Democrat Angie Paccione has just announced that she will no longer be a candidate for congress in CD-4, which should essentially guarantee the nomination for Betsy Markey. Paccione is giving up her campaign in order to work full-time for an organization called Pathways to Leadership.
This is a huge development, because Paccione would have been a heavy favorite to win the Democratic nomination next August; her fundraising and name ID gave her a significant advantage over Markey.
Click below for the full press release from Paccione.
There are no words adequate enough to describe the privilege I?ve had representing the people of Fort Collins as their State Representative and as the Democratic candidate for the people of the 4th Congressional District. In 2000, when there was no democratic candidate on the ballot for the 4th CD, I was motivated to enter politics to fill the void in leadership. At that time I offered my service as the voice of the people in representative government. I am forever changed, forever grateful, and forever indebted to the people for the opportunity they gave me to serve them.
I have a passion to serve people by doing whatever I can to unleash their greatness. This is what has always compelled me. I used my skills as an athlete to serve our country in international competition, I used my academic talent to serve our youth as an educator, and I used my political position to serve the people I represented by giving them hope, making the system work for them, and empowering them to participate in politics as well.
Since September of 2005 I have been on a mission to win the 4th Congressional district because I believe and many others do as well, that I would be a better, more effective representative for the people of this district. As an elected official I have always focused on what?s right, not on who?s right. That has allowed me to reach across political divides and partisan politics to get things done for the people of our great state. I am proud of the work I was able to do?as a lead sponsor of legislation and as a co-sponsor. I have always been accessible to my constituents, I have always been responsive to their concerns, and I have always worked with members of both political parties.
Last night I had the privilege of speaking to hundreds of high school students and their parents. I told them what I have been telling young people for nearly three decades? to have the courage to say “yes” to opportunity. Today I am here to do the very thing I encourage others to do?to say yes to an amazing opportunity that has presented itself to me. Since January, I have been working with Pathways to Leadership Inc., a company that gives businesses a competitive advantage over others by helping them unleash the greatness in their employees, teams, and organization. This is a company that changes the results people and organizations deliver – because it changes the lives of the people in the organization.
I thought that I might be able to work with Pathways to Leadership and campaign for Congress at the same time. However, the opportunities with Pathways have grown and I must say “yes” to those opportunities. In addition to locations in the US, my work with Pathways will be taking me to Australia, Switzerland, Mexico, and Italy in the very near future. In those travels, I will be working with businessmen and women who are motivated to improve their leadership skills and the wellness culture in their workplace.
This is a tremendous opportunity for me and I have wrestled with my decision for a number of weeks now. The campaign is very strong, the support is broad-based, and I still believe I am the best candidate to win the seat. However, I am motivated by a passion to serve and my opportunity with Pathways gives me the ability to serve immediately. I could spend the next 14 months campaigning for the opportunity to make a difference or I could spend the next 14 months actually making a difference in the lives of others.
So, today I am announcing that I am ending my campaign for congress in the 4th district.
From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank my staff, my volunteers, and all those who invested time, energy, and hope in our campaign. I am thrilled that I have been a vehicle for their involvement in the political process. Those that have been empowered by my campaign will continue to use their voice to impact the politics of their communities? I am certain of it. And although I won?t be their candidate I will continue to be their friend and will fight side by side with them to change our country and the world.
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If true I think things just got tougher for MM.
Markey may not have raised any primary money, but now she will be raising general money and that is a different story.
BM has yet to prove she can do anything. We’ve replaced a definite loss with a total unknown. So the result can’t be worse, but we don’t know if it’s better – ie someone who can win.
Here’s hoping…
P’s bankruptcy damage won’t be missed but name recognition will. Dems need to rally around Markey quickly and contribute lots of money.
Angie was a known quantity that, with a proper campaign, could have won. Betsy is a total unknown to most. Couple that with MM’s “reinvention” of herself could spell a lot of trouble for D’s in CD4.
sounds like an excellent company, gaining an excellent employee. I’m sure Angie will contribute wherever she places herself. In addition, this experience will no doubt deepen and broaden Angie’s experience, skills and ability to create positive change in the world. I wish her nothing but the very best.
How will the big line change? As you all know, IMHO, Musgrave must be defeated.
sounds way more interesting and fulfilling than the trauma of running for office (including a primary) and, if “lucky” enough to win, having to go to DC and deal with the frustration there.
let’s see, traveling to Australia, Switzerland, Mexico, and Italy or tangling with Congress as a junior Rep.
Now we’ll be spared the ugly primary.
This is good news.
This is horible news. We might as well hand it over to MM becuase Angie was our best chance to win the seat. wish you the best Angie.
The visuals in the debate were too negative for AP. And she never properly handled the banco issue. If she had been thinking she could have made it a positive.
In ’06 the campaign was amatuerish, but I think she had a better operation this time.
I think a united party behind Markey, without a divisive primary (apologies to EE who has not made inroads with the activist base or interest groups), with plenty of money (and NRCC money problems) puts this back in the winnable column.
Sounds like Angie has a great opportunity to do some very fulfilling work. I wonder though if running against a former Salazar staffer was proving to be an issue.
Best of luck to Angie and, ultimately, I think this helps Dems chances in CD2.
I’m very surprised and dissappointed. I’d already gave her some money, not as much as last time but still kind of a waste.
It was reported in the Rocky that “She said she plans to refund the money she has raised for her campaign back to her donors.”
http://www.rockymoun…
Does this mean that Welchert and Britz are refunding their fees?
At this early point of the campaign, you have to figure a lot of the money is already spent on start up costs.
I think Angie is awesome for refunding the money, but how in the world do you prioritize who gets what? It’ll be interesting to see how they decide to structure something like that.
for a refund otherwise she keeps it to pay expenses and then give any left over to other dems.
I like AP. But I really am glad that the fight will be taken to Musgrave that much sooner now.
MM has been able to pretend that she was not as extreme, but now more of a spotlight will be put on her deeds rather than her words.
Maybe now someone will ask Musgrave why on the S-Chip vote she voted against healthy kids.
Bill Long, Bent County Democrat just tossed his hat in the
ring! He is very active and has support in the Southeast CD4. He is also well connected with the Salazars and is President of the Southeast Colorado Water Conservancy District.
Don’t rule him out.
When did he do that? There was a post on CP a week or so to that effect, but the article quoted didn’t really hold up to any scrutiny. So when did Long make this magical hat-throwing declaration?
Just went and checked and saw my mistake.
I thought I read it in the Pueblo Chieftain but it was in Colorado Pols.
Who knows Bill Long outside of SE CO, and let’s face it that’s not where the numbers are.
Just having fun here; MM wins again. AP comes back in 2010 tanned, rested, and with more experience and a better C.V. Although anyone in CD4 will know who she is, it will be a sort of fresh start.
….any advanced word on how Betsey’s fundraising is going this quarter? (It’s got to be better than last quarter)
Being ‘well-connected’ with Ken Salazar may not be such a good thing, especially with his recent voting record.
Kind of like being a balloon test-pilot with an anvil company for a sponsor.