Face the State

Face The State Staff Commentary

Former Congressman Scott McInnis is unofficially running for governor in 2010 and has been doing so for nearly two months. He maintains campaign finance rules don’t require his compliance because he, well, isn’t official yet. So what exactly makes a candidate official?

According to Colorado law: “A person is a candidate for election if the person has publicly announced an intention to seek election to public office…”

But based on news reports of McInnis’s behavior at public events over the last two months, it is hard to consider his candidacy “unofficial” any longer.

Exhibit A:
In March, The Denver Post reported McInnis was telling his friends at the state GOP committee meeting he’s “in” for the governor’s race.

Exhibit B:
Last month, a voice-mail message left on an unidentified machine has raised questions about whether McInnis is inappropriately coordinating with a 527 political group. His defense? McInnis told the Post that because he has not officially announced or formed a candidate committee the rules do not yet apply to him. But isn't acknowledging he's an unofficial candidate to The Denver Post still a public announcement?

Exhibit C:
As of Saturday, The Steamboat Pilot reported:

"McInnis said [at a Lincoln Day Dinner] Colorado campaign laws prevent him from formally announcing his candidacy but promised the local audience, 'I’m ready for a little fight.' When local party Chairman Jack Taylor said McInnis was 'seriously considering' running for governor, McInnis replied, 'That would be an understatement.'

If it talks like a candidate, sounds like a candidate, and raises money like a candidate, there is only one thing it can be.

We rest our case.