DENVER - With the candor characteristic of a political newcomer, Dan Maes introduced a running mate Tuesday who he said brings the political experience he lacks.
Tambor Williams, a former state lawmaker from Greeley, was one of the first -- and few -- establishment Republicans to get behind Maes' longshot campaign months ago when few observers gave him a shot to win the GOP's nomination to run for governor.
Now that he has, she's bringing her establishment credentials to the number-two slot on a ticket that she says can go all the way.
"I appreciate the emphasis that Dan has put on experience; and experience counts," Williams said. "But there is nothing that can replace leadership and humility and we have that in Dan."
Maes, who eked out a two-point win over a scandal-plagued Scott McInnis in last week's primary, has been working on finding a choice that helps soldify his standing with the GOP establishment in the state.
"Tambor Williams is a bit of a dated name but would seem to pass the credibility test with both legislative and administrative experience at the State Capitol," said political analyst Eric Sondermann.
"She brings a bit of geographic diversity; some ideological diversity given her reputation more toward the moderate end of the Republican spectrum; and clearly some gender diversity as the only female among the candidates for Governor and Lt. Governor," Sondermann said. "All that said, I'd expect her impact on the race to be rather minimal in keeping with the pattern of most Lt. Governor candidates."
Tea Party and other conservative grassroots groups, which are mostly already backing Maes, approved of the choice, even though Williams is regarded as a political moderate.
"He needed someone from the establishment, so it makes perfect sense," said Lu Busse, who chairs the Colorado 9.12 Coalition. "So far nothing concerns me. I thought she showed great wit and poise. I liked her."
Williams served as the director of Colorado's Department of Regulatory Agencies under Gov. Bill Owens. Prior to that, she represented House District 50 in the state legislature and served as Speaker Pro Tempore there. During her tenure in the legislature, she chaired both the House business affairs and legislative audit committees and was a member of the House appropriations committee.
In 2006, she supported the controversial Referendum C, which voters approved a five-year timeout on TABOR's requirement that all revenue surpluses be returned to taxpayers.
"I supported Ref C and D together," Williams explained on Tuesday. "I didn't support Ref C by itself. I supported it thinking that Ref D would also pass, which would have required that the excess revenue be spent on transportation. I never intended it to be a free-for-all to just grow government."
Williams was also asked about her position on abortion.
"Am I pro-choice?" she said, repeating the question. "I wish it were that easy. I will probably say I am pro-life, with the exceptions that we have come to respect -- that is the life of the mother, rape, incest. I think there are times when pro-life has to give way to the best of possible choices, and they're never, ever easy."
Democrat John Hickenlooper has chosen CSU Pueblo president Joe Garcia as his running-mate. Garcia, ironically, ran the same state agency as Williams did, but under Gov. Roy Romer, who preceded Owens.
Tom Tancredo, who left the Republican Party to mount a third-party bid for governor under the American Constitution Party banner, is running with Doug Campbell.
Tambor Williams, a former state lawmaker from Greeley, was one of the first -- and few -- establishment Republicans to get behind Maes' longshot campaign months ago when few observers gave him a shot to win the GOP's nomination to run for governor.
Now that he has, she's bringing her establishment credentials to the number-two slot on a ticket that she says can go all the way.
"I appreciate the emphasis that Dan has put on experience; and experience counts," Williams said. "But there is nothing that can replace leadership and humility and we have that in Dan."
Maes, who eked out a two-point win over a scandal-plagued Scott McInnis in last week's primary, has been working on finding a choice that helps soldify his standing with the GOP establishment in the state.
"Tambor Williams is a bit of a dated name but would seem to pass the credibility test with both legislative and administrative experience at the State Capitol," said political analyst Eric Sondermann.
"She brings a bit of geographic diversity; some ideological diversity given her reputation more toward the moderate end of the Republican spectrum; and clearly some gender diversity as the only female among the candidates for Governor and Lt. Governor," Sondermann said. "All that said, I'd expect her impact on the race to be rather minimal in keeping with the pattern of most Lt. Governor candidates."
Tea Party and other conservative grassroots groups, which are mostly already backing Maes, approved of the choice, even though Williams is regarded as a political moderate.
"He needed someone from the establishment, so it makes perfect sense," said Lu Busse, who chairs the Colorado 9.12 Coalition. "So far nothing concerns me. I thought she showed great wit and poise. I liked her."
Williams served as the director of Colorado's Department of Regulatory Agencies under Gov. Bill Owens. Prior to that, she represented House District 50 in the state legislature and served as Speaker Pro Tempore there. During her tenure in the legislature, she chaired both the House business affairs and legislative audit committees and was a member of the House appropriations committee.
In 2006, she supported the controversial Referendum C, which voters approved a five-year timeout on TABOR's requirement that all revenue surpluses be returned to taxpayers.
"I supported Ref C and D together," Williams explained on Tuesday. "I didn't support Ref C by itself. I supported it thinking that Ref D would also pass, which would have required that the excess revenue be spent on transportation. I never intended it to be a free-for-all to just grow government."
Williams was also asked about her position on abortion.
"Am I pro-choice?" she said, repeating the question. "I wish it were that easy. I will probably say I am pro-life, with the exceptions that we have come to respect -- that is the life of the mother, rape, incest. I think there are times when pro-life has to give way to the best of possible choices, and they're never, ever easy."
Democrat John Hickenlooper has chosen CSU Pueblo president Joe Garcia as his running-mate. Garcia, ironically, ran the same state agency as Williams did, but under Gov. Roy Romer, who preceded Owens.
Tom Tancredo, who left the Republican Party to mount a third-party bid for governor under the American Constitution Party banner, is running with Doug Campbell.
