May 16, 2013 05:31 PM UTC

Confirmed: Gessler Considering 2014 Gubernatorial Run

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• by: Colorado Pols

That's the word late today from the Denver Post's Kurtis Lee:

Republican sources have told The Denver Post Gessler is strongly considering dropping a re-election effort for his post as secretary of state — where he's served since being elected in 2010 — to seek the GOP nomination to challenge Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper.

"No doubt, Gessler is frustrated with the state's current leadership and he's evaluating how best he can serve the people of Colorado," Rory McShane, political director of Gessler for Colorado, said via e-mail Thursday.​

Colorado Secretary of State Scott Gessler has been listed on our 2014 Big Line as a possible gubernatorial candidate since last November, so this shouldn't come as a big surprise. As the possibility of a vanity Tom Tancredo rematch against Hickenlooper, or the statewide-unelectable Sen. Greg Brophy's name is batted around, it's become obvious that Colorado Republicans just don't have many options.

And no, we don't think Gessler would fare much better than any of these other candidates against the popular Gov. Hickenlooper–but his popularity on the hard right would certainly be good for base turnout. Above all, we've heard that Gessler is not terribly happy in the job of Secretary of State, laden as it is with mundane responsibilities for relatively low pay compared to what he could be earning in the private sector. Following the principle that it's better to burn out than fade away, a hard-fought Gessler gubernatorial bid would raise his profile for a glorious re-entry into the world of Republican campaign lawyering–or maybe something else with a suitably plump salary.

As usual, you heard it here first.