One day after seemingly leaving the door open to a gubernatorial bid in 2006, U.S. Rep. John Salazar on Tuesday released a statement saying, “under no circumstance will I run for governor.”
Salazar, D-Manassa, said he was being urged to run for governor, but “right now, I’m totally dedicated to running for the 3rd Congressional District.”
State House Majority Leader Alice Madden, a leading party strategist, said Monday she had talked to Salazar about running.
“It wasn’t yes or no, but I think it would take some talking him into it,” Madden, D-Boulder, said Monday. “But he didn’t slam the door on it at all.”
Madden didn’t return repeated phone calls on Tuesday.
Asked why Salazar, whose district covers southern Colorado and the Western Slope, was not as unequivocal when asked about the prospect Monday, his spokeswoman, Nayyera Haq, said:
“His statement today speaks for itself. He wants to make it very clear and he wants to put it in writing that he is focused on helping the people of the 3rd District and that is his priority. And if that was not clear earlier, he certainly wants to make it clear today.”
In that statement, Salazar also said, “I am honored that people have thought of me, I think it shows how Democrats understand the importance of rural issues – keeping farmers on the land, helping people in their time of need, and protecting individual liberties.”
Staff writer Chris Frates can be reached at 303-820-1633 or cfrates@denverpost.com.
