FACE THE STATE
Former Congressman and 2010 GOP gubernatorial hopeful Scott McInnis filed paperwork Tuesday to form a campaign committee, clearing the way for him to raise and spend money in support of his candidacy.
McInnis made his bid for governor official last month when he quietly filed his candidate affidavit with the Secretary of State’s Office. He delayed setting up a campaign committee with state elections officials or launching a Web site until this week. Instead, McInnis spent the last month traveling the state and introducing himself to voters and county chairs, but with a self-described all-volunteer staff. The candidate committee allows him to begin accepting contributions, and the timing his filing at the outset of the third quarter means McInnis will not have to file his first campaign finance report until October.
Senate Majority Leader Josh Penry, R-Grand Junction, is expected to announce for the race later this month. Evergreen businessman Dan Maes is so far the only other announced Republican in the race, but is widely regarded as an underdog to Penry and McInnis, who both hail from Mesa County and are well known on Colorado’s Western Slope.
“They’re both good candidates,” said Rick Wagner, a political radio host and Grand Junction attorney. “Scott really served the Western Slope and 3rd CD. He made a lot of friends out here in a way that serves him pretty well. He’s been out of public office for a while, and Penry has really picked up that ball.”
Since leaving Congress in 2006, McInnis has stayed largely out of the public eye but has managed a smattering of appearances in the headlines, lately for criticizing the state of his own party. Last year, McInnis said he could have beaten Democrat Senate candidate Mark Udall but claimed Republican leaders in Washington torpedoed his potential candidacy. In 2006, McInnis also criticized the top staffers on Republican Bob Beauprez’s gubernatorial campaign.
Despite ruffling feathers within the Republican Party, one insider observed to FTS that at a recent GOP fundraiser McInnis “knew all the top donors and could still work a room.”
McInnis’s 12 years in Congress are both a strength and liability. He has experience dealing with a wide variety of issues and is a known quantity among activists and donors. However, Colorado Republicans are still reeling from losses in the past three election cycles with well-known candidates, and his Congressional voting record could provide opportunities for criticism from more conservative factions in his party.
Conversely, Penry is only 33 and his career as an elected official is only in its fifth year. Critics accuse him of not having enough experience to be governor but supporters frequently describe him as the “fresh face” the party needs. In February, The Denver Post profiled Penry calling him “the crown prince of the state Republican Party.”
McInnis supporters have so far emphasized his experience as the main point of contrast between the two men. “With Scott you have demonstrable accomplishment and experience,” said Sean Duffy, a Republican political consultant who supports McInnis. He points to the two national parks McInnis worked to establish during his time in Congress and his sponsorship of stricter laws on child pornography.
Colorado Republican Party Chairman Dick Wadhams says he doesn’t expect a divisive primary. “I don’t think it’s going to get ugly,” he said. “I think they can wage a competitive primary in the spirit of the Allard/Norton primary in 1996 and the Owens/Tom Norton primary in 1998.”
Wadhams cautioned that the ultimate goal is to defeat Democrat Gov. Bill Ritter. “The demand I will make of both Penry and McInnis is that they keep their eye on the bigger picture,” he said.

Distributed by Colorado Capitol Reporters