With Governor Hickenlooper’s cowardly decision to grant a reprieve to cold-blooded killer Nathan Dunlap and punt the decision to the next governor, there is a growing sense that the Guv is vulnerable to a serious challenge in 2014.
Sources are telling Colorado Peak Politics that the star DA of the 18th Judicial District, George Brauchler, is considering a run for governor in 2014.
Brauchler made major political waves recently when he took to the steps of Hickenlooper’s office to blast the governor for his cop-out on the convicted killer’s death penalty, earning some serious praise from 9News’ anchor Kyle Clark:
That performance by DA George Brauchler may have just put him on the Colo. GOP shortlist for… anything. #copolitics #coleg
— Kyle Clark (@KyleClark) May 22, 2013
.@georgebrauchler had an Obama at the 2004 DNC moment and he did it on @hickforco‘s front steps.
— Kyle Clark (@KyleClark) May 22, 2013
Our sources tell us Brauchler is getting a lot of calls to get into the race and is seriously mulling the possibility.
Brauchler’s potential entrance into the field is a sign that Hickenlooper’s re-election is no longer assured, as the conventional wisdom held only a few months ago.
Then again, according to Democratic polling firm PPP, in November 2012 Hickenlooper’s approval among independents was 59-21 approve/disapprove. As of April it had plummeted to a dismal 40-48.
There are a number of other high profile contenders also looking at the governor’s race, including some big names not printed in any of the race overviews we’ve read.
Once viewed as a race locked up for the former brewpub owner, the governor’s race is seeming more likely by the day to be a hard fought one…something Hickenlooper has never faced in his career.
We might get to find out if the governor has a glass jaw after all.
Go, George, Go!
Wasn't Mays a RINO, I heard a rumor that he was a democrat and supported by the Democrats. It seemed like he dropped out of the race, the only choice we had left as I remember was Tancredo.
Anyone but Hick. Please.
Tom Tancredo, while a conservative fighter, has tainted his "brand" with many voters. If the GOP is interested in losing in 2014, then yes, pick Tancredo. Unfortunately, image is everything in politics. Just ask Kennedy after defeating Nixon.
Oh, how it does my heart good to see some other names popping up. I voted for George, I'm impressed, and do not want ANY of the old, shelf rotted, frazzled has beens such as Tancredo and any number of the lot who jumped ship to support him in 2012 then jumped back in like they are a huge blessing to the Colroado GOP. We need to keep the heat on our Colorado GOP Chairman to play it straight. He was far too quick to dredge up Hank Brown for a bit testimonial earlier n the year. I don't want adulation of Brown, Hefley, Allard, Armstrong, McInnis, Beuprez, Owens or ay of the lot who made sure we got Hickenlooper by jumping on Tancredo's bandwagon.
I hope Tancredo doesn't even form an exploratory committee. He's going to be a 30% guy, no matter what. Those sound bites are all over the board now.
Honestly, I don't think Tancredo can win. We need new blood conservatives to go against the establishment to win. Brauchler looks good but so does Terry Maketa. There are others but those two are on my short list.
Tancredo is a single-issue candidate with too many sound bites available to a better funded Democrat.
I meant "out of the race." Sometimes I do want to push the Tancredos entirely out of the party. But their place in the party is nevertheless one that is valuable and important, even if I vehemently disagree with them on a handful of issues.
George Brauchler was actually on the radar of some party insiders before this. The guy is an absolute superstar. I don't know if it's too early for him or not, but either next year or some year thereafter he will be a very important figure for the Republican Party in this state.
What's interesting is that our old friend Dick Wadhams had basically called this a few months ago in the Post. He mentioned that Hickenlooper would be by no means unbeatable and that it was the perfect opportunity for a fresh face, free from Colorado GOP baggage, to emerge and make a serious run at the race. Brauchler is exactly that guy.
Brauchler might be able to avoid a primary, too. He doesn't have a voting record, but I'm pretty sure that he is unimpeachably conservative. That might be enough to string together rural, Tea Party, and traditional GOP interest groups together in a way that could push out the Tancredos of the Party.
I really do pray that he runs. We need an articulate voice for conservative values in Colorado.