ColoradoPols had the info first, and the Rocky Mountain News picked it up not long after: Colorado Representative Andrew Romanoff will not run for Governor:
In what was the worst-kept secret of 2006, The Rocky Mountain News reported today what Colorado Pols readers have known for several days: Speaker of the House Andrew Romanoff will not run for governor. From the News:
“Andrew Romanoff, Colorado’s soft-spoken but strong-willed Speaker of the House, is going to keep his day job. Romanoff said Wednesday he will not be a Democratic candidate for governor, endorsing instead former Denver District Attorney Bill Ritter.”
This actually shouldn’t be a surprise at all. Romanoff has been very consistent at saying that he will not run. Any of us who listen to the Jay Marvin show on a regular basis have heard Romanoff state multiple times that he wasn’t going to throw his hat in the ring. And even Romanoff’s teaser – that he hadn’t made a final decision – was delivered in a manner that strongly hinted that he wasn’t going to run.
This has to be a big boon to Bill Ritter. Romanoff leaving the race makes the primary a little easier, of course. But even bigger is Romanoff’s endorsement. Romanoff demands a lot of respect by state Democratic voters, and has proven with Referendum C that he can mobilize and motivate voters. All of a sudden, Ritter looks to be a much, much stronger candidate.
Now he just needs Mayor Hickenlooper to follow Romanoff’s lead.