January 07, 2010 06:26 PM UTC

Thursday Open Thread on Gov. Race: It Looks Like Hickenlooper

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• by: Colorado Pols

UPDATE #5:No confirmation yet that Hickenlooper is going to run, but last night sources said that the Mayor really wanted to do it but was waiting for Salazar’s decision. Given the fact that Salazar publicly endorsed Hick if he runs, it’s not a stretch to assume that he did so with knowledge of what the answer would be.

If Hickenlooper does not run, the next name to watch is Rep. Ed Perlmutter. We wrote earlier that is was highly unlikely that Salazar, Hickenlooper and Perlmutter all pass on running for Governor, but if that does happen for some reason, the next names on the list are Treasurer Cary Kennedy (the only potential candidate who could actually transfer some of her current warchest to a race for Governor), Andrew Romanoff and Rep. Betsy Markey.

UPDATE #4: Denver Post reports Salazar will endorse John Hickenlooper for Governor.

“I know John and Helen will seriously consider this historic opportunity that will define the future of State of Colorado and her people. This is a personal decision they must make and I will fully respect that decision,” Salazar said.

“As for me, I have a job to do as Secretary of the Interior to implement President Obama’s vision for a clean energy economy and to better protect America’s great outdoors.”

UPDATE #3: Multiple sources now confirming, Ken Salazar will NOT run. In that case, we’d put the odds that Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper will run at 95%. Developing.

UPDATE #2: Ken Salazar out? Just relaying this from The Atlantic’s Marc Ambinder until we get additional word, which we are seeking now:

This just in…. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar has decided NOT to run for governor in Colorado. Incumbent Democrat Bill Ritter is retiring. The likely candidate for the Dems, then, is Denver mayor John Hickenlooper.

UPDATE #1:: It seems that The Denver Post isn’t buying the Republican spin that Ritter is retiring because he didn’t think he could win:

…we don’t believe that Ritter dropped out of the race because he was down in recent polls and feared losing the gubernatorial election to Republican Scott McInnis. [Pols emphasis] The margin was only single digits, and voters haven’t unseated an incumbent governor since 1962…

…It may not have been noticeable to Coloradans, but this job has worn on the governor. We couldn’t help but notice the lightness in Ritter’s demeanor at his press conference, joking at times with journalists. It seemed as if the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders.

He had the appearance of a man who was very comfortable with his very difficult decision, and we’re happy for him. The moment he finished his speech in the Capitol foyer, he turned and hugged his teenage son. Sometimes stepping away from a job to spend time with one’s family means just that.

There are 244 comments and counting on Tuesday’s post, 300 and counting on Wednesday’s post and quickly growing comments on this post.

Colorado Pols also broke a record yesterday with our highest number of Page Views in one day, with 60,629 (but not a record for Unique Visitors in one day, curiously enough).

So we thought you might want another open thread on the topic.