With 75 days left to go before Election Day, Colorado Republicans may as well start their work on conceding victory to John Hickenlooper.  At one time Republicans were virtually assured the top seat in the state house but no more. 

The Republican primary was a disaster featuring two candidates not fit to hold the office, let alone run a small business or write a paper about water.  Scott McInnis, the political insider, was torpedoed when it was discovered that in addition to his other endeavors he was a plagiarist.  Then of course we have Dan Maes, the man who won the nomination despite being unable to keep track of campaign finances or run his own business. 

Dan Maes may be the nicest guy in the world but his shortcomings are too numerous and the questions about his past are too big to overcome.  He claims to have a well-tuned business acumen and yet records indicate no business he has launched has been successful.  His income in fact in years past has fallen below the poverty level. 

Then of course we come to his pick for Lieutenant Governor.  Had he picked someone with some semblance of current name recognition and with solid credentials (read Josh Penry), Maes could have at least help his standing.  Instead he chose former state legislator Tambor Williams. 

Williams certainly brings more legislative experience to the table – more so than Maes does at the top of the ticket.  She has been billed as a “moderate Republican” however, to be quite blunt, Williams is a RINO.  Her past support of Referendums C and D and her liberal stance on abortion which seems to include allowing partial birth abortions, take her far outside what I would consider “moderate.” 

I will give Tom Tancredo credit for this – he called McInnis and Maes out for their failures and the fact that neither has a chance against Hickenlooper in November.  Yes, Tancredo’s bid as a candidate with the American Constitution Party will siphon votes from Maes but it really doesn’t matter – Maes wouldn’t have a prayer going solo in a head to head contest anyway. 

Yesterday state GOP chairman Dick Wadhams delivered a message to Maes from Tom Tancredo – If you bow out, I will drop my third party bid.  This would open the door to the selection of a candidate who may actually have a chance of defeating Hickenlooper.

Of course Maes declined and in doing so assured the inauguration of John Hickenlooper as the next governor of Colorado.  The newly minted leftist governor will assuredly take the state down the same road to ruin that the President of the United States has taken the nation and that is sad to see. 

Election Day is a long ways off but at least the Republicans have plenty of time to write that concession speech.