November 12, 2015 10:31 AM UTC

Make Room In The Senate Clown Car For Jon Keyser

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• by: Colorado Pols

While the Colorado political world digests the entry today of perennial loser Ryan Frazier into the Republican primary for the 2016 U.S. Senate race, we’ve received word of yet another ambitious small-timer who may throw his hat into the ring. Rep. Jon Keyser of Morrison is reportedly making the rounds with Republican high-rollers in an effort to convince them he is worth backing for a run for the U.S. Senate.

Our readers will remember Keyser from the controversy he stirred up as a House candidate after receiving “two ballots” for the 2013 elections–which he then took to social media to denounce as evidence of a “failed system,” with all the attendant hand-wringing about the horrors of mail ballot election fraud. It soon emerged that Keyser owns a plot of land in Delta County, and the “second ballot” he received was just for a local ballot measure there. It is all but certain in retrospect that Keyser knew all of this, and was eager enough to assist in the GOP’s baseless trolling of Colorado’s new mail balloting system to, you know, completely bullshit people.

As for a run for the U.S. Senate, any backing Keyser might get for this race signals to us a real uncertainty on the part of high-level Republicans on how to proceed. Keyser is well connected to the 17th Street legal/finance class that includes many of the state’s most powerful Republican donors and kingmakers. We don’t doubt his ability to articulate a good case for support, but he’s just not a heavyweight candidate for this marquee 2016 race. Certainly not more than the experienced and grassroots-friendly Sen. Tim Neville, or even a usual suspect like Frazier who at least has a media footprint.

Who’s next, folks? Because Keyser certainly won’t be clearing the field.