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Gov. Ritter Will Run For Re-election

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Jun 5, 2009 1:46 pm US/Mountain

Gov. Ritter Will Run For Re-election

By STEVEN K. PAULSON

DENVER (AP) ―

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Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter will run for a second term next year.

Ritter, a Democrat, said in an interview Friday on KOA radio in Denver that he has already filed the paper work to run for re-election.

He said his administration made significant progress on major issues, including education and health care, and he wants to continue.

"We have more work to do, and I'd like to be able to do it through 2010," Ritter said.

Ritter defended his vetoes of bills that would have helped organized labor, a move that prompted several unions to say they may not back him for another term.

"We did so much for working families. We just felt that was something we had to do," he said.

Several unions have indicated they may support another candidate if Ritter has a Democratic primary race next year.

"We're going to have to take a hard look at where we stand with Gov. Ritter," Colorado AFL-CIO Executive Director Mike Cerbo said Thursday, after the governor vetoed a bill that would have given firefighters the right to unionize without local government approval.

"Our hope has always been to forge a better working relationship with him, but we'll have to discuss with our affiliates how the vetoes impact how we move forward," Cerbo said.

Ritter has also angered other major Democratic constituencies, including Hispanics who were upset when Ritter appointed Denver public schools superintendent Michael Bennet to replace U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar. Supporters of former House Speaker Andrew Romanoff were also upset by the appointment of Bennet, who had no previous political experience.

The discontent has motivated Republicans, who see a chance to win back the office they lost two years ago, an election that gave Democrats control of the Legislature and the governor's office.

Republicans want to regain control of at least one house or the governor's office so they can force a compromise when the state goes through redistricting after the 2010 census.

Former congressman Scott McInnis of Grand Junction has already filed the paper work to run in the GOP primary. Senate Minority Leader Josh Penry, who worked as an aide to McInnis in Washington, is also considering a run.

Evergreen businessman Dan Maes was the first Republican to file papers to run for governor.