Two Democrats announced Thursday that they are running for statewide elected offices currently occupied by Republicans appointed by Gov. Bill Owens.
Senate Majority Leader Ken Gordon, D-Denver, who is term-limited in 2008, launched his bid to become secretary of state, the state’s top election watchdog, with an Internet ad.
And Boulder lawyer Fern O’Brien barnstormed the Front Range to announce her candidacy to become the state’s attorney general.
“I want to work on increasing people’s confidence in election results, voter turnout, and I want to be an advocate for democratic values,” Gordon said in an interview.
Gordon lightened his serious message with a humorous ad that he posted at his website, www.kengordon.com. The ad mimics the gimmicks used by other successful statewide candidates or campaigners.
In the ad, Gordon channels U.S. Ben Nighthorse Campbell by wearing an Indian headdress while sitting astride a motorcyle. Other shots show him riding a horse, as U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar has done, and jumping out of an airplane like Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper did in a pro-Referendum C ad.
Gordon is the only declared Democratic candidate for the secretary of state’s office.
O’Brien has one competitor in the primary, Robert Johnson of Denver, according to election records filed with the state.
During a kickoff event at Confluence Park in Denver, she said her campaign will focus on “Main Street values.”
“I am focused on bringing perseverance, integrity, and fairness to this office,” she said.
The election in November will be a tough challenge for the Democratic candidates, but they have a chance, said Bob Loevy, professor of political science at Colorado College.
“Colorado is a Republican state, but Democrats can win here,” Loevy said. “Actually, Democrats do better in Colorado running for statewide office than running for president of the United States.”
In these statewide races, the Democrats face formidable foes: an incumbent attorney general and a secretary of state candidate who has twice won statewide races.
Attorney General John Suthers, appointed by Owens to replace Salazar when he was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2004, is the only Republican running for the job.
Former state treasurer Mike Coffman, who stepped down last year to re-join the U.S. Marine Corps in Iraq, has announced plans to run for secretary of state.
Current Secretary of State Gigi Dennis, appointed last summer by Owens, has not announced whether she will run.
Incumbents have a significant advantage when running for office, Loevy said. He noted that few candidates emerged to challenge U.S. Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell when they expected the Republican to run again.
“The minute he stepped out and made it an open seat, there was Democratic stampede,” he said.
Staff writer Julianne Bentley contributed to this report.
Staff writer Mark P. Couch can be reached at 303-820-1794 or mcouch@denverpost.com.
