Alex Constantine - March 31, 2014
After Bob Beauprez’s entrance into the Colorado governor’s race this week, the Republican has relinquished his role as chairman of Denver’s effort to win hosting duties for the 2016 Republican National Convention. A familiar face — Pete Coors — is taking over. Coors, the chairman of Molson Coors Brewing Co. and MillerCoors, ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate in 2004.
Coors is stepping in immediately for Beauprez, a former congressman who gave up his role in the RNC bid effort after kicking off his gubernatorial campaign Monday. (But first, he joined other members of a bipartisan delegation in Washington, D.C., to deliver Denver’s presentation to the site selection committee.)
“Bob has done a spectacular job of getting the committee up and running,” Coors said in a state GOP news release. “I look forward to working with the broad coalition of businesses and civic leaders as well as elected officials to ensure Denver’s bid is successful.”
Beauprez will stay involved as part of an expansive roster of honorary chairs on the 2016 Denver Convention Bid Host Committee. And newly joining that list is State Rep. Amy Stephens. She bowed out of the Republican primary battle to challenge Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Udall after last week’s entrance into the race of Cory Gardner, a congressman representing eastern Colorado.
National Republicans also have launched a website where Republicans can vote on their favorite potential host city. Besides Denver, the finalists are Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, Dallas, Kansas City, Las Vegas and Phoenix. Sean Spicer, the Republican National Committee’s communications director, said in an email to Republicans Tuesday that party officials would share the top three vote-getters with the site selection committee as it narrows the list.
http://blogs.denverpost.com/thespot/2014/03/04/pete-coors-bob-beauprez-rnc/106601/
