Harvey vs. Call vs...

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by: Colorado Pols

In the aftermath of Colorado GOP chairman Dick Wadhams’ surprising–only due to belatedness, as we’ll explain–decision to give up his bid for re-election, all eyes are on two possible replacements: the announced bid of state Sen. Ted Harvey, and the widely-expected entry into the race by attorney and former Denver GOP chair Ryan Call.

Both Harvey and Call bring strengths that would serve the GOP well. Right now, Harvey is ahead in terms of formalizing support for his bid, having lined up most of the GOP caucus in the legislature as endorsers. His better-than-expected organization is in all likelihood one of the reasons Wadhams dropped out. Ryan Call, on the other hand, is smart but lacking in the same kind of hands-on experience as Harvey. Call also seems to have made some “frenemies,” as a recent complaint against him reported by Lynn Bartels over his residency from a fellow Republican hints.

Other than the obvious question of his successor, the biggest question remaining in this story is why Wadhams dropped out when he did. To be clear, there are a long list of reasons why Wadhams has arguably lost support within the party, going back through years of alleged favoritism and questionable management. But all of these were very well known issues before Wadhams announced he would run again last month. What changed between then and yesterday? Was it Harvey’s backup? Call’s willingness? It’s been suggested to us that he was running again mostly because he didn’t really have anyplace else to go. So perhaps he found such a place? Any one of a bunch of hot 2012 Senate races?

Or was he really just tired of being “teabagged,” like he says?

12 thoughts on “Harvey vs. Call vs…”

20th Maine says:

February 8, 2011 at 11:29 pm

would have won but it would have been a real fight. Combined with the fact that it would have further fractured the GOP and left the winner with the remains, Dick decided it wasn’t worth it.

Now we have to hope that Ted is more of a Chairman Beauprez than a Chairman Curtis.

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Craig says:

February 8, 2011 at 11:29 pm

That the Democrats are smart enough to be keeping this stuff and recording the interviews that are coming. They will make great commercials next campaign season.

As for another job, well, my guess is that Dick is toxic now and nobody will dare touch him with these comments lest they tick off their masters in the tea party.

My guess is some kind of cushy corporate job for five to ten years and then retirement.

I think we won’t have Dick Nixon or Wadhams to kick around anymore.

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1. 20th Maine says:
  
  February 8, 2011 at 11:47 pm
  
  bitter dude. Did Wadhams bang your girlfriend back in the day?
  
  We’ve already been through, ad nauseum, why your premise that last year’s missteps by the GOP were somehow Wadhams’ fault, is bullshit. Fine if you want to go with the ‘perception’ line, but the reality is that he got served a shit-sandwich by the top of the ticket and had to deal with it.
  
  Dick’s not toxic in the least. I’m sure he’ll get plenty of attention. He’ll just have to decide if any are worth leaving Colorado for. Not much going on here in ’12.
  
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  1. the_spaces_between says:
    
    February 9, 2011 at 12:41 am
    
    that the Colorado Republican Party has had in my lifetime. He just ended up battling the Obama wave in 2007-2008 and the TEA Party wave in 2009-2010. That the GOP picked up the State House last year was a minor miracle.
    
    He also dragged the state party out of massive debt and streamlined their fundraising operations. The Democratic Party is taking shots to the TEA Party the rest of this week for chasing another moderate out of office.
    
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onebigrepublican says:

February 9, 2011 at 3:20 am

coming forward. I don’t think this field will become any less crowded.

Ted Harvey is NOT a State Chairman. Ryan is a good guy, but lacks a bit on the charisma side of things. I don’t see Ryan connecting with the Tea Party.

Harvey, if elected, will suffer from his ill advised “advisors”. You can’t go into something like State Party Chair with people like Dudley Brown, Guy Short and the Hotaling brothers. It’s not the tone of a State Party Chairman.

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1. bjwilson83 says:
  
  February 9, 2011 at 10:09 am
  
  But I do agree. Harvey is not party chairman material. I half wonder if the only reason he got in the race was because everyone else was afraid to challenge Wadhams.
  
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GOPLib says:

February 9, 2011 at 7:49 am

I’ve seen plenty of folks go gaga over him.

What he appears to lack are principles. His ethics are not above reproach.

If you’ve carefully followed his questionable actions as Vice Chair and Chair of the Denver GOP, you wouldn’t vote for him for anything – let alone Chair of the state GOP.

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DavidThi808 says:

February 9, 2011 at 8:08 am

Now some will say I can’t do that because I’m a Democrat. But I have it on good authority from several here on Pols that I’m really a Republican.

And some will say I can’t do it because of my present job. But Stapleton, Romero, & others have broken new ground on what is acceptable work hours. So I’ll put in a minimal 6 days/week at my present job, 1 day/week to rest, and devote the rest of my week to the state chair job.

But let’s get to the issues. I promise to stand up for the core Republican issues of lower taxes and cutting someone else’s services. I also understand that my job will be to spend half my time saying we must get the government out of everyone’s life and the other half complaining that the government is not solving the problems we face.

I guarantee you this – electing me will give you a better party leader than any of the others presently running. Many times it’s not electing who’s best, it’s electing who’s the least worst.

If you love Colorado you know what you have to do – vote Dave!

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1. Diogenesdemar says:
  
  February 9, 2011 at 9:41 am
  
  “Any Dick’ll do” . . . ?
  
  (I don’t really believe that’s the motto, but I do like the alliterative sentiment.)
  
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  1. DavidThi808 says:
    
    February 9, 2011 at 5:38 pm
    
    That I can be a complete dick at times. Does that count?
    
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2. Muhammad Ali Hasan says:
  
  February 9, 2011 at 1:19 pm
  
  🙂
  
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Muhammad Ali Hasan says:

February 9, 2011 at 2:02 pm

Ryan Call would do a decent job – he understands the need for the GOP to build bridges with Indies and will guide as such – in addition, Ryan Call, to his good credit, has been very active with all counties since working as GOP legal counsel – he’s well liked and will be received as a teamplayer

Ted Harvey, well…

…let’s just say… if Ted Harvey is elected… we, as Democrats, may open champagne bottles in celebration…

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