Dan Maes's last-minute campaign blitz: Honking, waving

Yesterday, Dan Maes's campaign sent out a release announcing that he and "supporters" would be waving to passers-by at Eighth Avenue and Speer beginning at 4 p.m. -- a pledge he kinda exceeded, kinda didn't. When I drove past the spot at five minutes before 4, he was already there,...

By Michael Roberts

November 2, 2010

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Yesterday, Dan Maes's campaign sent out a release announcing that he and "supporters" would be waving to passers-by at Eighth Avenue and Speer beginning at 4 p.m. -- a pledge he kinda exceeded, kinda didn't. When I drove past the spot at five minutes before 4, he was already there, hand energetically flapping back and forth. But instead of supporters-plural, he was accompanied by a supporter-singular -- an appropriate visual for what's happened to his once promising campaign.

Since winning the Republican gubernatorial nomination over a badly damaged Scott McInnis, Maes has stumbled from one embarrassing revelation to another. The previously undisclosed bankruptcy, his explanations for being fired as a Liberal, Kansas cop circa the '80s, questions about him collecting contributions in a burlap sack: He's attempted to shrug these issues off as unfair media attacks, yet their accumulation eventually caused his polling numbers to plummet, and Tom Tancredo's support to surge.

Nonetheless, Maes has repeatedly refused to drop out of the race, despite suggestions that he was handing the governor's mansion keys to Democrat John Hickenlooper, as well as a reported bribery attempt. And he continues to soldier on, even if the only weapon left in his arsenal appears to be his right hand.

Yep, Maes will spend part of today waving -- and honking, too -- according to a campaign release issued a short time ago that also includes information about tonight's "victory party." He may be many things, but he's not a quitter -- or a pessimist. Here's that announcement:

Election Day Maes Style

Can you believe it? I registered with the Secretary of State for my run for Governor On March 13, 2009. No other candidate for Governor has been at it as long as I have and no other candidate, nor candidates combined, travelled the state like I did. It's not over yet! Today, we will honk and wave in just a little while at I-70 near my home town. Then we will prepare for the day and travel to El Paso County where we will honk and wave, greet voters at one or two polling places, and then cap the day with our Victory Party (see below for details).

For most of you reading this the act of voting is probably a given, but I can't let it go unsaid that your vote could be the deciding one! We won the assembly by just 16 votes! We won the primary by just 5,000. Stay the course for another 12 hours and make sure you encourage others to vote too!

Victory Party Location for Tonight

Please celebrate with us tonight from 7:00 PM at:

Colorado Mountain Brewery

11202 Rampart Hills View

Colorado Springs, CO 80921

719-434-5750

Click the link for a map.

http://cmbrew.com/page4/page4.html

located at I-25 and Interqwest Parkway on the very north end of Colorado Springs.

I am so excited to bring this incredible journey to its end tonight with my family, and so many new friends that have stood in the trenches with me for so many months. See you soon if not in body, then in spirit.

In Freedom,

Dan Maes

Paid for by Friends of Dan Maes for Governor

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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