Marc Holtzman and Rutt Bridges are two earnest, wealthy guys looking to be governor. They’re eager to make a mark on Colorado’s political and economic future and sure to add color and buzz to a race that looks wide open. We welcome them to the hunt.
Neither has had experience in elected office, but it’s not for want of trying (they both have). They are smart, well-networked and from different points on the political spectrum, they have thrown themselves into state policy debates in recent years.
Holtzman, 45, is a Republican who long ago ran for Congress from Pennsylvania’s 11th District. At 26, he was, shall we say, a little wet behind the ears. Bridges, 53, a Democrat, dipped a toe into last year’s U.S. Senate race in Colorado, then wisely yielded to Ken Salazar.
Both men will face an uphill battle against candidates with more experience. For Holtzman, foes could include Congressman Bob Beauprez and maybe ex-congressman Scott McInnis, Bridges is up against former Denver district attorney Bill Ritter. Not one of them enjoy statewide name recognition, and it’s quite possible that the field of candidates could expand before it inevitably shrinks.
Absent an office-holder’s track record, Bridges and Holtzman will have to show voters that they are grounded in the issues and have Colorado values at heart. Said political strategist Rick Ridder, “There’s a trade-off with wealthy candidates. On the one hand, they can run without ties to special interests. On the other hand, voters do wonder if they share their concerns.” Analyst Katy Atkinson says that without a record in office, their business and personal lives will loom large.
With that, we note that Bridges is a father of two, whose ex-wife is a friend and business partner, while Holtzman is a bachelor and engaged to be married.
Bridges, a geophysicist from a modest upbringing in Georgia, developed a software program for oil companies, then sold his company for a fortune. He started the Bighorn Center for Public Policy in 1999 “to improve Coloradans’ quality of life” by making state and local government more effective and efficient.
“There are real people who have hope for a better Colorado,” says Bridges. “I think I have a background to deliver on that. I think I have a proven record of creating jobs and building successful coalitions.”
Holtzman was a politial wunderkind, running, at age 20, Ronald Reagan’s 1980 campaign for president in Pennsylvania. Later he formed Citizens for America, a grassroots lobbying organization to plug Reagan’s conservative agenda. He served as Jack Kemp’s national co-chairman in 1988, and after Kemp dropped from the presidential race, started an investment bank in Eastern Europe. In 1997, he sold out and returned home a multimillionaire.
In 1994, Holtzman came to Colorado and built his dream home in Garfield County. “I love Colorado,” Holtzman says. “I have some excellent ideas on job creation, on economic development, education, protecting our quality of life, immigration and taxes that I think will really make a difference in defining the future of Colorado.”
Holtzman has served as Gov. Bill Owens’ technology secretary and as president of the University of Denver – both for zero pay.
Despite their deep pockets, both Bridges and Holtzman are raising money, not self-funding their campaigns.
Colorado voters have been tough on some wealthy candidates who ran without previous experience in public office, but we wouldn’t rule either of these guys out. A rich businessman with no prior experience in office? That was John Hickenlooper about a minute and a half ago.
To climb the summit, Holtzman and Bridges will need to establish themselves on a wide range of issues. For that matter, so will their opponents.
