Democratic House Majority Leader Alice Madden is so serious about a potential run for governor that she has asked her husband to cancel a business trip to China next week.
She plans to spend much of this week on the phone, gauging whether she would have enough support to beat Bill Ritter for the Democratic nomination and go on to win November’s general election, she said.
She already knows one hurdle she would face if she runs.
“It’s not the liberal thing,” she said, “it’s the Boulder label, which I think is sort of insulting to voters.”
Madden had been waiting on the sidelines as Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper pondered a run. Now that he has stepped aside, her potential bid will be “much-discussed” at a family get- together this weekend, she said.
Madden said she will announce her decision next week.
Despite U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar’s endorsement Tuesday of Ritter, some state Democrats remain committed to floating a candidate who supports abortion rights. Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald has cut a $500 check for Madden’s potential campaign.
“Look what she’s accomplished,” she said, noting that Madden is a lawyer and a leader of her party who’s raising two kids.
Young Democrats in Boulder planned to start circulating a petition today urging Madden to run, said Andrew Harrison, head of the College Democrats at the University of Colorado-Boulder.
But others say the Boulder liberal tag, fair or not, would be the kiss of death in a statewide race.
Madden could win a Democratic primary, but that would be the “high-water mark” of her campaign, said Eric Sondermann, an independent political consultant who works on issue campaigns. “The whole package makes for very tough sledding when you get very far away from the Denver-Boulder radius,” he said.
The GOP spin on Madden on Tuesday was this: Please run.
“I think Alice Madden would make a fantastic candidate for any Republican to run against,” state party spokeswoman Rachael Sunbarger said. “She is a darling of the unions and has recently received questionable funds from third-party groups whom she claims not to know. Top that combination with her extremely liberal voting record, and I think that it makes for an interesting and fun race.”
Republicans recently complained about Madden and other Democrats receiving in-kind contributions from unknown donors. The Democrats have denied any wrongdoing.
Staff writer Karen E. Crummy contributed to this report.
Staff writer Jim Hughes can be reached at 303-820-1244 or jhughes@denverpost.com.
