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Democrat Cary Kennedy set to launch campaign for governor of Colorado on Monday

By Ernest Luning 04/07/2017 | updated 8 years ago

Former State Treasurer Cary Kennedy, a Denver Democrat, is expected to declare Monday she’s running for governor of Colorado in next year’s election, sources close to her campaign say.

Her announcement will come a day after U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter is planning to get in the race. Both Kennedy and Perlmutter have been considered top potential candidates for the office held by fellow Democrat John Hickenlooper, who faces term limits after the 2018 election.

Kennedy was elected state treasurer in 2006, defeating incumbent Republican Mark Hillman, but lost her bid for reelection four years later to current State Treasurer Walker Stapleton, who is himself considering a run for governor.

She served as Denver’s chief financial officer under Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, and he named her deputy mayor, a position she held for more than four years until departing early last year to start a consulting business.

Kennedy’s entry will bring to four the number of candidates in the Democratic primary, also including state Sen. Mike Johnston, D-Denver, who’s been in since January, and businessman Noel Ginsburg, who started running in December.

Johnston announced on Monday that he’s raised more than $625,000, setting a record for the biggest haul by a state candidate in an off year since strict campaign finance limits went into effect in 2005.

It’s a busy week for gubernatorial announcements.

Republican George Brauchler, the district attorney for the 18th Judicial District, jumped in the race Wednesday morning. He joined businessman and former state Rep. Victor Mitchell, R-Castle Rock, who launched his campaign in February, and Larimer County Commissioner Lew Gaiter III, who said he was running early last month before staging what he termed his official launch on Saturday at a state GOP meeting.

In addition to Stapleton, potential Republican candidates Attorney General Cynthia Coffman, Davita Healthcare Partners Chairman and CEO Kent Thiry and former CSU Athletic Director Jack Graham have all said they’re weighing bids.

– ernest@coloradostatesman.com

Ernest Luning

Reporter

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