State GOP chair takes a page from Ken Buck’s playbook, plots run for Congress

The chairman of the Colorado Republican Party has not so subtly announced his campaign for the congressional seat being vacated by U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn.

Dave Williams released this congressional campaign commercial on X, which was retweeted on the state party’s official social media page.

Not a bad commercial for a potential Congressional run in CD5, right?#copoliticshttps://t.co/YfFJ5bQqdE

— Rep. Dave Williams (@RepDaveWilliams) January 5, 2024

Williams is taking a controversial page from the playbook of U.S. Rep. Ken Buck, who also served as party chairman while running for reelection to his congressional seat.

But yet Buck ran unopposed in 2020, and we would note that Republicans have since developed zero tolerance for the appearance of a rigged election.

And, Buck didn’t use official state GOP resources and social media accounts to launch his campaign.

NEW: In an email from the Colorado Republican Party account, chairman Dave Williams announces he’s running for CD5 following the retirement of Rep. Doug Lamborn.

He says he will remain as party chair through the primary. #copolitics pic.twitter.com/ywLafoPRyj

— Marshall Zelinger (@Marshall9News) January 8, 2024

Whether it’s Trump getting kicked off ballots while facing nearly 100 charges under numerous federal indictments, the 2020 presidential race, or Williams running against a packed GOP field in an open seat for Congress while chairing the state GOP.

Far be it from us to tell anyone how to run their campaign. But as a rule, Republicans don’t like undue influence on their votes.

But mark our words, Williams’ the state party’s retweet of Williams’ commercial without any mention of the major news of Lamborn’s retirement or naming any of the other candidates considering a run, is likely to just piss off conservative voters.

Meanwhile, everyone and their cousin in the 5th district are considering a run for the open seat.

In mostly alphabetical order, they are so far:

• Former Olympian Eli Bremer
• Radio host Jeff Crank
• State Sen. Bob Gardner
• Former state Rep. Tim Geitner
• El Paso County Commissioner Longinos Gonzalez
• State Senate Minority Leader Paul Lundeen
• Former state Rep. Dan Nordberg
• Assistant House Minority Leader Rose Pugliese
• Former county GOP Vice Chairman Karl Schneider
• Former Lamborn staffer Cassandra Sebastian
• El Paso County Commissioner Stan VanderWerf
• State Republican Party Chairman Dave Williams
• Former Colorado Secretary of State Wayne Williams

With more than a dozen Republicans considering a run for the open Colorado Springs seat, Dave Williams needs to give a lot more thought as to whether it’s the right thing to remain chairman of the state party while doing so.

Or he can roll the dice and let the voters decide for him if such a move is fair play.