Ritter Names Barbara O'Brien as Running Mate

Bill Ritter, the leading Democratic candidate for governor, announced today that Barbara OBrien will join him on the ticket as his lieutenant governor runningmate.

For the past 15 years, OBrien has served as president of the Colorado
Childrens Campaign, the states top child-advocacy nonprofit agency. OBrien becomes the first lieutenant governor candidate in the 2006 race.

Ritter searched the entire state for someone who shares his vision, his energy and his commitment to making Colorado a better place. OBrien was an easy choice, he said.

This campaign is about making a difference in peoples lives and creating hope and opportunity. Its about the future of Colorado, and children are our future, Ritter said. There is no one more dedicated to improving the lives of Colorado children and their families than Barbara OBrien.

OBrien will resign her position with the Childrens Campaign and join the Ritter team full-time in February. Im honored that Bill asked me to join him, OBrien said. This is an opportunity to set the agenda for children and families and have a lasting impact for years to come.

Ritter said OBrien will be responsible for establishing a coordinated
strategy aimed at improving the health and education of Colorados kids. Colorado currently ranks 44th in the nation for 2-year-olds with full immunizations. This administration will take Colorado from the bottom of the list to the Top 10 within two years, Ritter said.

OBrien also will help lead the way in crafting innovative strategies to create one the best-educated workforces in the country. We want to make sure that every Colorado family has access to a high-quality public education and can afford high-quality health care, OBrien said. Running on this ticket with Bill is about creating hope and opportunity for all Coloradans. Its about fulfilling what is right now Colorados unfulfilled promise.

OBrien served as head speechwriter and deputy policy director for former Gov. Richard Lamm from 1983-85. During her tenure at the Childrens Campaign, she was instrumental in creating the Colorado Child Health Plan, the Infant Immunization Act and the Tony Grampsas Youth Services Fund. She co-chaired the Amendment 35 (tobacco-tax increase) campaign committee and led the effort to get Amendment 23 (school funding) approved.