BREAKING: Marc Holtzman Won't Run for Governor

Damn

That would've been a good one.  

Marcs career decisions are funny though.  He was technology secretary during the dot com implosion and then he chose to be an "investment banker" again right before the global financial meltdown.

Marc couldn't control either crisis of course, or stem the tide of either, but his timing speaks volumes.

There won't be any Holtzy to kick around anymore.  Damn.

"Good judgement comes from experience.  Experience comes from bad judgement" - Jim Horning

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by: Fidel's dirt nap @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 13:04:05 PM CDT

McInnis has got to love this, don't you think?

Holtzman is more to the center than Penry, so his absence in the race paints a fairly stark picture between center-right McInnis and far-right Penry.

"Nice driveby spin" -- Libertad

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by: redstateblues @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 13:08:35 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Following your logic here

In your opinion isn't the GOP a bankrupt party co-opted by the far right, etc...?? shouldn't that should make either your statement or your assumptions wrong?

I keep hearing a lot about that other former football player too.. What's up with that?

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by: Libertad @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 13:39:05 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Lib

I appreciate your attempt to use logic, it's a great leap forward for you.

My opinion on the GOP is somewhat similar to what you described it as, but my comment was only related to McInnis' hopes, not his overall chances at winning or the state of the CO GOP.

My thinking process was: if McInnis has a shot in hell (which I think he does) then it only helps him to be the only center-right candidate in the primary.

A for effort though.

"Nice driveby spin" -- Libertad

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by: redstateblues @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 13:45:31 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Well I thought Holtzman was a far righty

I think both your assumptions and statement are flawed.

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by: Libertad @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 13:53:31 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Maybe compared to me

but compared to Penry, he's center-right. As usual, you have no idea what you're talking about.

"Nice driveby spin" -- Libertad

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by: redstateblues @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 13:55:00 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Well then you and Bob Beauprez must be fairly moderate

Wasn't Holtzy right of Beauprez? That would make you and Beauprez centrists.

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by: Libertad @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 13:58:35 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Considering Beauprez's flip-flopping

during the campaign, it was pretty hard to figure out where he stood on anything.

Holtzman's supporters characterize him as center-right, which is where I got that information from.

If you have anything to back up what you're saying, please show me. Unlike you, I admit when I'm wrong on something.

Until then, though, I'll just assume you're pulling opinions out of your wide-stanced ass like you normally do.

"Nice driveby spin" -- Libertad

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by: redstateblues @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 14:11:18 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I'd agree you are a flip flopper too

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by: Libertad @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 14:25:05 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Well

If you, Libertad, king of wide stances (see: flip-flopping) think I'm a flip-flopper than I may very well be.

Of course, you can't provide any evidence to support your conclusion, so I'll just assume you're wrong as usual.

If you want to continue this pointless conversation, feel free to e-mail me, but I think we should stop clogging up the thread now, K?

"Nice driveby spin" -- Libertad

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by: redstateblues @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 14:32:20 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Libtoddler "is like a box of chocolates"

RSB has been consistent.  With the toddler, you never know what you're going to get.  Contradiction be thy name.

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by: WesternSlopeThought @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 14:38:03 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Good point

It was hard to characterize where Beauprez was coming from.

But the general thought (from sources such as the Almanac of American Politics--a great book for political junkies--) is that Holtzman was going after Beauprez from the right.

That's why Holtzman was able to attack Bob over ref C.  The hardline was against it, so Marc made an issue of it with the base.

That's why Marc got the support of people like Doug Bruce.

Marc may actually be center right, but that's not how he cast himself in 2006.

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by: Haners @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 14:31:46 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

True

Though Beauprez probably moved slightly right of where he was while in the House, even while taking into account the campaign flip-flops.  

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by: adam.kretz @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 15:09:06 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

He moved a lot further to the right

I wouldn't say that he had a hard right record in the House...

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by: Haners @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 16:24:50 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Either way

I don't see McInnis running against Penry in the primary.  When all is said and done, either they pursue different offices or one of them doesn't run.

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by: Haners @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 14:27:10 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Marc knew what he was up against...

He didn't even get a mention at the Denver County GOP straw poll last Thursday.  Penry absolutely crushed McInnis et al.

1. Josh Penry - 47.6%
2. Scott McInnis - 14.3%
3. Tom Tancredo - 9.5%
4. Bob Beauprez - 4.8%
4. Mark Hillman - 4.8%
4. Dan Caplis - 4.8%
4. Ryan Call - 4.8%
4. Undecided - 4.8%

Holtzman has almost as much baggage as McInnis...not to mention that Marc hasn't spent a helluva lot of time in Colorado in the last 2 1/2 years.  He's about as much a Coloradoan as Hillary was a New Yorker.

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by: venividivici303 @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 13:11:25 PM CDT

Who cares about a straw poll?

Holtzman could have raised enough money that he would have been a serious contender.

"Nice driveby spin" -- Libertad

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by: redstateblues @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 13:17:24 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Marc has money

But he's erratic, and a pretty damn crappy campaigner - he tends to rub a lot of people the wrong way.  His Gov campaign was a treasure trove of gaffes and missteps.

I was puzzled as to why Pols gave him such good odds on the gov line...

"Good judgement comes from experience.  Experience comes from bad judgement" - Jim Horning

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by: Fidel's dirt nap @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 13:22:22 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Because of the money

Holtzman was well-connected in the business community, and big supporters (like Mizel). In this economy, raising money is going to be tough.

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by: Colorado Pols @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 13:43:39 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I thought

there was no such thing as "the business community".  :P

Sorry, couldn't resist.

"Nice driveby spin" -- Libertad

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by: redstateblues @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 13:51:40 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Not where it pertains to threatening Democrats

Because, as we see here, the "business community" is always going to back the GOP anyway.

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by: Colorado Pols @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 14:44:33 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Hey!!!

Some of us stay Dem no matter what.

Amazon tax? Bad Idea!

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by: DavidThi808 @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 21:47:07 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

You fundamentally just don't get it.

It doesn't matter how far Marc was up Larry Mizel's ass.  The Amendment 27 limit is a hard cap.  It's the same for everybody.

There are only 2 situations where Marc MIGHT have had a cash advantage.  1.  He writes a big personal check.  Marc has a big ego, but contrary to public opinion...he was never worth all that much.  His dad has the big money.  2.  His "friends/dad/etc" fund a 527 to run more glossy TV ads on ballot initiatives.  That didn't seem to work out very well did it?

I'm always amazed at the complete lack of any consistent internal logic you have about the business community.  You're constantly harping about how business now supports democrats and has walked away from republicans.  Then you turn around and talk about how business support is going to give Holtzman a big edge over anybody else.  Which is it?

"Business" doesn't get involved in funding primaries and in general elections "Business" gives fairly equally to both sides and hedges its bets.  Nor is "Business" money decisive in partisan elections because they haven't bought into the importance of partisan elections like the labor unions have.  They'd rather just be left alone.

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by: davidsbane @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 13:59:59 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

No kidding

"Marc has a big ego, but contrary to public opinion...he was never worth all that much.  His dad has the big money"

I am sure Seymours pocketbook is breathing a huge sigh of relief today...

"Good judgement comes from experience.  Experience comes from bad judgement" - Jim Horning

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by: Fidel's dirt nap @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 14:19:24 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

All of these big organizations

Give to 527s, smart guy. Every candidate will do it in 2010, Democrat or Republican.

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by: Colorado Pols @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 14:47:29 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Interesting.

What about Larry Mizel or John Elway?  The thinner the bench looks, the more sense a high profile businessman or celebrity candidate makes for Colorado GOP.  Either would be more viable than Tancredo in a statewide election, and carry less baggage than Penry or McInnis.

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by: ohwilleke @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 14:30:12 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Larry Mizel?

Having a hard time picturing his campaign theme, or people flocking to his cause.

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by: Half Glass Full @ Tue Apr 14, 2009 at 08:02:21 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

How about "I'm rich so I must be competent."

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by: ohwilleke @ Tue Apr 14, 2009 at 15:18:22 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

That's good....

really good....

He is doing a really nice memorial to Babi Yar. I saw the brochure. It's mpressive.  

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by: reefsaver @ Wed Apr 15, 2009 at 00:06:03 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Is that a straw poll of 21 people?

Sure looks that way, otherwise 5 candidates sharing the same number of supporters is quite interesting.

I'd honestly be surprised if the Minority Leader of the Senate couldn't get 10 votes in a Denver GOP straw poll, esp. when none of the other candidates are truly Denver-centric.

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by: adam.kretz @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 15:10:50 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Hillary in NY

Yeah, how'd that whole Hillary in New York thing turn out in the end?

The money wasn't even Holtzman's biggest advantage, it was the fact that Penry and McInnis were going to commit fratricide on each other and leave a gaping opening for him.

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by: Leonard Smalls @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 19:18:53 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Some straw poll!

1. Josh Penry - 47.6%
2. Scott McInnis - 14.3%
3. Tom Tancredo - 9.5%
4. Bob Beauprez - 4.8%
4. Mark Hillman - 4.8%
4. Dan Caplis - 4.8%
4. Ryan Call - 4.8%
4. Undecided - 4.8%

When five people get exactly 4.8% apiece, that tells me that your wonderful "straw poll" had about two dozen people participating. There was one vote each for Beauprez, Hillman, Caplis, Call and Undecided, two for Tancredo, three for McInnis, and the rest for Penry.

Whoop-dee-friggin'-doo.

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by: Half Glass Full @ Tue Apr 14, 2009 at 08:05:49 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

You are right, sample size = 21, or a multiple thereof

The sample becomes more relevant as n increases. n=21 may not be a large enough sample to infer any preference in the population. Unless this is for mayor of Brookside.  

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by: reefsaver @ Wed Apr 15, 2009 at 00:11:35 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

It's the money, Honey

Mizel would have been able to raise buckets of cash, both in and out of state.  After all, he served on the finance committee of both Giuliani and McCain.  Plus, his business background would have given him ample ammunition and authority to go after Ritter.  (And he can out-think Penry with half his brain tied behind his back.)  Where will the business community go now? I doubt Penry.  Maybe McInnis if he plays this right.    

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by: what?!? @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 13:49:16 PM CDT

sorry - meant Holtzman

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by: what?!? @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 13:49:49 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Amendment 27 limits honey

The state Constitution regulates how much money you can raise.  Raising money for a Presidential candidate with federal limits is 20 times easier than raising the same amount of money in a gubernatorial.

As far as Holtzman out thinking anybody...you must not have spent much time around him.  Your average Hamster would give him a run for his money.  Speaking of which...Marc took a bunch of money from his dad and made a bit of money in eastern europe buying and selling political connections.  Ask Bill Owens about how Marc did as Secretary of Technology.  CBMS worked out great didn't it?

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by: davidsbane @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 14:08:23 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Not to forget...

...the great successes that were the unemployment benefits and statewide voter registration systems.

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by: matchbooksandsarcasm @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 15:11:30 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

pipe dreams

I hear every enrolled student at the Colorado Institute of Technology is going to receive a free ski pass too !

Oh, wait...

"Good judgement comes from experience.  Experience comes from bad judgement" - Jim Horning

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by: Fidel's dirt nap @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 15:37:20 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

You know...

where is a good moderate Republican like a Norma Anderson in the mix of things?

Seems to me that the best chance Republicans have against a fairly weak Ritter would be a good moderate, good government person like Norma Anderson.  She is tough as nails but is not a screaming radical ala Penry or an opportunist ("somebody elect me to something--I;m bored in the private sector" person) like McInnis.

"But when I see a 9-11 victim family on television, or whatever, I'm just like, 'Oh, shut up!' I'm so sick of them because they're always complaining."  Glenn Beck  

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by: Arvadonian @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 14:08:24 PM CDT

not to be indelicate...

..but how OLD is she?

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by: Jambalaya @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 18:12:15 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Anderson is 75...

which makes her the same age as Sen. Diane Feinstein of California who is mulling a run for the governor's office there.

Anderson, in my estimation, would be the strongest candidate for the Republicans at this juncture....

"But when I see a 9-11 victim family on television, or whatever, I'm just like, 'Oh, shut up!' I'm so sick of them because they're always complaining."  Glenn Beck  

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by: Arvadonian @ Tue Apr 14, 2009 at 10:51:39 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Anderson would have to work very hard to be known statewide

...Feinstein would not have that problem.  Plus, everyone is afraid Feinstein.  Anderson, not so much.

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by: Jambalaya @ Tue Apr 14, 2009 at 18:23:08 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Anderson is probably...

as well known as Penry (likely better) and Holtzman.

The fear factor element with Feinstien I'll concede....  

"But when I see a 9-11 victim family on television, or whatever, I'm just like, 'Oh, shut up!' I'm so sick of them because they're always complaining."  Glenn Beck  

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by: Arvadonian @ Wed Apr 15, 2009 at 11:31:24 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

I was comparing Anderson to Feinstein

...not to those other two.

Is Anderson, age 75, willing to drive around the state in a RV spreading her name?  Cuz I'm pretty sure Feinstein would never do so and would never need to do so.

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by: Jambalaya @ Wed Apr 15, 2009 at 18:03:10 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Not sure.

I have no idea if she's even interested (she likely isn't or we'd have heard something already).  

What I was suggesting is that, if she were interested, she'd be a strong candidate---stronger than any of the Republicans whose names are being tossed around at present.

"But when I see a 9-11 victim family on television, or whatever, I'm just like, 'Oh, shut up!' I'm so sick of them because they're always complaining."  Glenn Beck  

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by: Arvadonian @ Thu Apr 16, 2009 at 10:38:17 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

Then again

Maybe Wadhams is just writing off this next election cycle.  2010 will be a little soon for Americans and Coloradoans to forget what Republicans have done to our country and state.  Put the more moderate Scooty up as a sacrifice this time and look four years down the road where they could run a true extremist like Penry.

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by: WesternSlopeThought @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 14:15:16 PM CDT

I'm not an expert

On GOP logic (or what's left of it), but there's no way Wadhams & Co. would sit on an opportunity like 2010. It looks good for the Democrats now, but the economy is going no where fast, and President Obama will get hung with a lot of the blame. Plus, Republicans have two big offices to go after. At best (for us Dems), it'll be a reversal of 2002, with the GOP going all-in for one office, virtually ignoring the other, and losing both. But I doubt it.

The best part about pessimism is that you're either right or pleasantly surprised...

"Oh Lord, are there really people starving still?"

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by: Littletonian @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 20:07:15 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I like Holtz...

but now Maes will try to get the business people behind him

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by: A-bob @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 16:03:04 PM CDT

Good luck with that

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by: Colorado Pols @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 16:22:23 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

yes good luck...

but if he's smart he'll try. However he's had no campaign experience so he'll need double luck

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by: A-bob @ Mon Apr 13, 2009 at 16:36:52 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Tancredo Fever!

Catch it!

(chuckle)

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by: Half Glass Full @ Tue Apr 14, 2009 at 08:07:08 AM CDT