The chairman of a political party has one overriding responsibility: to help other party members win public office.

Colorado GOP Chairman Dave Williams cannot conduct this role. Doing so would defeat his personal agenda of becoming the next representative for Colorado’s heavily Republican Congressional District 5. The seat is up for grabs in November after U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn announced his retirement last week.

Williams quickly announced his entrance into the race using the state GOP’s database, stationery, and communication assets. He attached a pro-Williams news release. He has no plans to do the same for other Republican contenders.

For the sake of Republican politics, Williams should resign his position as GOP chair, or drop out of the CD5 race. By doing so, he would offer a fairer playing field for others wanting to run, despite the impropriety he committed.

Potentially strong candidates claim they have little chance if Williams directs the power of the state’s GOP to elect himself. He has proved them right.

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Biasing the Republican field hits exceptionally hard in CD5, which ranks among the country’s highest-educated districts. It is home to physicists, engineers, top medical experts, world-renown nonprofit leaders, retired colonels and generals, professors, retired professional athletes and an assortment of other quality Republicans who deserve a fair contest.

These are not uncharted waters. U.S. Rep. Ken Buck took the reins of the state GOP, but he was in office and did not have a primary opponent. In 2002, then-GOP Chairman and hardline pro-life conservative Bob Beauprez ran for Colorado’s Congressional District 7 and won.

“I was in exactly that position. I resigned,” Beauprez said. “And I assure you I didn’t send out my announcement on state party stationery. This lacks even a modicum of propriety.”

Before and after his resignation as chair, Beauprez was known for demanding a party that treated all Republican primary contestants the same. All candidates would receive equal enthusiasm, effort and access to resources.

“This is just flat unethical,” Beauprez said of Williams’ move. “There is no way he can remain fair and objective. It’s not possible.”

Williams has no intention of embracing the Beauprez doctrine of “thou shall not play favorites.” Conservative Republican and former Douglas County District Attorney George Brauchler interviewed him on radio and the truth emerged.

Brauchler: “Wayne Williams (former Colorado secretary of state and longtime public servant) isn’t in (the race.) But if he’s in, would you allow him to access the state party system, and maybe you’d send it out – to send out his press release about running?”

Williams: “Look, if it makes everyone feel better, I don’t have an objection to it, but that’s a decision I’m going to leave to the remaining officers and the other leadership.”

Brauchler: “Did the officers vote on this email with the press release?”

Williams: “No, there was no formal vote. But again, if Wayne (Williams) or anyone else is going to jump in, if they really want to feel better about their announcements going through the third-party system, I’ll leave that to the other officers and the other executive team to figure it out.”

This is Williams’ way of saying he will cling to control of the GOP while taking a pass on helping Republicans other than himself. He’ll ask his people to give them attention “if it makes them feel better.”

This doesn’t make anyone feel better. It exposes the GOP chairman’s self-serving agenda – one that will weaken the primary and the state GOP. Williams should take his pick: resign the chairmanship or get out of the congressional race.

Colorado Springs Gazette Editorial Board