DENVER (AP) – Scott Gessler stepped closer to a run for governor Thursday afternoon by dissolving his re-election effort for secretary of state and filing paperwork to form a gubernatorial campaign committee.
But hold on.
Gessler, a Republican in his first term as secretary of state, said he plans to travel Colorado and see if his vision – one that puts economic development and education as top issues – matches that of the voters.
“I’m taking the necessary steps, but I’m not making a formal announcement today,” he said. “When I make my formal announcement I want to make sure my values are in line with those of the people around the state, and I think they are. I don’t want to damage the Republican Party with an unnecessary primary.”
Gessler said he expects to make a final decision in one to three months. He could still relaunch his secretary of state campaign, if he finds the governor’s race isn’t a good fit, he said.
If Gessler decides to run, his most potent challenger likely will be former congressman Tom Tancredo, who has announced plans to run for governor in 2014. Tancredo ran for governor on the American Constitution Party ticket in 2010.
Gessler, 48, was an elections lawyer best known for representing high-profile Republican candidates and causes, who won his race for public office in 2010 against incumbent Democrat Bernie Buescher by a 50.1 percent to 43.3 percent margin.
Gessler has weathered numerous controversies in his 2½ years in office, including a potential appearance before the state ethics commission June 7 and an ongoing investigation by the Denver District Attorney’s Office for his use of his discretionary fund.
Political consultant Eric Sondermann said even with incumbent Gov. John Hickenlooper’s controversial death-penalty decision this month, he is clearly the favorite in the race, noting Coloradans rarely turn out a sitting governor.
“I think the Republican Party continues to show signs of not having fully grasped (the need for) moving into a new era with new faces,” Sondermann said.
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