Veteran prosecutor Bill Ritter has quietly entered the race for Colorado governor, the first Democrat to take the plunge. Denver’s former district attorney joins Republican congressman Bob Beauprez and University of Denver President Marc Holtzman, who have also registered their intentions to run.
The winner of the 2006 election will succeed Gov. Bill Owens, who is term-limited. The field is still forming, and there have already been a couple of demurrals and a prominent dropout – state Treasurer Mike Coffman. (And we’ve suggested that it would be far more valuable for Colorado if Beauprez were to back off and continue his work in Congress.) By the time the air clears, we won’t be surprised if there are half a dozen candidates or more.
Ritter has nearly 12 years’ experience as district attorney and considerable personal appeal. He is a moderate who must be taken seriously even though his pro-life views will surely be challenged at the Democratic Convention and in the party primary. But Ritter may have timing on his side – the race takes place as Democrats are underscoring their own moral values, and Ritter seems the type of candidate national Democratic leaders are seeking. The question remains: How will he fly with Colorado Democrats?
The entry of Ritter into the race is sure to get the blood flowing in both political camps.
“When it comes to personal appeal, charisma and his record in the DA’s office, he’s great. He gets an A or A+,” said Republican strategist Katy Atkinson. “But I cannot imagine that Democrats will nominate someone who is pro-life.”
While Republicans have showcased pro- choice moderates like Rudy Giuliani and Arnold Schwarzenegger, “I don’t know if electibility is enough for the Democrats – if they’re hungry enough to get the governor’s office back,” she said.
Ritter seems to have all the qualities that would make him competitive against a Republican in November 2006. But can he survive a battle against a pro-choice Democrat in the primary? Businessman Rutt Bridges and state Senate president Joan Fitz-Gerald are among other potential Democratic candidates.
Ritter says his stance on abortion shouldn’t hurt him because as DA he enforced the law, which makes abortion legal. “I’ve never let my view of this interfere with what’s legal,” Ritter said.
Ritter, as DA, is well known in the Denver area, but he’s got his work cut out for him across the state, where his name recognition is negligible. But the campaign has barely begun, and we’re hoping to see a field with plenty of heft.
