CO-Senate: Bennet Lands Cecil
Appointed Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet (D) has hired high-level party operative Guy Cecil to serve as his chief of staff, a recognition of the political peril in which he finds himself in 2010.
Cecil, who is currently the president of Thomas Circle Strategies, a public relations firm, spent much of 2008 as the political and field director for then Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's (N.Y.) presidential campaign. Prior to that, he served as political director at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
"Guy's strong work ethic, leadership abilities, and strategic thinking will be a real asset," said Bennet of the hire. "Colorado will be well-served by having Guy on our team."
Bennet is among the most endangered Senators up for re-election in 2010. Appointed by Gov. Bill Ritter (D) to fill the vacancy caused by Sen. Ken Salazar's (D) ascension to Secretary of the Interior, Bennet began as a virtual unknown in the state.
Despite the best efforts of national Democrats -- including the White House -- Bennet drew a strong primary challenge in the form of former House Speaker Andrew Romanoff who had also been prominently mentioned as a possible appointee to the Senate.
And, Republicans have landed a top-tier recruit in the Rocky Mountain State in the form of former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton who even Democrats acknowledge has a terrific profile to run statewide.
Cecil's hiring is an acknowledgment by Bennet of the difficult path he must tread over the next 12 months. But, given Cecil's reputation within the party, it should also serve to reassure nervous strategists that Bennet grasps the enormity of his challenge and is doing everything he can to tackle it.
Wondering where Colorado ranks in terms of its likelihood to switch parties? Make sure to check out the latest version of the Fix's Senate Line tomorrow in this space.
By
Chris Cillizza
|
October 8, 2009; 6:14 PM ET
Categories:
Senate
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Posted by: sfbay0001 | October 9, 2009 12:37 PM | Report abuse
Someone help me...what have the GOPers done for anyone lately? NOT ONE THING...their constituents are STILL unemployed, jobless, etc. The wealthy are STILL wealthy...
The inside fighting is just not working for either party...Have learned throughout all of this is that there are some very mean people in this country...Guess who they are?
Begins with with an R.....
GOD Bless this mess !!!!
(corrections)
Posted by: lindarc | October 9, 2009 12:15 PM | Report abuse
Someone help me...what have the GOPers done for anyone lately? NOT ONR THING...their constituents are STILL unemployed, jobless, etc. The wealthy are STILL wealthy...
The inside fighting is just not working for either party...Have learned throughout all of this is that their are some very mean people in this country...Guess who they are?
Begins with with an R.....
Posted by: lindarc | October 9, 2009 12:13 PM | Report abuse
margaret: I caught "Outrage" on HBO last night. The GOP is loaded with self-loathing fudgepackers.
Posted by: koolkat_1960 | October 9, 2009 9:01 AM | Report abuse
Earlier this week we had Jake going on about letting fathers and their sons enter into marriage. Now we've got Snowbama posting about Man-Boy Love. I'm starting to understand why so many men are attracted to Conservatism and it doesn't look nice.
Posted by: margaretmeyers | October 9, 2009 6:22 AM | Report abuse
NAMBLA has a very tenuous grasp of reality.
Posted by: snowbama | October 8, 2009 11:01 PM | Report abuse
If this blog was my only source of political news I would expect the Republicans to take all 535 seats of both houses in 2010, even though not everyone is up for reelection. Day after day all the news sounds bad for Democrats.
In real life it's the GOP that doesn't have a chance. Regain either house, or the White House? Not as far out as the eye can see.
Posted by: GoldAndTanzanite | October 8, 2009 9:55 PM | Report abuse
The comments to this entry are closed.
I disagree with your characterization of the appointment of Ken Salazar as Interior Secretary as an "ascension" to that post. As I understand it, to "ascend" is to "go up," and so seem to be implying that a position as cabinet secretary is "higher" than that of an elected member of the US Senate.
I am am not sure that's an accurate characterization of the situation. A more accurate term would have been "appointment" as Interior Secretary. Do you agree?
Thanks,
Andrew Karp
Sonoma, CA