Lt. Gov. Donna Lynne is asked every day whether she is considering a run for governor on the Democratic ticket

“There isn’t a day that goes by that somebody doesn’t ask me the question, or somebody doesn’t pledge support, or pledge their interest in me running,” Lynne told Colorado Politics. “It really is something two years ago I wasn’t even thinking about.”

But Lynne is seriously considering it now.

Since being sworn in as Colorado’s lieutenant governor in May 2016, Lynne has taken the reigns on health care and state operational efficiencies under Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper, who is term limited after next year.  

Recent changes in the Democratic primary for governor – which takes place next year – could push Lynne closer to a decision to run in the already crowded primary. U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter of Arvada surprisingly dropped out of the race, leaving an uncertain fate for the party.

“This latest news goes to show the volatility and unpredictability of this race,” political analyst Eric Sondermann said following Perlmutter’s announcement. “A month ago, Perlmutter was the presumed front runner. Now he’s gone. A number of campaigns… think they can be the beneficiary. The real question is whether there is another shoe to drop – that being a higher heel of the lieutenant governor.”

Still left in the race is U.S. Rep. Jared Polis of Boulder, former state Sen. Mike Johnston, former state Treasurer Cary Kennedy, and Denver civics leader Noel Ginsburg.

Some political insiders, however, wonder whether a candidate like Polis – with liberal leanings – can convince voters in a general election. That fear has caused several Democrats to encourage Lynne to jump into the race.

“If Donna decides to run… she is the best candidate to win the general election, hands down,” said former state Board of Education member Elaine Gantz Berman, who has known Lynne since she first moved to Colorado from New York in 2005.

“She is moderate, I think she would appeal to independents, and I think she would appeal to some Republicans as well.”

Having served as the chairwoman of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, and given her prior work as the executive vice president of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Inc. and Kaiser Foundation Hospitals, Lynne has developed many contacts in the business community.

A focus on health careWhen Lynne is not climbing 14,000-foot mountains in Colorado and traveling the state in between 14-hour work days, she is focused heavily on health care, which has recently thrust her into the spotlight, especially given uncertainties in Washington, D.C. over the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid.

She has stood by Hickenlooper’s side at recent news conferences and events assailing the Republican effort, which continues to face roadblocks even within the GOP.

“At the highest level we have been focused on Washington, D.C. and some scenario planning if things like the Medicaid expansion population is cutback, and subsidies for the individual exchange are cutback,” Lynne said.

Medicaid makes up $9 billion of the state budget.

She pushed an ambitious health care agenda in the legislature this year, which included measures aimed at curbing the opioid crisis, lowering the cost of health care outside of Denver, and bringing transparency to the pharmaceutical and insurance industries, to name a few priorities.

“There is a public benefit to us being transparent about prices and about quality,” Lynne said.

But many of her ideas – while bipartisan in sponsorship – hit political gridlock in the Republican-controlled Senate. In many ways the opposition served as a microcosm for the partisan bickering seen in Congress.

“I was somewhat disappointed by the inability of some of the players to collaborate on something that was quite frankly purely for the benefit of consumers in Colorado,” the lieutenant governor said of the legislative session. “The only way to solve some of the problems in health care is to put aside all the self interest that is out there and to think about how health care is way too expensive for most people.”

Dual role as chief operating officerWhile health care takes up about 35 percent of her time along with work on education, Lynne also serves as the state’s chief operating officer.

In her capacity as chief operating officer, Lynne pushes a theme of “accountability” and “transparency.” Work includes improving annual performance plans for the state and conducting quarterly performance reviews across all departments.

Lynne has visited all 64 counties of Colorado, where she has observed or participated in programs in an effort to better deliver state services.

Prior to speaking with Colorado Politics, Lynne came from a prison where she spent her morning meeting with inmates who graduated from a program that aims at helping prisoners become self aware and confident so that they can find themselves on a better path.  

“Part of my job is to inspect so that I can get a flavor for what are some of the big issues that we are facing,” Lynne said.

A background in governmentThe lieutenant governor said her transition into office was relatively easy given her background in government, having spent a total of 20 years working in various positions in New York City government.

“I have a good feel for how government works, the balance between executive and legislative, but more importantly, how to lead and motivate people in larger organizations,” Lynne said.

“Part of getting done what you want to get done is having the right culture for people, and that’s a really critical role in state government. You don’t have the economic incentives like you do in the private sector, and so you have to build a culture.”  

She says her decision on whether to run for governor is not based on the motivation she’s receiving from people.

“That isn’t enough,” she said. “It’s a personal decision, it’s a professional decision, and I really have to think about it.”

As for the already crowded field, Lynne said, “It’s not part of my thought process.

“I know I’ve got quite a few more years in me after January 2019, but how they’re spent is something I’m still trying to think through.”