Soured deal with Gov. Ritter forces Romanoff's hand

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Andrew Romanoff set his sights on a race for the U.S. Senate only after the breakdown of several months of backroom negotiations with Gov. Bill Ritter to find an alternative political opportunity for the popular former state House speaker.

Described to The Denver Post by several Democratic sources, the potential deal centered on appointing Romanoff lieutenant governor when Barbara O'Brien — who was considering other options — stepped aside.

Romanoff allies said Ritter finally told the veteran state legislator in a meeting between the two men in late June that he would not get the job. That set off a chain of events that led Romanoff to consider a primary challenge against U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet and open a potentially damaging divide among state Democrats.

Those discussions, which included three face-to-face meetings between Ritter and Romanoff over more than six months, partly explain the timing of Romanoff's consideration of a primary bid — months after allies advised him to and long past the deadline most political strategists considered wise.

Sources close to Romanoff insist the 43-year-old lawmaker believes he was offered and accepted the lieutenant governorship. The sources asked for anonymity in order to speak freely about behind-the-scenes operations.

http://www.denverpost.com/statehouse08/ci_13266049