When Bob Beauprez announced his run for governor in January, politicos on both sides of the aisle believed the campaign veteran could win handily.
But over the past few months, it became clear they were wrong.
He lost heart, he ran too far to the right, he supported bad policy – all reasons that political observers say he failed to take the helm of what Beauprez likes to call “the ship of state.”
Beauprez explained it this way: “It’s impossible for me to look at one thing or even a series of things that made the difference. I think you have to look nationally. … There is a mood going on right now that’s pretty rough.”
The two-term congressman, who gave up an influential seat in Washington, took several positions that hurt his standing among moderate, pro-business Republicans, observers said.
He opposed Referendum C, last year’s ballot measure loosening revenue constraints on state government.He supported a proposed ballot measure that would have sent some of the Referendum C money back to taxpayers.
Beauprez took those positions while running against Republican Marc Holtzman in the primary as he tried to woo staunch conservatives for the nomination.
The race pushed him to the right and alienated business-friendly Republicans, observers say.
“That’s part of the natural base of the Republican Party. … It’s one thing to be a fiscal conservative; it’s another thing to be suicidal fiscal conservative,” said John Straayer, a Colorado State University political science professor.
Beauprez gained some ground with the business community when he flipped his position on Amendment 38, which would have changed signature requirements for ballot petitions.
But the switch only fueled the nickname “Both Ways Bob” given to him by Holtzman and continued by Democrats.
His campaign also had to apologize for embarrassing public statements by Beauprez and running mate Janet Rowland.
Beauprez told a radio station in August that 70 percent of black pregnancies end in abortion.
And the day Rowland was announced as Beauprez’s running mate, it was learned that she once asked during a discussion on gay marriage: “Do we allow a man to marry a sheep? I mean at some point you have to draw the line.”
But Democratic consultant Steve Welchert said the comments aren’t what threw the campaign off track.
“What doomed his candidacy is a bunch of failed policy decisions,” he said.
He pointed to Beauprez’s proposal to replace the gas tax with an increased sales tax and his opposition to Referendum C.
Both Welchert and political analyst Eric Sondermann said the campaign called the plays from an outdated playbook of counting on the party faithful to carry him across the finish line.
“It struck me that Beauprez kept running against Holtzman’s shadow, even after Holtzman was gone,” Sondermann said.
And, Sondermann said, he didn’t think Beauprez “ever completely had his heart in the race.”
“The best politicians behave like hungry lions, and I’m not convinced that Bob Beauprez was a very hungry lion.”
Staff writer Karissa Marcum contributed to this report.
