December 14, 2011 12:21 AM UTC

Setting The Record Straight on Romanoff v. Bennet, and why Obama Should Listen

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• by: nancycronk

Last week, before Andrew Romanoff endorsed Joe Miklosi in CD6, there was a diary comment on Pols which stated “Romanoff’s Senate campaign was a disaster”. That comment got under my skin, so I will set the record straight, for the sake of the tens of thousands of his supporters, as well as for the 2012 elections in Colorado. That may sound incongruous coming from one of Senator Bennet’s earliest and most ardent supporters — please hear me out.

First, a fast review of what happened, for those living under a rock, or out-of-state, from 2009-2010. Romanoff’s Senate campaign was a study in contrasts. There were epic mistakes made, but in many ways, it was wildly successful considering  its tiny fraction of financial resources. The vast majority of activists and staffers who worked on it have every reason to be proud of what they accomplished.

Many of us on Colorado Pols predicted Romanoff would lose the Senate primary in ’10 because we’ve been around the block a few times. We know how powerful money is in politics, and we knew no primary opponent had a chance in this Barney-purple state, at this time in history, to win an off-year election against a well-qualified Democratic incumbent, without a mountain of financial backing. We thought it was a waste of precious resources to even try. We did everything we could to try to convince Romanoff, one of our state’s strongest leaders, to not jump into that race, and when he did, we tried to convince him (indirectly) to get out. We winced, and we watched.

Many of us also knew Michael Bennet was a quick-study, was well-suited for the job he already had, and had connections nationally “up the wazoo”. Watching Romanoff run against him was like watching the best athlete in one sport give it up for a career in another. It was hard to watch; any seasoned sports fan could predict exactly where that athlete was bound to fail.

True, Romanoff made some monumental errors in judgement (getting into the race too late, hiring Pat Caddell and Bill Romjue, not taking union money, going negative against a fellow Dem, and allowing a few colorful, renegade local personalities to have access to new media on his behalf). Despite those mistakes, not one of those lapses of judgment lessened his contributions to the state of Colorado, nor the enormous positive impact his political legacy will have on this state for decades to come. Should he decide to run in a state-wide race at the right time, most of us would jump to his defense. I will.

Second, not one of those errors discounts the things his campaign did right, nor the strength and tenacity of his volunteers and activists who accomplished so much with so little. They do not represent the average Romanoff-for-Senate supporters whose vision and commitment made that race one of the most watched Senate races in the country.

Why do I care to set the record straight 14 months later? In my work as a recruiter for the Center for Progressive Leadership*, it is my job to identify the best and the brightest emerging progressive leaders in Colorado, and give them access to a professional development program that nurtures their political and social movement goals. Many of these emerging leaders were “baptized by fire” via their work on the Romanoff campaign. Their passion, their vision, their commitment, and their drive are far stronger, as a result, because they cut their teeth on one of the most aggressive political campaigns in the history of Colorado — maybe anywhere.

It’s difficult to find stronger leaders than Romanoff’s staffers and empassioned activists. Among them are some of the most promising future leaders the west has to offer in the areas of lgbtq rights, health care, women’s issues, education reform, immigration reform, international peace-keeping, social safety nets, green energies, environmentalism, and much more. Bloggers can rehash the Senate campaign between Romanoff v. Bennet from a strictly strategic point of view until the cows come home, but no one can accurately say Romanoff failed as a populist leader of historic proportions, or question the sheer talent of the activists he attracts everywhere he goes. As a Bennet campaigner in ’10, there was one truth I could never deny –Andrew Romanoff has always had a profoundly impressive base of grass-roots support.

Romanoff’s campaign was boot camp for many of Colorado’s emerging leaders. Outside of literally a few vocal wingnuts, 99% of Romanoff’s team accomplished the unthinkable. They created a groundswell, seized new media, harnessed local talent, and awakened sleeping passions… all on a shoestring budget. For that, I give them a mountain of credit.

Every national Democratic leader from Debbie Wasserman-Schultz down, has identified Colorado as one of a handful of key states in securing a second Obama term. Should the Obama campaign fail to acknowledge the power and talent that was behind the Romanoff half of the CO primary race, and neglect to inspire and motivate his base, it may mean the Presidency in 2012, and all future Democratic elections in CO for a long time to come.

Romanoff staffers and activists across the state, take a bow. You deserve it. Let’s hope the President’s people see that, and give you the positions of leadership you well deserve in the 2012 election.

*Disclaimer: The Center for Progressive Leadership is nonpartisan, and not affiliated with any candidate, candidate’s campaign or political party.