We hear that Congressman Bob Beauprez is growing increasingly frustrated that Marc Holtzman is not going away in the race for the Republican gubernatorial nomination.
Beauprez is continuing to raise money, but he is receiving more negative responses than he expected, with donors telling him that they have committed to Holtzman or giving him the old line that "You and Marc are both good friends of mine, and I don't want to get in the middle." Beauprez has confided in at least one member of the Colorado congressional delegation that he is surprised and frustrated that Holtzman is still in the race and going strong.
As Colorado Pols first reported last week, Holtzman had been offered by some big Republican figures (and likely Beauprez supporters) the interim state treasurer job as a way to get him out of the race for governor, but Holtzman turned them down.
I have actually heard the opposite. Beauprez is locking up all the big Colorado givers while Holtzman is hitting a brick wall driving him out of state to find people who will host fundraisers. My bet is Holtzman will still lead by a couple 100k by next report but Beauprez is closing fast and has the rank and file party support behind him at this point. The Beauprez camp should not take this for granted though Holtzman has shown he has the desire to see this out to the convention or a possible primary. The big question is will Holtzman go through the Convention process or petition on?
Posted by: Spinning away | May 25, 2005 at 06:35 AM
ever thought that Holtzman was just going out of state for fundraisers because he has lots of rich friends out of state? not because he's hitting a brick wall in state...just a thought
Posted by: ziik | May 25, 2005 at 09:51 AM
I agree with Ziik. If Rupert Murdoch agrees to host a fundraiser for you, then you go wherever he is. There's more potential people in NY to come to a fundraiser than there are in Colorado, and if you've got the juice to raise money around the country, you should absolutely do it. Don't think for a minute that Beauprez wouldn't have done the same thing.
Posted by: Ter Ducken | May 25, 2005 at 10:13 AM
and don't think that he won't!!! Beauprez raised a ton of DC money for his 7CD races and I'd imagine he'll do the same in the Gov's race...even though a handful of those donors might be a little cranky about him giving up the seat.
Posted by: ziik | May 25, 2005 at 10:17 AM
ziik,
It may be that Holtzman does have many friends (many, many), but it doesnt look that way to John Q voter. Voters may see this as another millionaire trying to buy a Gov. seat, using the money of outside influences to defeat a good guy who can accomplish much in Beauprez. Not a good strategy.
Holtzman should slow down, not accept as much money from outside states, get on the primary ballot, and then pull out all the stops to win the seat.
But he won't, he is in WAY over his head.
Posted by: Rebel Rep | May 25, 2005 at 10:18 AM
Maybe BB has Hick envy, since every candidate on that side is scared of Hick entering.
I guess this shows that if you do get in before the 'frontrunner' even was rumored to - you can get alot of money that wouldn't have been there if you started at the same time. I'm pretty sure that some people donated to Holtzman, thinking he was the best they would get. But oh, BB came in, so now what do they do?
Posted by: peterco | May 25, 2005 at 10:31 AM
What I love to see is the only conversation happening in the Democrat side of the aisle is who isn't running (Hick, Yates, Udall, Salazar, etc..) that's a pretty good indicator that Beauprez is and will be the horse to beat. No one seemed to scared to get in the poll when it was a Coffman/Hotzman affair. Beauprez will have all the money he needs to win a primary and general.
Posted by: Let's Win Gov. | May 25, 2005 at 12:07 PM
Beauprez vs. Holtzman vs. Bridges vs. Ritter
Three of the four are millionaires. The real question is which one of them will buy the election?
Posted by: neo | May 25, 2005 at 01:33 PM
Can you lease an election and sell it later?
I don't think Beauprez is the horse to beat on the Republican side by overwhelming odds. If the election were this August, Holtzman would be close.
Posted by: Ter Ducken | May 25, 2005 at 01:46 PM
Holtzman has some serious ability to raise money, in state or out of state, should be one of the top issues going into the GOP primary. Another top issue in the next few months for these two will be how each of them stands on Refs C and D. Do they take a position or not?
Posted by: Cleophus | May 25, 2005 at 02:59 PM
Kyle Henley and the Gazette has already answered that one for you Cleophus...
http://www.gazette.com/display.php?id=1307821&secid=1
Posted by: ziik | May 25, 2005 at 04:02 PM
Man, do I love this blog. Thanks ziik. Logical choice for Holtzman to oppose, however I don't know that BB really has to take a position right now, but when the ref campaign heats up he will have to go one way or the other. Wonder where they will both be with fundraising at that point. Should be fun to watch.
Posted by: Cleophus | May 25, 2005 at 04:37 PM
It's an amazing coinsidense that this site is funded by Dem backers and the Republican front runners Beauprez and O'Donnell are consistantly sniped at. No deep probes on Perlmutter or Hickenlooper (or whomever the D's pick). Plenty of time trying to expose cracks in the GOP or propping up candidates that have little chance. I expect as we move into next year that the cover will come off and it will all attack all the time on the GOP. To us on the right side of the aisle it's clear your intent and it's clear your just having fun warming the engine. To be sure Alva or someone will post back that they attack D's just as much "just look at the Lamm post", this is true but you attack the weak members of your party yet never challenge your top dogs.
Posted by: Front Group | May 26, 2005 at 07:47 AM
Reading the latest issue of 5280 made me think that Alva, et al (if there is an "et al" since the other dead guv's never seem to post anymore) might be the editorial staff of 5280. I lost count of how many pro Hick snippets I read. Then again, it was 4 in the morning when I was reading it.
Posted by: Hugo O'conor | May 26, 2005 at 08:45 AM
Who are candidates that have little chance? My money's on Holtzman. BB should have warmed his seat a bit longer in DC, where he and the Prez can have long fireside chats. It's going to be real cold if he loses the GOP 7th AND the Gov race, and there won't be any of those big comfy committee chairs that swivel and lean back either.
Remember, Holtzman's an executive by nature and history, and execs generally have an easier time running for exec positions. Legislators like Beauprez have lots of votes be bludgeoned with.
The Dems probably don't have a prayer because the GOP and hard right wing are going to be animated to take back at least one if not both houses.
Pray for them anyway, they need it, that the scales may fall from their eyes.
Posted by: VulgusVexamen | May 26, 2005 at 09:00 AM
Front Group - I agree, this site is mostly shilling for Hickenlooper, Perlmutter, Fitz-Gerald, Romanoff, anyone with the last name of Carroll and then anyone with a D behind their name.
You will notice that Mayor golden boy has been getting shelled in the Rocky (not the Post, they are beholden anyway) and on talk radio (Peter Boyles for god sakes, not exactly a conservative!) and not a single critical line by the actual blogers!
I am still waiting to see the posting cricital of how Romanoff ran the House, or how the Senate Ds ran bills that the House Ds killed and how that went over or how Hickenlooper's restaurants employs illegals or about Hickenlooper's homeless plan to bring more shelters to Denver neighborhoods!
Posted by: Jake | May 26, 2005 at 11:27 AM
Jake and Front Group-
Thanks for participating!
Posted by: Cleophus | May 26, 2005 at 01:48 PM
Cleo - right back at ya.
Posted by: Jake | May 26, 2005 at 02:04 PM
The rumor that I've heard is quite the opposite from the open thread. Donors that gave to Holtzman pre-Beauprez are falling over themselves to give to BB, and are appologetic. BB has been able to make the anti-Ref C remark ("Brain surgery with a chainsaw") and still have big pro-C donors still ardent supporters (Ex. another BB-Bruce Benson). The facts are Holtzman will top out on fundraising by the end of this summer. Beauprez will pass him in the Q4 filing (Dec), and Holtzman will be an "also ran" that owes a lot of people refunds for the $500 they gave towards the general election.
If Holtzman has the cajones to hang on until the convention (Although I heard he's already decided to petition on, which will leave him little $$$ for the primary and piss off party activists), he won't make it out of the convention. Social Conservatives are OK with Beauprez, and don't believe Mark just found Jesus on issues like God, guns and babies. Either way Holtzman is written off by the 4th of July 2006. Mark is not a bad guy, but he should have started smaller and worked his way up.
Posted by: Rumor Millie | May 26, 2005 at 10:27 PM