There are some things that should never be left to psychic hot lines, one of which is calling elections way too early. The late and failed presidential candidate Thomas Dewey, The Chicago Tribune and President Harry Truman learned that long ago. Even with a multi-generational technological leap in vote counting it’s still a good lesson. Also, an earlier than anticipated press time demands a thoughtful pump of the brakes.
But what LaVozColorado can tell readers is that in a candidate-heavy field for mayor that very likely won’t be decided until a June runoff, the contest did provide voters with some very interesting choices including eclectic long-shots along with a few surprises springing from grassroots.
One, educator/activist Lisa Calderon, who finished third in the last mayoral election, seemed to find her lane—and plenty of volunteers to join her—by running with the populist flag of housing, homelessness and crime, three challenges Denver and other big cities are facing in a post- pandemic era. Candidates, including Calderon, know that winning the contest with the required 50 percent majority in a field of sixteen is a lot more difficult than prevailing in a June runoff when only two names are on the ballot.
Even in a big city like Denver, the 2023 run for Denver mayor has taken on a dimension not seen, perhaps not even imagined, in another time. But the run for the city’s, maybe even the state’s top job, has exceeded almost all political wags wildest dream.
Until very recently, seventeen candidates had their hats in the ring to be Denver’s new mayor. One, Tattered Cover bookstore owner, Kwame Spearman, decided to return to his day job May 16th. But as he dropped out, he threw his support behind Kelly Brough, a long-time city mover and shaker who once served as chief of staff to then Mayor, now Senator, John Hickenlooper. Brough also served as CEO of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, worked in city government as an analyst for city council. She also played a significant role for the city when the 2008 Democratic National Convention was held in Denver.
As polls closed Tuesday evening, the race was still very much undecided. The big names, including Brough, former state legislator Mike Johnston, Denver city councilwoman Debbie Ortega, state legislator Leslie Herod and attorney/ educator Lisa Calderon were still looking and sounding optimistic. In Denver, if no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote, a runoff election will be held June 6th. If a single candidate polls above 50 percent, they will be declared the winner.
One thing that evened the playing field and gave even longshot candidates a better chance to compete in this election was Denver’s Fair Election Fund. The city ear- marked $8 million for the election. It enabled candidates—not just for mayor but city council candidates, too—a chance to parlay political donations by a nine-to-one match on contributions of $50 or less. The FEF was used by 47 out of 58 candidates on the ballot.
The biggest war chests belonged to Andy Rougeot, an Army veteran whose television commercials featured him wearing his Army boots. He held the money lead with more than $532,000. But the veteran and businessman also loaned his campaign $500,000. He was followed by Brough ($497,000), Herod ($370,000), Johnston ($185,000) and Ortega ($184,000). (Totals are from the office of the Denver Clerk and Recorder)
The job of Denver mayor is often called the most powerful political job in the state. Whomever sits in the mayor’s chair only has to ‘count to seven,’ as the saying goes—a simple majority on the 13-member Denver City Council. While a governor must win over a majority of legislators from all across the state to push through an agenda.
But the winner of this election, unlike almost any mayor in the past, will inherit a slew of challenges, including homelessness, rising crime, skyrocketing rental and housing prices and an economy that is threatened by rising inflation and still dealing with the lingering effects of the pandemic. They must also keep a city with more than 13,000 employees running smoothly and maintain the world’s third busiest airport, DIA.
What has made this mayoral election so interesting is the field of candidates. There are veteran politicians, Mike Johnston and Chris Hanson have both served in the state legislature, Ortega has served more than two decades on Denver City Council, there are businessmen and women, bankers and finance executives. There is also an array of diversity and gender represented in the field. There are eight candidates of color and five women. The city could have its first woman, its first minority woman or its first gay woman of color as its next chief executive.
