Dan Caplis For Senate?

by: redstateblues

Fri Mar 13, 2009 at 12:58:46 PM MDT

Talk-radio hosts might be well-known political figures, but can they turn their popularity among listeners into a successful political campaign?

Dan Caplis might soon try to figure that out. The veteran conservative radio personality, who co-hosts an afternoon show weekdays with liberal counterpart Craig Silverman on KHOW-AM, says he'd like to decide by early May whether to run as a Republican for the U.S. Senate.

He's already met with John Cornyn, the Texas senator who heads the National Republican Senatorial Committee, about a potential run. [rsb emphasis] The main factor now, he says, is whether his kids (11-year-old Joe and 8-year-old Caroline) would be able to withstand the rigors of their dad running for Senate.

I know what some of you are thinking--the overflowing reservoir of ridiculous statements he's made on-air have to preclude him from being a viable candidate. Well, you're right. Don't take my word for it though. Colorado Media Matters has been compiling it for years.

Caplis for (Hee Hee) Senate in (Hoo Hoo) 2010

by: Colorado Pols

Tue Oct 30, 2007 at 15:42:50 PM MDT

The Rocky Mountain News takes a look today at potential candidates in CD-6, now that Rep. Tom Tancredo has decided to step away:

Some of the Republicans mentioned as possible contenders to succeed U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo in the 6th Congressional District:

CONSIDERING IT

• Businesman Wil Armstrong: "I am certainly thinking seriously about it. Sometime very soon I am going to make a decision."

• Secretary of State Mike Coffman: "I feel an obligation to this country and to those who have sacrificed so much to consider running."

• State Sen. Ted Harvey: "We are strongly considering it. We are talking about it as a family."

• State Sen. Tom Wiens: "I've done a lot of work on it, talked to a lot of people. I'll have an announcement before Thanksgiving."

NOT RUNNING

• Former state Senate President John Andrews: "I made my mind up some time ago that this wouldn't be for me, even if it opened up."

• State Rep. David Balmer: "I am definitely not running."

• Attorney and talk-show host Dan Caplis: "Right now I'm focused on the 2010 U.S. Senate race and (taking on Ken Salazar.) "

• Former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton: "I'm really enjoying doing what I'm doing." (executive director of the Denver Police Foundation)

The best part of that story is where talk show host Dan Caplis says that he is focused on taking on Sen. Ken Salazar in 2010. Caplis tried to float his name for Senate in 2008 earlier this year, and Republicans just laughed at him. Perhaps continuing to mention himself as a candidate for Senate does him some good in generating publicity for his radio show, but as for anyone taking a Senate candidacy seriously...don't hold your breath.

You Can Stop Mentioning Caplis

by: Colorado Pols

Mon Apr 02, 2007 at 12:31:11 PM MDT

We've never considered radio talk show host Dan Caplis to be a serious contender for the U.S. Senate, no matter how many media stories continually list his name as a possible candidate. As Colorado Confidential found out, most Republicans don't take a potential candidacy serious, either:

"I don't know any Republicans who are taking that seriously," says Lynne Cottrell, a former Arapahoe County GOP chair and longtime Republican activist who knows Caplis personally. "I don't know anyone who is supporting him. Dan's a good guy, but I don't know where [the media] is getting this idea that he is a potential candidate."

Attorney John Zakhem, a well-known GOP insider, is equally blunt when asked if he knows of any Republicans who are taking Caplis seriously as a candidate.  "Nobody [is talking about him]," he says. "He's not on the radar for me or any other Republicans that I know of."

Adds another Republican insider who wished to remain nameless speaking about the U.S. senate race: "Caplis? No. There isn't anybody who is thinking about Dan Caplis as a potential candidate."

Caplis did not respond to repeated attempts for comment, so it's hard to say whether he is seriously thinking about running for the U.S. senate or if floating his name is just a publicity stunt ("There are a lot of skeptics out there who say he's just trying to promote his radio show," says Zakhem). But if Caplis is serious about running for senate, he'll have a lot of convincing to do.