July 27, 2010 06:05 PM UTC

Should Chris Romer also step down after primary?

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• by: Dan Willis

(Dan Willis, one of our steadiest and fact-oriented polsters, offers this break from the primary election food fight to muse about the mayhem that will erupt if (or should I say when) Hickenlooper leaves the mayor’s office to be governor.  Already, as Laughing Boy cackles gleefully, this dairy has caused a “lefty fight! lefty fight!” – promoted by Voyageur)

Chris Romer is up for re-election this year in SD32. I can not imagine a scenario in which he does not win that election. However, he is also actively raising support for a Denver mayoral bid in the May 2011 election.

I think it is unfair to his constituents (and his Senate colleagues) to be representing them in name at the State Senate, while most of his energy will be focused on the mayor’s race. If most of his energy is not focused on the race, he has no chance of winning.

There is also the issue of his replacement. If he were to quit now (or right after the primary), his replacement would be selected by a vacancy committee and would probably win the general (the district is heavily Dem), and then not have to run for re-election until 2014 after serving a normal-length term. However if he waits til after the general to step down, his replacement will have to run in 2012 and then again in 2014.

I am of the opinion that Chris should step down from his Senate seat and vigorously persue the mayor’s office, but I am including a poll to get other opinions.

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