Romney for President’s Colorado Connection

Bart Taylor //July 16, 2012//

Romney for President’s Colorado Connection

Bart Taylor //July 16, 2012//

(Editor’s note: This is the first of a brief two-part interview series with our featured speakers for the 18th annual Colorado Biz Diversity in Business breakfast, July 24, 7:00-9:30 a.m. at the Denver Center for Performing Arts in Denver.)

Speaking with me from Boston, now hip-deep in his fourth national Presidential campaign, Rich Beeson, Mitt Romney’s national political director, is nevertheless quick to point out one of the benefits of being a native Coloradan: “Our family’s five generations in Colorado and we get to drive around with the cool Pioneer plates.”

I’m reminded again why my 35 years here will never equate to native status.

Beeson, now a Parker resident, grew up in Kiowa County, in Eads, married a Pueblo girl, and seems to savor Colorado’s pivotal role in the November election. Yet when asked what issues might resonate with Colorado voters this fall, Beeson suggested that issues unique to the West may take a back seat to the theme that continues to dominate the national campaign – jobs and the economy.  

“I’m reminded of several years ago when we first began to see $3 or $4 per gallon prices for gas, and in the polling process we were forced to ask, ‘aside from $4 a gallon gas, what are the most important campaign issues’? It’s the same now with jobs and the economy.

“This is the first generation of people who are concerned their kids aren’t going to better off than they are, and Coloradans aren’t insulated from that at all. There a lot of issues, but everything’s going to pivot off jobs and economy.”

Rich Beeson and Katherine Archuleta, national political director for Obama for American will appear at the Diversity in Business breakfast July 24. We’ll hear from Arhculeta in the coming days. Go here for more details.