Republican U.S. Senate candidate Joe O'Dea submitted nominating petitions for the June primary ballot to the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office on Monday morning, his campaign said.
O'Dea, owner of a Denver-based construction company, is one of seven GOP candidates seeking the nomination to run against Democratic U.S. Rep. Michael Bennet, who is seeking a third term.
A spokesman told Colorado Politics that the first-time candidate turned in more than 23,000 signatures and is confident he will qualify for the ballot. Candidates for U.S. senator and governor are required to submit 12,000 valid signatures from fellow party members, with 1,500 from each of the state’s eight congressional districts.
“I’ve been all over our beautiful state and, let me tell you, Republicans are fired up; they are ready to beat Michael Bennet,” O'Dea said in a statement. “I am blessed to have the support of so many and I cannot wait to earn the vote of primary voters and take our message to every single voter in this state to beat Biden’s senator, Michael Bennet."
Candidates can get on Colorado’s June 28 primary election ballot by gathering petition signatures, by winning support from delegates at party assemblies or by taking both routes.
Unusual this election cycle, O'Dea is the only U.S. Senate candidate in Colorado to circulate petitions. Four years ago, at least five of the Democrats running against Republican U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner gathered signatures, and in 2016, the last time Bennet was on the ballot, four of his Republican opponents petitioned into the primary.
The other Republicans hoping to challenge Bennet this year are seeking the nomination through the assembly process, which kicked off earlier this month at precinct caucuses. That field includes state Rep. Ron Hanks; Fort Collins real estate developer Gino Campana; former El Paso County GOP chair Eli Bremer; former talk radio host and nonprofit founder Deborah Flora; former congressional candidate Peter Yu; and, political science professor Greg Moore.
Republicans going the assembly route have to get the support of 30% of delegates at the April 9 state assembly. Candidates who go both routes must clear 10% delegate support at the assembly, or their petitions won't count, even if they have enough valid signatures.
O'Dea hasn't decided whether he'll also go through assembly, campaign spokesman Sage Naumann said on Monday.
Petitioners have until 5 p.m. Tuesday to submit signatures to the secretary of state's office, which processes petitions in the order they’re received. Candidates were able to start circulating petitions on Jan. 19.
Original source can be found here
