Don Rosier

Yesterday, some were saddened to hear that District Attorney George Brauchler would not seek the Republican nomination, but in the wake of that news a new name was dropped into the mix – Republican Jefferson County Board of Commissioners Chairman Don Rosier. While Rosier might not be a household name, he is known throughout Jeffco.

Jefferson County is a top target for the 2016 Presidential election and, certainly, is a must win for any Colorado U.S. Senate, so having one declared Republican Senate candidate (state Sen. Tim Neville) and, Rosier, another potential Senate candidate from Jeffco potentially could benefit a Republican ticket. (We’re assuming that everyone likes their Representative.)  After all, engaging Republicans in Jeffco early in the U.S. Senate race may not be a terrible idea. And, while Rosier represents District 3 in Jefferson County, he was elected countywide in 2010.

In addition to his county commissioner position, Rosier is involved in Colorado Counties Inc., and is president of the CCI Front Range District. In 2011, he was named CCI’s Freshman Commissioner of the Year. By trade, Rosier is a civil engineer who has worked in energy development and exploration. He has lived in Jefferson County his entire life.

Declared candidate Darryl Glenn and candidate in consideration Robert Blaha both hail from Colorado Springs.  Another potential U.S. Senate candidate, Sheriff Justin Smith, is from Larimer County.

And, of course, then, there’s Senate Majority Leader Mark Scheffel, who, despite denying he’s considering a run, could be a candidate that a wide swath of the Republican Party could get behind.

While Democrats are eager to paint Republicans as desperate for a candidate, the bumper crop of those considering running against U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet shows 1) he’s incredibly vulnerable and 2) that Colorado Republicans have many great options from which to choose.