Centennial State Shakeup?

Senator Michael Bennet contemplating gubernatorial bid

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According to a story from the Colorado Sun online news site, Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) is "very, very seriously" considering running for his state's open Governor's position next year. Incumbent Jared Polis (D) is ineligible to seek a third term, so the Governor's race is guaranteed to proceed without an incumbent running for re-election.

The surprising development will drastically change the Colorado political landscape if the Senator decides to make the move. According to the Sun sources, he is making calls around the state to test his ability to win. 

Already, Attorney General Phil Weiser, also term-limited for his current position, is in the Democratic gubernatorial primary. Many others, including US Reps. Joe Neguse (D-Lafayette/Boulder) and Jason Crow (D-Aurora), are said to be evaluating their chances in the Governor's race. Ex-US Senator, former US Interior Secretary, and Biden Administration Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar (D) is also a potential candidate. 

Early gubernatorial polling taken without Sen. Bennet or Mr. Salazar included has given Rep. Neguse a small lead, but with most respondents indicating they are undecided. The race and the entire slate of state politics, however, gets upended if Sen. Bennet becomes a gubernatorial candidate.

Michael Bennet was originally appointed to his position in 2009 by then-Gov. Bill Ritter (D). He was elected to full terms in 2010, 2016 and 2022. He would next stand for re-election in 2028, meaning he could run for Governor next year without risking his Senate seat. 

Mr. Bennet has averaged only 51.3% of the general election vote in his three Senatorial runs; however, the state has moved considerably to the left in the latter years of his tenure. Senator Bennet was re-elected in 2022 with a 56-41% margin over Republican businessman Joe O'Dea. His closest election came in 2010 when he defeated then-Colorado Republican Party chairman (and later Congressman) Ken Buck, 48-46%.

The entire slate of Colorado constitutional officers (Secretary of State, State Treasurer and Attorney General) features term-limited officials. Lieutenant Governor Dianne Primavera (D) is eligible to seek re-election but has stated that she will not run, likely as a prelude to entering the Governor's race. 

Therefore, with an open Governor's race, it appeared we would see a major shifting of positions as each of the current statewide officeholders would be looking for new places to run.

As mentioned above, AG Weiser had already announced his candidacy for Governor; Lt. Gov. Primavera is at least a potential gubernatorial candidate; and Secretary of State Jena Griswold (D), initially considering her own Governor's bid, is apparently also studying her chances in an open Attorney General's race. 

The question, should Sen. Bennet decide to run for Governor, is whether all of these potential gubernatorial candidates will step aside for him, or continue their own bids for the state's top job? The answer remains to be seen and determined should the Senator soon announce his candidacy.

If Sen. Bennet runs for Governor and wins, either he or Gov. Polis, as one of the latter's last moves in office, will appoint an individual to fill the vacant Senate seat. If the appointment is made after Mr. Bennet were elected Governor, one would think that outgoing Gov. Polis, a former Congressman, would be a strong candidate to fill the Senate seat. 

Whether Mr. Polis or another individual receives a Senate appointment after a purported Bennet gubernatorial victory, the person would serve until the next general election in 2028. Because the seat would be in-cycle that year, the new Senator would have the advantage of running as an incumbent for a full six-year term. 

A Bennet gubernatorial candidacy has the potential of turning Colorado Democratic politics upside-down. It remains to be seen what the Senator will do, but the gist of the Colorado Sun article certainly communicates that his entry into the Governor's race is a likelihood.

Jim Ellis is a 35-year veteran of politics at the state and national levels. He has served ss executive director for two national political action committees, as well as a consultant to the three national Republican Party organizations in DC, the National Federation of Independent Business, and various national conservative groups.

Born and raised in Sacramento, California, he earned a B. A. in Political Science from the University of California at Davis in 1979. Jim raised his daughter, Jacqueline, alone after his wife died following a tragic car accident. He helped establish the Joan Ellis Victims Assistance Network in Rochester, NH. Jim also is a member of the Northern Virginia Football Officials Association, which officiates high school games throughout the region.

Editor's note:

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