Only seven months in office, Jena Griswold had her sights set on something much bigger than Secretary of State. The first-timer was already exploring a run for the U.S. Senate in 2020.

Democrats scurried to get Griswold to abandon her delusions of grandeur, but the damage was done. There was no doubt, as CoPo’s Eric Sondermann put it, “that (Griswold) sees her position as a springboard to higher office… She has a nose for divisive, polarizing issues and eagerly seizes upon them.”

Since Day One, Jena Griswold has personified shameless ambition, feckless leadership and raw partisanship. Almost immediately after assuming office, Griswold quickly replaced the entire, preexisting leadership team with partisan Democrats and left-wing activists. In no time, her original senior staff were jumping ship – sparking an unprecedented shuffling of the deck. Within 13 months, every senior staffer had fled.

Today, Griswold is on her fifth chief of staff, fourth legislative liaison, fourth communications director, third senior policy advisor and she’s seeking her fourth executive assistant. She’s on her third deputy SOS, Christopher Beall. Contrast this with the period 1999-2019, when Colorado had just two deputy secretaries of state: Bill Hobbs (1999-2012) and Suzanne Staiert (2012-2018).

As Griswold’s second legislative liaison, Reese Edwards, cautioned on LinkedIn, there are “other options (than my old position) better suited for talented individuals looking to make an impact in Colorado.”

Perhaps Griswold’s senior staffers can only tolerate her flagrantly “all about me,” hyper-partisan disposition for so long.

In May 2019, the Democrat famously distributed a press release claiming she’d halted all employee travel to Alabama because of its abortion laws. Not only did Griswold’s boycott have nothing to do with elections – she hadn’t even planned staff trips to Alabama! What’s more, she asked Planned Parenthood to edit the politically-charged release.

Never one to turn down special interests, Griswold also held “a political strategy meeting” concerning campaign finance with unions and (of course) Planned Parenthood. Today, as she runs for reelection, Griswold literally leads a partisan special-interest group – the Democratic Association of Secretaries of State.

At a time when Coloradans are clamoring for election officials who stand above partisan politics, is Griswold fighting for what’s best for Colorado, or what’s best for her special interest friends?

In 2019, she pushed expensive election bills without consulting the county clerks who would be stuck implementing unfunded mandates. Both Democratic and Republican clerks widely lampooned the legislation, panned her unilateralism and slammed her early obsession with national media appearances over preparation for COVID-19.

She’s even gone so far as to use taxpayer dollars to promote herself. As the Gazette reported, Griswold spent nearly half of her CARES Act dollars – federal emergency funds for the COVID-19 pandemic – on “a politically well-connected, Washington D.C.-based public relations and lobbying firm.”

Her goal was supposedly “to produce a set of TV ads to educate Colorado voters about the 2020 election procedures” – but we all know her real intentions. To Jena Griswold, the CARES Act was about taking care of Jena.

It really seems impossible for Griswold to miss any opportunity to soak in the spotlight. Recall in 2020 when national Democrats were pummeling the Post Office, purportedly over mail ballots. Griswold wasted no time exploiting the opportunity by suing USPS in a ludicrous lawsuit that was no more than a PR stunt. (This wasn’t her first time scapegoating the Post Office, either).

A favorite guest of MSNBC and CNN, Griswold relishes her status as a fixture on national news, blasting political opponents, standing tall as a hero against “voter suppression” and brazenly fundraising and campaigning mid-interview.

On national TV, she’s advanced Democrats’ bills to federalize elections. On the surface, her position seems strange, as the legislation would undermine Colorado’s status as a national election leader. Yet for Jena Griswold, partisan goals override what’s best for Colorado. Even as President Joe Biden casts doubt on the legitimacy of the 2022 elections to push for the voting legislation, Griswold refused to criticize Biden in one of her MSNBC appearances. Go figure.

This week, the conservative organization Compass Colorado launched a new website chronicling a timeline of Griswold’s partisanship. Unlike most of her predecessors, the partisan pedestal is clearly her favorite place.

Truthfully, Griswold has subordinated the office of Secretary of State to special interests such as Planned Parenthood, labor unions and the national Democratic Association of Secretaries of State. While moaning about money in politics, she’s declined campaign-finance limits. She empowers herself and her allies while targeting political opponents. And her penchant for the limelight never wanes.

Last year, Griswold ran a cringe Facebook ad. “Jena is running for re-election as Colorado’s Secretary of State to protect voting rights and elevate the voices of the people,” it read. The post accompanied a picture of her with large text: “Re-elect the Dr. Fauci of vote-by-mail!”

At this point, Jena Griswold has devolved into a partisan parody of her hyper-partisan self. The Democrats’ 2019 Rising Star just doesn’t realize it yet. Come November, let’s hope she does.

Jimmy Sengenberger is host of “The Jimmy Sengenberger Show” Saturdays from 6-9am on News/Talk 710 KNUS.  He also hosts “Jimmy at the Crossroads,” a webshow and podcast in partnership with The Washington Examiner.