in 2014.

Udall is an incumbent human. Norton is an already failed robot in an increasingly democrat state who is seen as both a conservative extremist and a liberal. Next

[Oldiesfreak1854]

I expect Jane Norton to beat Udall in 2014.

Udall is an incumbent human. Norton is an already failed robot in an increasingly democrat state who is seen as both a conservative extremist and a liberal. Next

Colorado is trending toward Democrats but Republicans are still competitive.  For anybody's purposes, it's a swing state.

[5280]

All I can say is the GOP in CO needs to get their heads out of the sand and get somebody who knows what they're doing.

[California8429]

Gregg Brophy is apparently testing the waters. I think he's term limited in the legislature now, so I'd see no reason not to, especially for Governor. I mean nobody will run, you already know you're going to lose and it's not like you'd lose your own seat in the process and in the off chance somehow in the campaign you can win, you go for it and seize the day surprisingly. He's very corky...but John is also sorta funny looking too.

[hopper]

Probably Coffman would be the R's candidate for US Senate in 2014.

The R's won't win the Governor's Mansion in CO in 2014. Hickenlooper is too popular to be voted out.

CO-6: Don't know anything about Colorado's State Republican Bench in the legislature.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

I wouldn't be entirely surprised to see an attempt to primary Hickenlooper from the left wing of the Democrats, but doubt it could succeed.  Between his support for fracking in direct opposition to local communities, his crackdown on Occupy Denver, and his extremely tepid support for decriminalized marijuana,  he hasn't exactly made himself loved by Colorado's leftists.

[California8429]

I wouldn't be entirely surprised to see an attempt to primary Hickenlooper from the left wing of the Democrats, but doubt it could succeed.  Between his support for fracking in direct opposition to local communities, his crackdown on Occupy Denver, and his extremely tepid support for decriminalized marijuana,  he hasn't exactly made himself loved by Colorado's leftists.

Coffman is the best hope for state-wide, he did win SOS with 51% of the vote in '06 which was the beginning of the end for Rs in CO. Not to mention two decades of ID not just in his district, but state-wide office. I'm not sure who'd replace him though in the 6th. Romanoff or Morgan Carroll would run on the dem side and both could have a strong challenge to an open seat barely leans R.

He did orchestrate the stunt to get civil unions through the legislature making McNulty look like a fool contributing to the resounding R defeat in the House. I don't think there's anyone far enough to the left to challenge him. When people start talking 2016 presidential run...it's hard to challenge that guy and have an actual name.

Furthermore I've heard Gessler (SOS) may be the sacrificial lamb for the governor's mansion which is good because SOS can be won by republicans...just not with him as an incumbent.

[justfollowingtheelections]

I don't think Republicans can win CO ever, state level or national level.  It's just a non-stop target that Democrats don't want to give up for some odd reason.  The GOP in CO needs to get its act together or it's another California. 

I think a better comparison is Oregon.  Denver has become the new Portland and the rest of the state is also becoming more democratic.  The University of the Colorado is one of the most liberal universities in the country and I'm sure a large % of Colorado's population went to school there.

[hopper]

I don't think Republicans can win CO ever, state level or national level.  It's just a non-stop target that Democrats don't want to give up for some odd reason.  The GOP in CO needs to get its act together or it's another California. 

I think a better comparison is Oregon.  Denver has become the new Portland and the rest of the state is also becoming more democratic.  The University of the Colorado is one of the most liberal universities in the country and I'm sure a large % of Colorado's population went to school there.

I think Coloradons are a little more fiscally conservative than Oregonians are. Colorado has a heavy libertarian streak.

Sure Boulder leans dem but Polis's district was only D+8 in redistricting. Its not as heavily dem as one would think.