Denver • Businessman Doug Robinson, a nephew of former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, failed to qualify for Colorado’s Republican gubernatorial primary ballot, a state official announced Friday.
Colorado politicians hoping to land on their party’s statewide primary ballot must gather 1,500 signatures from party voters in each of the state’s seven congressional districts.
Secretary of State Wayne Williams said Robinson was unable to get the required signatures in the 2nd Congressional District, a liberal stronghold centered in Boulder.
Robinson’s campaign said it would challenge the decision in court.
“We know we have enough signatures,” spokeswoman Brett Maney said.
Williams, also a Republican, said former state Rep. Victor Mitchell did gather enough signatures to qualify for the primary.
Robinson, an investment banker, is the second prominent Republican who failed to make his party’s gubernatorial primary ballot in the past week.
An alternative to the petition path to the ballot is to garner support from at least 30 percent of the delegates at the party’s annual assembly.
On Saturday, Colorado Attorney General Cynthia Coffman, failed to reach that threshold at the Republican state assembly. Treasurer Walker Stapleton and former Parker Mayor Greg Lopez both qualified for the ballot through the assembly.
Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper is term-limited. Democrats competing for the nomination to replace him include former state Sen. Mike Johnston, former state Treasurer Cary Kennedy, Lt. Gov Donna Lynne and Rep. Jared Polis.
Lynne’s petitions to appear on the Democratic primary ballot were certified by the Secretary of State Friday afternoon.