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EDITOR OF REDSTATE

Jane Norton for Governor

By: Erick Erickson (Diary)  |  September 2nd, 2010 at 03:08 PM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

I put Nightwister’s post on the frontpage for a reason — Dan Maes needs to disappear.

If he is considering it, I want to publicly encourage him.

I met Dan Maes. When I was in Colorado earlier this year, Maes wanted to meet and asked for mine and RedState’s support. Very few of my friends in Colorado — the same people supporting Buck by and large — thought that would be wise.

We see why. Maes was not ready for prime time. He’s a genuinely nice guy. I liked him immediately. But the Maes campaign is amateur hour. There is a lot riding on strong GOP turnout in November in Colorado. We have a chance to shift that state back toward us.

But Maes is not the guy to lead that shift. His remaining at the top of the ballot jeopardizes the GOP down ballot. His remaining on the ballot jeopardizes turnout for Ken Buck.

Through the Colorado Senate primary I heard over and over from Buck supporters how much they wished Jane Norton were running for Governor. As a former Lt. Governor in the state, she has great executive experience. I’d gladly support her for the job.

It is my hope and prayer that Dan Maes recognizes reality and leaves the race. We can win Colorado. But not with Dan Maes.

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  • Aaron Gardner

    This wold also be a great opportunity to rectify any remaining animosity from the primary between Buck and Norton supporters. Word is that Buck and Norton have already put it behind them.

    I truly hope this happens so the Colorado Republicans and Conservatives can go into November as a united front.

  • rdelbov

    that’s very gracious of you. Right now I would rather have a blank line instead of Maes–too much water under the bridge for Maes.

    We really need Buck to win this race.

    I like Jane Norton-no use to repeat her resume.

    We really cannot toss away CO’s senate seat let alone the Gov chair

  • proudgop

    we must win Gov mansion too much is at state

    We can take back 3 house seats in the state and win US Senate Races

    Would Tancredo drop out if Norton were the nominee?

  • chihank

    During the Senate primary, Norton was hammered for ties to McCain.

    Tancredo might still run as a 3rd candidate to defeat the evil McCain ally.

  • Darin_H

    If he stays in, he’ll poll in the low single digits and take <4% on election day. Voters are smart in that way, they pretty much know not to throw behind a 3rd party candidate who isn’t polling well (see all the R votes for Lieberman and not the Republican in the CT race in 2006).

    My guess is that Tancredo will declare victory and pull out if Norton is the nominee.

  • http://www.nighttwister.com NightTwister

    He said if whoever won between McInnis & Maes would drop out, he would also.

    As IJB said on my diary, “I’ll believe it when I see it”. Tancredo is all about Tancredo and nothing else. If he didn’t drop out he’d lose most of his support anyway by not keeping his promise. Norton is well liked here, and would have the support of Bill Owens and many others, including Erick Erickson as we see here.

  • http://www.nighttwister.com NightTwister

    He spoke out often about not going third party, then did it anyway. If he backed out on his promise, I believe he would lose what little support he has left.

    Norton’s ties to McCain wouldn’t hurt her in her run for Gov. like they did in the Senate race. More likely some would be wary of her support for Ref. C, but even though she still stands by her decision then I think she’d oppose any more tampering with TABOR and would likely try to shore it up again.

  • eburke

    situation so while I a) hope Norton gets into the race which b) means that Tancredo should keep his promise to butt out, I will hope for the best and expect the worst. Tom seems to have contracted the Messiah Syndrome which, once contracted, is quite hard to get rid of.

  • http://www.nighttwister.com NightTwister
  • proudgop

    Had a unity rally in the state

    They have aligned which is good. This needs to happen fast ballots are being printed soon

  • http://masonconservative.typepad.com/the_mason_conservative Mason_Conservative

    its changed to “Jane Norton for Colorado” with just a logo . . . like its getting ready to be remained.

    http://janenortonforcolorado.com/archive/janenorton/home

  • deano64

    take over. I predict she would beat Lickenpooper fairly easily. It’s best for the party and the state. I now know Tancreado to be a jacka** but I don’t think he would stay in if Maes dropped out. Now who will convince Maes to drop?

  • eburke

    with the dignity and class with which Jane endorsed Ken after a pretty intense primary (ummmm…you folks in AK and FL and WA paying attention?).

    I go with the old saying that adversity doesn’t build character, it reveals it and as a Ken Buck supporter, Jane Norton’s character was revealed to be magnaminous and selfless.

    I would be ecstatic to support her for Governor of the state of Colorado.

  • purplepeopleeater

    You do realize that despite countless Republicans withdrawing their support for Maes, your golden child candidate Ken Buck has publicly endorsed him?
    But rest assured, I’m sure we’ll see Ken “buck-pedaling” on this in no time, like he has on some many other public statements he has made, or maybe he’ll just claim he was tired that seems to be a standard go-to…

  • IJB

    Good way to end up in the ’round file’ around here.

  • deano64

    if you can’t support him find another site to post your gibberish. There are plenty of lefty sites who would welcome you with that kind of talk.

  • http://www.nighttwister.com NightTwister

    He won the primary, so the right thing to do was to endorse and support him. Unfortunately he has shown he’s just not up to the job. It’s time for him to cut his losses and give us a chance at taking back the Gov. seat.

  • MaryCO

    Tancredo just said on Denver’s KHOW that he will not get out of the race, even if Maes drops out. He says he’s having too much fun. He said that Norton would have to, basically, “bring her game”.

    What a jerk.

  • http://www.nighttwister.com NightTwister

    It’s all about him. It’s always been all about him. I don’t know if even he believes his own schtick anymore.

    It would appear for now that it doesn’t matter. Maes and Tancredo appear to both be sending their political careers up in flames. With redistricting this year and no guarantee that we take back either chamber in Denver, the Democrats could very well turn Colorado into a permanent blue state. They are both so short-sighted, it’s a wonder they don’t stumble around all day long.

  • eburke

    just evaporated. What a self-centered, self-serving, ego-centric douche.

    Not to mention he’s a lying sack.

  • IJB

    I wouldn’t write that obit. for CO just yet…

  • winthisone

    Jane Norton will not unite the conservative base. Not only does she have a liberal record that she continues to defend, voters in Colorado have a very bad taste in their mouths over the recent Norton primary campaign. Josh Penry, her manager, is in the same boat. His lack of conservative credentials is even worse.

  • Aaron Gardner

    Buck and Norton can unite. Norton is infinitely better than Maes at this point.

  • http://www.nighttwister.com NightTwister

    There’s still time to turn this thing around.

  • soup77

    I would take Jane Norton over Hickenlooper any day and every day.

    Jane Norton>>>>>>>Hickenlooper

    The fact that Tancrado is an idiot and completely shot the Rebubs chances all to hell in one fell swoop just makes you wonder what in the world he is thinking. Yes Maes isn’t a good candidate, but don’t screw everyone over and announce you are joining the race, and then staying when you have no shot.

  • http://www.nighttwister.com NightTwister

    Quite frankly, I could care less who would unite the conservative base. I care about who can beat Hickenlooper, and Norton would be our best shot at this point.

    Or, do you really want Gov. Hickenlooper?

  • eburke

    With help like yours, we *won’t* win-this-one. It’s too bad you can’t be as classy as Norton was in throwing her full support behind Ken Buck.

    The only thing worse than a sore loser is a sore winner (oh, and btw, before you even go there, I’m not a Norton shill. I supported and gave money to Buck but I have enough decency to recognize class and magnanimity when I see it and Jane was all that and more. Too bad you can’t do the same)

  • onehutu

    I appreciate that many RS members are unhappy with the national Republican organization organizations but this is a good example of what a lack of any central coordination can lead to. One of the primary tasks of the RGA and the RNC is to vet candidates, to ensure that they are “ready for prime time”. Dan Maes did not come through this system and we are now in the ridiculous position of having to over ride the will of the people of CO, who selected Maes, and replace him with a more electable candidate. We may dislike the national organizations, but we also cannot necessarily identify electable candidates without them.

  • dudette

    necessary not just for vetting but for infrastructure but they lose credibility with Rob JEsmer and John COrnyn the RINO makers. When and how do those organizsations get new leadership ?

  • http://www.nighttwister.com NightTwister

    Via Ross Kaminsky at the People’s Press Collective.

    I have attempted to reach Dan Maes today. I am deeply concerned about the recent events that have come to light. I want to give Dan the chance to do the right thing, but I haven?t been able to reach him today to express my concerns. I will have a full announcement tomorrow, after I speak with Dan.

    Buck will make an announcement later today.

  • tngal

    Maes met with Colorado party officials this morning, says Politico.com so the officials could present Maes with “damaging evidence”. The “evidence hasn’t been been public and basically the implication I read from the story is it will not be made public if Maes drops out.

    If he announces today, then that would delay the printing of ballots.

    http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0910/41758.html

  • goldhunter

    Dan Maes won the election, How about acting like adults and back him.

  • fortcollins

    Dan Maes decided to stay in the race, and the deadline passed for a ballot certification.

    http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2010/09/03/tancredo-im-here-to-stay/14352/

    Ken Buck withdrew his endorsement:
    “After having a lengthy conversation with Dan Maes, it is clear to me that Dan is struggling to determine the best path for his campaign, his family and for Colorado,” Buck said in a statement. “I have decided that I can no longer support his candidacy for governor of Colorado.”

    Read more: Buck, Coffman back away from Maes – The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_15984531#ixzz0yWcu2KNl

    Maes has tremendous potential to finish a distant third in this race.

    What a mess.

  • IJB

    I wonder what guys like you and NT are going to do.

    How does one organize a write-in candidacy in CO? Has the deadline already passed?…