Perlmutter Bows Out of 2018 Election

12 Comments

by: Colorado Pols

Congressman Ed Perlmutter (D-Jefferson County) announced this morning that he would not seek elected office in 2018, essentially signaling his retirement from public office after decades of service in the state legislature and Congress. Perlmutter had long been considered the frontrunner in the 2018 race for governor, but he admitted on Tuesday that the long grind of politics had finally taken its toll.

“I thought I could do it all,” said Perlmutter at a press conference at his Golden campaign office. “I’m telling all of you, I can’t.”

Perlmutter’s decision to exit the gubernatorial race was influenced in some degree by Rep. Jared Polis’ decision to join the field, but his announcement was more of a candid assessment that running for public office just wasn’t something he wanted to do anymore.

Perlmutter served in the state Senate from 1995-2003. He was first elected to Congress in CD-7 in 2006 and handily won re-election every two years (Perlmutter never failed to win by more than double-digits in any election year).

This decision creates a significant opening in the race for governor that will likely be filled by Polis. Perlmutter said on Tuesday that he did not plan to endorse any candidate for governor nor a successor in CD-7.

Maybe I’m moving from player to coach. @RepPerlmutter on dropping out of #copolitics Governor’s race and last 18 months in Congress. pic.twitter.com/EaYTL87xkL

— Marshall Zelinger (@Marshall9News) July 11, 2017

No question that Polis’ money and brains helped build CO’s Democratic Party but today reminds that Ed Perlmutter was kinda its beating heart

— Nick Riccardi (@NickRiccardi) July 11, 2017

12 thoughts on “Perlmutter Bows Out of 2018 Election”

Moderatus says:

July 11, 2017 at 11:58 am

Big money forces out top Democrat candidate. 2018 is starting off great for Colorado Dems!

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1. unnamed says:
  
  July 11, 2017 at 12:11 pm
  
  Hey Moldy. Where is my explanation on why ACA repeal is better for Americans than keeping or fixing it?
  
  Oh. And kiss my ass little twerp.
  
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  1. Conserv. Head Banger says:
    
    July 11, 2017 at 12:26 pm
    
    How does Moderatus know about big money and when did he know it?
    
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2. FrankUnderwood says:
  
  July 11, 2017 at 1:15 pm
  
  See what Citizens United has wrought?
  
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Gilpin Guy says:

July 11, 2017 at 12:47 pm

I like Perlmutter even more for doing this. Too often we have drips like Buck and Lamborn who will stay even when they are nothing more than living dead Zombies.

Perlmutter has a lot left in the tank and it is good to see him step away and refocus on what he wants to accomplish. He is a good man who has done a good job representing Congressional District #7.

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1. unnamed says:
  
  July 11, 2017 at 1:19 pm
  
  Ed has been phenomenal. There aren't many public servants like him. Far too few.
  
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2. itlduso says:
  
  July 11, 2017 at 1:26 pm
  
  I will miss Ed's cartwheels that he would do on stage when he was stumping for Obama in '08. He'll always have my support.
  
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bullshit! says:

July 11, 2017 at 1:43 pm

I'm sorry Ed is out, but I have no problem getting behind Jared Polis. Jared will be an amazing governor and will take our state in new and innovate directions.

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RepealAndReplace says:

July 11, 2017 at 4:55 pm

Per Denver Post, the soon-to-be ex-Mrs. Coffman may yet run for governor.

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cologeek says:

July 11, 2017 at 5:33 pm

Interesting how Pols leaves out the fact that one of the reasons that Perlmutter isn't running is the new tone of violence from the left. From the Denver Post: http://www.denverpost.com/2017/07/11/why-ed-perlmutter-leaving-politics/

GOLDEN — U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter, shaken by the shooting of colleague Steve Scalise, announced Tuesday he is exiting the governor’s race and relinquishing his seat in Congress at the end of his term.

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One reason for his change of heart: the shooting of Scalise, the Republican whip in the House, by a gunman at a congressional baseball team practice.

“I know when Steve Scalise got shot, that had something to do with it,” Perlmutter said. “You know, I just took a good look at things.”

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1. unnamed says:
  
  July 11, 2017 at 5:47 pm
  
  It could be the violent right wingers too. Like Dylan Roof and Robert Dear.
  
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Powerful Pear says:

July 12, 2017 at 10:19 am

If only Mike Coffman would do the same.

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