Mark Hillman Enters State Treasurer Race

According to our fellow blogger on the right, Clay Calhoun, State Senator Mark Hillman announced his intentions to run for State Treasurer in 2006.

This is a smart move by Hillman to get out early. The State Treasurer race is a lot of statewide work for a relatively small prize, though most candidates hope to benefit from the name recognition gathered by traveling around Colorado and use it for a bigger race in the future (that was the idea for Mike Coffman, although it hasn't worked out like he had planned it). If you are a Republican thinking about this race, not only do you have to decide if it is worth the effort, you also have to decide if it is worth the risk now that another strong candidate has announced; because if you lose a primary for State Treasurer, your political juice dries up fast.

Now, who's going to be the Democratic opponent? Chris Romer, son of former Governor Roy Romer, has long been rumored to be the frontrunner (meaning: only person really interested) in the State Treasurer race, but we've heard lately that his enthusiasm has waned somewhat. This one might make sense for State Senator Ken Gordon, who can raise the money to be competitive in a statewide race and is known to have higher ambitions. Gordon has also been rumored for Secretary of State, but State Treasurer makes more sense; it's the same amount of work, but for a better job.

Comments

[Robert]

As a republican I think Hillman would be great Treasurer, my only concern is his fundraising ability againist Romer.

[Jamie]

Peter Blake also mentioned Hillman running for Treasurer in his column today.

[Donald E. L. Johnson]

Mark's a bright guy. We exchanged a lot of e-mails during the debate over the HB 1164, which turned out to be the most anti-small business health care legislation enacted in decades at the behest of insurers. My employees and I have much poorer health care coverage today because of that bill, among other things, and I can't support a candidate so beholden to the insurers.

[Real Deal]

Now the big question is who will run the camp? I know Sen. Mitchell's senate campaign staff are vying, and they are facing some of Schaffer's flunkies. Who will win? My money is on Mitchell's staff 3-1 odds, any takers?

[Donald E. L. Johnson]

I meant to put this post here, not in elephants:

I blogged against HB03-1164 here:

http://www.businessword.com/index.php/weblog/comments/mark_hillman_bill_rigs_market_for_anthem_blue_cross/

My lead graph said:

"The Mark Hilllman bill (or, the Anthem protection act of 2003), HB03-1164, is a form of socialism and anti-competition legislation because the legislature is being used by the insurance industry to rig the market in its favor. A truly free market gives all participants a level playing field---fair regulation, equal access to product price and feature information and full accountability for integrity and the lack thereof. My recommendation is that the General Assembly find a way to make passing HB03-1164 impossible so a better solution can be devised, including doing nothing. As I’ve said before, I think trying to fix the health care market at the state level is impossible. Just doing something to be doing something is the wrong way to go. Understand: Anthem wants this bill as a hedge against a proposed association health plan bill going through Congress, which would allow associations to challenge its market in Colorado. Blue Cross is the leading opponent of association health plan legislation, and I oppose it, too."

Mark wouldn't listen. He apparently had made up his mind and wouldn't look at the facts of health care economics.

[capitol aide]

Real Deal,

There are no Schaffer flunkies vying for the job. There is only one contender, at the moment.

[The Deal]

Real Deal - get with the program. Time to stop bashing our ntl. committeeman. Time to stop bashing his former staff. Time to get over the Primary. Time to move on.

Get over it, Dude. You're not helping yourself, or our Party.

[John]

Capitol Aide- Who is the contender, and how do you know that? Real Deal-Who are the staffers on both sides?

[capitol aide]

I don't think Real Deal was bashing anybody. He/she was accurately describing certain perceptions - and I was correcting him/her, as to reality, not perception.

John, sorry, I can't name names at this point.

[capitol aide]

I don't think Real Deal was bashing anybody. He/she was accurately describing certain perceptions - and I was correcting him/her.

[Horst]

Sounds like Real Deal hit a nerve with The Deal and capitol aide is not at liberty to "name names" because he doesn't know the names.

[Honest Abe]

Sounds like Real Deal is a democrat trying to keep the GOP divided by playing off the Schaffer/Coors primary. Guess he missed that Coors and Schaffer have long since buried the hatchet and the day after the primary were seen working together unlike Sen. Waffle I mean Salazar who never buried the hatchet with the Miles Supporters. Nice try Real Deal but the GOP is united and not biting.
Abe Lincoln

[WHOA]

OK. Stupid Question: I thought Legislators couldn't raise money during Session? Or is that just from Lobbyists?

[Abe Is Right]

Abe is right. Schaffer signs distroyed. Coors signs vandelized. Each thought the other was doing it. In the end, we all know it was the Democrats. Here they are again - trying to divide.

[WHEW]

Legislators can't raise money from lobbyists during the session. Every one else can give to their heart's content.

Just ask Jim Isgar.

[Real Deal]

Abe and Deal,
I am a proud Republican. I even voted for Schaffer as our National Committeeman, to keep him as far away from our party's politics as possible. Schaffer is and always will be a weisel, but as long as I don't have to listen to the man (or his supporters) talk, I don't care what happens to him. I know that the hatchet was buried between Coors and Schaffer as far as the public is concerned, Coors tried to extend to olive branch plenty after the primary. Where was Schaffer? I didn't see him do anything for Coors besides appear with him the day after the primary.

As far as his staff goes, I personally find them to be a joke. They got in way over their heads, they had to resort to petty acts of vandalism and they didn't have a clue what real campainging is all about.

Personally, I don't really care about them at all. But, I do know they read this blog, so any shot I can take at them feels good. I am a bad person....I don't care.

[bobby]

so real deal, who are the teams of staffers you referred to? shaffer and mitchell?

[rocky]

Well if you are referring to the Coors staffers they were to busy picking up the girls to run an actual race.

[Bobby]

I really was more interested as who Real Deal would count as Mitchell's and Shaffer's staffers. Lets lay over the personal attacks

[Abe Lincoln]

Once again I think Rocky, Real Deal, and all the other names the Democrat operatives post under are trying to divide a house that is not divided. Look into you own tent it does not smell to rosey didn't you eject Chris Gates after the victory who was a Salazar man for Pat W. who was a Miles person sounds like trouble brewing... good luck trying to stoke the Coors Schaffer issue if it makes you happy but, it won't work we will win the legislature back in 2006 and the Governorship regardless of what your goofy Draft hick and legislature line say. Funny how the Dems lead in every line and all you see is fake posts by disgruntled campaign staffers, DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE!!!

[Ter Ducken]

Commas and periods are your friends. Do not fear the comma. Do not run from the period.

[thinkin]

It's strange - I thought Coors lost because he was a bad candidate with too much bagage. And now I hear the Senate Seat completely revolved around campaign field staff. Wow. Wonders never cease. No candidate ever has to work hard again - they will just hire the winning workers from the most recent wining campaigns and then voala - win on election day. Jeez. What a simple solution. Wish I would have thought of it earlier.

[Real Deal]

To all you cocky dems out there-

We still have the numbers to beat you. 2006 is going to be another wake up to all you who doubt us. Divided or not, we will have the power to beat you back into submission.

I can't wait to see you all whining again when you have no power. It's easy to be cocky now, but just wait! The GOP candidates, staffers, volunteers, 527's, and activists will take over the next election MARK MY WORDS.

[rocky]

I am just saying that the concentration of the Coors' campaign staffers was not on the campaign. I myself am a republican and was a supporter of Coors. I am not trying to personally attack anyone, rather offering a small problem in the Coors race and that was that people were not concentrating on the campaign rather they were concentrating on the "social" aspects of political life.

[Gabe]

Who would work for Romer? Hillman? Who do you conisder "Shaffer flunkies" I think I am out of the loop here.