Now Colorado GOP Lawmakers Call On Holtzman To Step Aside

As he should:

Thirty-one Republican legislators today wrote Marc Holtzman and asked him to drop out of the race for governor, saying they feared his candidacy could do serious harm to the Republican party this fall.

The letter was also signed by nine GOP candidates for legislative seats around the state.

Here is the full text of letter (also contains the names of those who signed):

Dear Mr. Holtzman:

We write today as Republican legislative elected officials and Republican candidates for State House and State Senate asking you to forgo your opportunity to submit petitions to place your name on the Republican primary ballot for Governor.

You have clearly worked hard to communicate with Republican activists throughout the state, and we appreciate your sincere interest in moving Colorado forward. However, the grassroots of our party have made their decision, and now is the time for the Republican Party to come together under one candidate for Governor.

The stakes are simply too high for anything less.

Your decision whether to expend time and money on what will, no doubt, be an expensive primary will have a direct effect on each of our races and those who are running for our seats. With already limited resources, it is essential that we focus our efforts early and unite for the common purpose of winning in November.

We ask that you respect the results of Saturday’s Republican State Assembly and put your time, effort and energy toward helping elect Republicans statewide, up and down the ballot.

The Democrat Party had a coronation for their candidate for Governor in Greeley—we simply cannot afford to have a divided party through August.

Now is the time to be a statesman and to unify the Republican effort. Join with us to make the Colorado Republican Party stronger.