WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter has found the “fire in the belly” again — or at least the desire to remain a member of Congress.
The Arvada Democrat on Monday said he would run for a seventh term in Colorado’s 7th Congressional District, a declaration that comes five short weeks after Perlmutter dropped out of Colorado’s crowded race for governor and said he was done with politics.
“Over the last few weeks, a lot has happened, both for me and in the world. I’ve taken some time to regroup and recharge, and in so doing, I’ve had many meaningful conversations with friends, neighbors, supporters and family who have encouraged me to run again,” said Perlmutter in a statement. “And I’ve come to the conclusion to run again for re-election.”
The turnabout, which comes after Perlmutter was facing pressure of late to run for re-election, scrambles a race that was developing into a pitched battle to succeed him and included several of the state’s Democratic rising stars.
Three Democratic state lawmakers and an Obama-era official launched campaigns in the left-leaning district, which covers parts of Jefferson and Adams counties. They include state Sens. Andy Kerr and Dominick Moreno, state Rep. Brittany Pettersen and Obama administration ambassador Dan Baer.
Collectively, the four have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for their campaigns.
Pettersen ended her campaign Monday hours after the news about Perlmutter broke, saying, “While I’m disappointed I will not have the opportunity to serve our community in Congress, I know that the people of the 7th District will continue to be well represented by Ed Perlmutter.”
She endorsed Perlmutter’s re-election campaign and vowed to continue serving Coloradans.
Moreno also suspended his campaign and endorsed Perlmutter, saying, “We continue to be in great hands.”
“My time serving our community does not end with our campaign suspending, and I remain committed to standing up for our values in the state Senate,” Moreno said.
In Perlmutter’s statement announcing his return, he apologized for the change in plans after saying in July that he no longer had the “fire in the belly” to run for elected office.
“I’ve talked to Andy, Brittany, Dominick and corresponded with Dan about my decision,” Perlmutter said. “They are all wonderful people, and I know for them and some others, my decision is not convenient or well timed, for which I’m sorry.”
In a statement, Kerr said: “Ed’s been a friend, a mentor and a great public servant for the people of CD7 — including my own family. I respect his decision and the wishes of the people he works so hard for.”
A spokeswoman for Baer, who boasted that he raised more than $300,000 in the two weeks after he announced his campaign on Aug. 1, said he was traveling and that “given the number of twists and turns in this race so far, we don’t have any immediate response.”
Republicans, who have yet to field a prominent candidate in the race, were quick to blast Perlmutter for his decision.
“Given Ed’s apparent willingness to say and do anything to further his own ambition, it’s clear Colorado can neither trust nor respect Perlmutter,” Jack Pandol, spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said in a statement. “It’s time for a change.”
Jeff Hays, chairman of the Colorado GOP, said it’s wrong for Perlmutter to try to represent his district without “fire in the belly,” playing off the congressman’s speech in July in which he announced he was quitting politics.
Chairman Jeff Hays on Rep. Perlmutter's about-face: "The voters of CD7 deserve a congressman with fire in the belly. It was admirable…"1/2 https://t.co/F78AijNdpu
— Colorado Republican Party (@cologop) August 21, 2017
“It’s certainly been an interesting show,” said Bob Loevy, a retired Colorado College political science professor. “I’m sure it’s a great disappointment to the Democrats who hoped to take (Perlmutter’s) seat. This is just opportunity lost for them. It’s going to have a big impact on their careers.”
On the upside, Loevy said, Colorado will continue to have a senior lawmaker in Washington who has status on committees and overall influence in the U.S. House.
“We in Colorado just don’t seem to be able to send people down there who stay for 20 or 30 years,” Loevy said, pointing to Denver Democrat U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette as the state’s only other long-serving member of Congress. “From Colorado’s point of view, I think it’s good that he’s coming back into the race.”
Perlmutter was first elected to his congressional seat in 2006. Before that, he served in the state legislature.
According to Federal Election Commission filings, Perlmutter had about $425,000 of cash on hand for his congressional campaign heading into July. The Colorado Secretary of State’s Office says Perlmutter isn’t allowed to move the money he raised for his gubernatorial campaign over to his re-election efforts.
