DENVER — Former Colorado State Treasurer Cary Kennedy on Monday announced her candidacy for the Democratic nomination for governor of Colorado live on Facebook while behind the wheel of a moving vehicle.
“I am running for governor because I love Colorado. If we invest in our people, manage our money responsibly and protect the Colorado we love, we can ensure that everyone here can benefit from our progress,” Kennedy said.
Since the announcement, Kennedy has been criticized by several politicos for how she made the high-profile announcement, accusing her of distracted driving. Kennedy also received criticism from supporters on her Facebook page.
“Safety is always a priority and that’s why Cary was about 300 yards from her house,” campaign spokeswoman Serena Woods said in a statement. “We had several people on the street monitoring traffic and she was driving slowly. We are so excited that more than 12,000 people have been able to watch and participate in the announcement in four hours.”
Kennedy grew up in Colorado and graduated from Denver’s Manual High School.
Congressman Ed Perlmutter, D-Golden, announced Sunday that he also is running for governor.
Perlmutter’s announcement was not necessarily a surprise after the news former Sen. Ken Salazar decided not to run.
Former State Sen. Mike Johnston is already in the race and raising money. Businessman Noel Ginsburg is also running. Congressman Jared Polis has not ruled out running.
On the Republican side, several people have already filed paperwork to run, including former State Rep. Victor Mitchell and Araphahoe County District Attorney George Brauchler.
Other rumored names include State Treasurer Walker Stapleton and former Colorado State University athletic director Jack Graham.
Gov. John Hickenlooper, who is term limited, will be in office until January 2019.