Republican gubernatorial candidate Marc Holtzman on Monday named former Speaker of the House Lola Sprad ley as his running mate, vowing the two would form a full partnership to lead Colorado.
“I would say a Bush-Cheney partnership is the way we’re going to model ourselves,” said Holtzman, referring to the president and vice president. “We will have one message and a commitment to strengthen the economy and education and work on issues like renewable energy.”
Spradley, the state’s first female speaker of the House, emerged as a front-runner to be Holtzman’s lieutenant governor candidate last week. As a representative from Beulah, she was voted Republican House majority leader in 2000 and became speaker of the House three years later.
Some political watchers said the selection of Spradley balanced the ticket in a couple of key ways.
“Spradley has deep roots both in the (Republican) Party and in the state, both of which Holtzman lacks,” said John Straayer, a political science professor at Colorado State University. “She’s also respected in many circles. Picking her isn’t going to heal the wounds created by the party’s division and by things Holtzman has said about it, but it is helpful.”
As part of his campaign strategy, Holtzman has painted the state GOP as out of touch and suffering from cronyism.
During a news conference at the state Capitol on Monday, Spradley said she had an “incredible opportunity” to work on issues surrounding agriculture, economic development, education and renewable energy. She had joined with Democratic U.S. Rep. Mark Udall in 2004 to help pass a state constitutional amendment that required utility companies to use more renewable energy.
“We want to move the state forward … and give all the working families and working people someone who will listen to them,” she said.
Both Holtzman and Spradley are against abortion rights except in instances of rape or if the health of the mother is at stake.
Holtzman’s primary opponent, U.S. Rep. Bob Beauprez, has not named his running mate and isn’t expected to anytime soon, his campaign has said.
Colorado Democrats in the race are former Denver District Attorney Bill Ritter and state Rep. Gary Lindstrom of Breckenridge.
Staff writer Karen Crummy can be reached at 303-820-1594 or kcrummy@denverpost.com.
