BOULDER — Colorado treasurer candidate Justin Everett secured a spot on the Republican primary ballot Saturday after a hard-fought floor contest that eliminated three other current office-holders from the crowded race.
The state representative from Littleton took 49 percent of the vote at the Colorado Republicans’ state assembly after flashing his social-conservative credentials. He also received big-name endorsements that resonated with the delegates, including from state Rep. Patrick Neville and U.S. Rep. Ken Buck.
Everett still could face two competitors in the June 26 primary who didn’t go through Saturday’s assembly at the Coors Events Center. State Rep. Polly Lawrence of Douglas County and Centennial businessman Brian Watson are taking the petition route to the ballot, with thousands of signatures now under review by the Secretary of State’s Office.
“We’re in a really good position to keep the state treasurer’s office in Republican hands,” Everett told delegates from the stage, giving a nod to outgoing Treasurer Walker Stapleton — now one of the top Republican contenders for governor.
Everett drew enough support away from the other three assembly candidates to keep them from clearing the 30 percent support threshold. District Attorney Brett Barkey of Steamboat Springs received 21 percent, state Sen. Kevin Lundberg of Berthoud took 18 percent and Routt County Treasurer Brita Horn received 12 percent.
Other contests were pre-set on the Republican side Saturday: George Brauchler, the 18th Judicial District attorney, was unopposed for the GOP nomination for attorney general, and Secretary of State Wayne Williams faced no opposition within his own party for his re-election bid. Ken Montera was unopposed in the party for University of Colorado regent at-large.
Though the feisty governor’s race stole headlines in the days before the assembly, the treasurer candidates battled it out just as fiercely.
An independent expenditure committee that backs Everett sent postcards and letters in the last week that attempted to portray the other three in contention for floor votes as anti-tax public officials who have worked to undermine the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights. Everett claimed no involvement, but some delegates said the attacks — which were vigorously disputed by their targets — turned them off from Everett.
Barkey’s campaign even affixed stickers saying “I SUPPORT TABOR!” on cards handed out at the candidate’s table.
“I didn’t like the attacks from Everett at the end of the campaign,” said Farid Jalil, a first-time assembly delegate who was weighing Lundberg and Barkey before the speeches began.
In the treasurer’s race, much of the attention has focused on long-debated ideas to shore up or revamp the troubled state pension system, run by the Public Employees Retirement Association. But delegates said they also weighed candidates’ financial credentials, the office’s role of overseeing state investments and more political considerations.
“I don’t think we’re going to lose, either way,” said Kevin Wright, a delegate from Akron on the Eastern Plains. “I do like Barkey, and I like Justin Everett. And Polly, too.”
He said he was leaning toward Everett: “I think he’s probably very conservative, and I’m very conservative.” He also wants the next treasurer to follow Stapleton’s lead by taking vocal stands on fiscal issues and other matters, using the office to give the party more of a voice in state government.
Everett made an effort to appeal to larger political concerns, calling himself “pro-life” and “pro-traditional marriage.”
After Neville referred to Everett as “the most conservative legislator” in the Colorado General Assembly, Everett pointed to the long-debated need to fix PERA. The state treasurer serves on the PERA board.
“It’s a huge problem for all of us, but it’s a huge finance problem,” Everett said, adding that his education and background mirror those of Stapleton, the outgoing treasurer. “We need someone with a financial background — from the private sector, because we’re all Republicans, right? … I used to do investment management and cash management for the private sector, so I think that’s relevant experience.”
Watching on the sidelines Saturday were Lawrence and Watson. Some speculation had focused on whether Lawrence would seek a floor nomination, but she quashed any uncertainty in comments to The Denver Post.
“We are very confident in our numbers,” she said, with nearly 20,000 petition signatures turned in (compared to 10,500 needed).
On the Democratic side, state Rep. Dave Young of Greeley and Denver businessman Bernard Douthit won spots on their party’s primary ballot Saturday.
