GOLDEN | U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter is expected to announce this weekend his intent to run for governor in 2018.
According to a statement from the 7th Congressional District Democrat’s office, Perlmutter is planning to “make an announcement” at 1 p.m. April 9 at the Natural Grocers, 2401 Ford St. in Golden. While the statement doesn’t implicitly say what the announcement will regard, speculation is that he is going to to run to replace outgoing Gov. John Hickenlooper.
Perlmutter would be the second big name to throw his hat in the ring in less than a week. Arapahoe County District Attorney George Brauchler announced April 4 he will run for the state’s highest office on the Republican ticket.
A lifelong Jefferson County resident, Perlmutter has represented the 7th Congressional District, which included Aurora until 2010, since 2006.
State politicos have speculated for months about if or when Perlmutter would announce his intent to run. But former state senator and secretary of the interior Ken Salazar’s announcement in late March that he would not be making the gubernatorial bid could have been a deciding factor.
Businessman Noel Ginsburg and former state Sen. Mike Johnston have already announced their intent to run, and The Denver Post and other media outlets report U.S. Rep. Jared Polis of Boulder and Lt. Gov. Donna Lynne as other potential candidates for the Democratic primary in May 2018. Former state treasurer Cary Kennedy has also reportedly said she is considering a run.
Brauchler, who gained notoriety on a national stage as prosecutor of the Aurora theater shooting trial, leads a growing list of Republican candidates for Colorado governor that already includes Larimer County Commissioner Lew Gaiter, former state representative Victor Mitchell and retired banker JoAnne Silva.
Others considered as heavy favorites to run on the Republican ticket include Colorado Attorney General Cynthia Coffman — wife of 6th Congressional District Rep. Mike Coffman — and Colorado State Treasurer Walker Stapleton.