GOP gubernatorial nominee Dan Maes must select and announce his running mate by tomorrow, and may have leaked a potential lead on a radio appearance earlier today: “a Weld County resident with ‘legislative experience.’”
Face the State explains the significance of any selection by Maes, who would be well-served to choose someone to flesh out his ticket with a bit of legislative or executive experience:
Colorado lieutenant governors aren’t particularly powerful as far as official duties are concerned, the hefty task of chairing the state’s Indian-affairs commission being the sole and oft-cited exception. However, given that Maes boasts no previous elected service of his own, a veteran lawmaker (to the extent the label still fits in an era of term limits) could help balance out the ticket and woo voters concerned with Maes’ inexperience. Unless Maes is looking into history for a former state representative or senator, though, his options are all pretty uniform in their political profile. Recent losses have largely pared the state GOP caucus down to true-blood conservatives.
Maes trails Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper 43 percent to 31 percent in the first post-primary poll by Rasmussen, with Tom Tancredo of the American Constitution Party picking up 18 percent. A strong selection for lieutenant governor could help boost Maes’ support within his own party, where only 59 percent are backing the GOP nominee. Hickenlooper currently enjoys the support of 82 percent of Democrats according to the poll.